The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-06-06
PHILADELPHIA LETTER.
room our reular corrcspoudentJ

There IL perhaps no nation participat-
ing In the display In Fairmornt PARK
whose exhibition may he studied with
more profit aud pleasure than that of
SWEDEN.
II seems 10 have been the object Of tins
country not so much to advertise its pro-
ducts In the market Of nations, as TO adj
dress itself in friendly and sociabe way
10 the heart and intelligence. In this re-
spcct, Sweden Is In marked and refresh
ing contrast with almost every other ma
ton.
is somewhat Disseminating to those
Of us who have seen France, Italy and
Germany through the magnifying haze
Of history, literature, or in the drama of
great achievements, to meet them here in
the role OF shopmen and huxsters, each
trying to excel the other in magniiicence
Of shop-windows, and making the Nisi-
tor feel unhappy because he neglected to
bring sufficient pocket money to buy
them all out. But Sweden masks or
subordinates her avarice. The features
of her exhibition which attract most at
tention, ere the costumed lifelike groups
In plaster, representing scenes in the do
nestle life OF the
SWEDISH COMMON PEOPLE.
In one of these an old man and his wife
are seated ut table; he appears to be
reading aloud from the bible, while she
listens in reverential silence. Another
tableau represents an old clockmaker lis
tening to the persuasion Of his wife in be.
half of young peasant and their dangh-
ter standing by. intent upon matrimony.
The zeal of the mother for the cause.
the grave deliberation OF the father,
and the respectful, anxious suspense OF
the young couple are all very power
fully portrayed. No detail of a rigor-
Ously truthful representation is omitted !;
the tableaux have been modelled from
well-known pictures; the physiognomy
is of pronounced national type, and the
clothing has been purchased second hand
from Swedish peasants. Other groups
represent a mother weeping over the
cradle Of her dead infant; bride and
groom in the cheap gorgeousness of their
wedding finery, and Laplander drawn
by q reindeer over fields of snow repre-.
scented by cotton, against back ground
Of aurora borealis. A contemplation of
the last group will prepare the visitor to
appreciate the fine display OF furs of
otter, sable. mink. fox, seal. ETC., that are
In this section.
On the opposite side of the main aisle,
and separated from the principal Swedish
section, isa
wARIIKE DISPLAY,
in marked contrast with that which We
have just seen. 1t consists OF Swedish
soldiers in plaster, representing different
branches Of the service, artillery, cav
airy and infantry, uniformed and armed
cap pie. There is also steel cannon
with its caison, q gun which is something
like our Calling gun, and many arms
and announcements modern ana antique.
Near the military exhibit is that OF the
technical art schools; these are supported
Nv the government in the cities and large
towns, the sessions being held in the
evenings and on Sundays. The students
are young working people of both sexes,
and their attainments as represented here
la architectural. mechanical and land
scape drawing as well as in the
construction Of mechanical models
indicate high degree OF efficiency. But
will reserve for future letter a fuller
notice Of the Swedish educational ex-
hibit, which, while on the whole not SUI
perior 10 our own. has isolated points Of
superiority that we may probably
Study. ! was particularly impressed
with the excellence Of their maps and
charts Of all kinds, geological, astro-
nomicai and mathematical, as we'll as
geographical. The latter are in marked
contrast with the varigated. misleading
blotches which under the names Of Guy.
or Co DELL, Mitchell aud others are i'm
pod On the school children OF the Unit
cd States. Their charts Of pictures for
the education OF the eye and for object
instruction are very good, and their
desks are models OF simplicity, strength
and convenience but not OF beauty.
Ia the purely industrial portion Of her
exhibit, the Swedish iron and steel
make the most imposing display. The
exhibitors Of these metals are twenty
eight In number and they include the
two largest firms in the Kingdom, one at
Motola and the other at Sandoik. Huge
hats, wheels and ingots OF iron and
steel are arranged in columns and pyra.
mids twenty or thirty feet in height
producing the impression that Sweder
produces In abundance, an excellent
quality Of the most useful OF all metals
The display OF furs by ID. Forssel 4
Co. OF Stockholm, are constantly sur
rounded by groups of admiring ladies
Upon comparing the prices with thos
Of various similar articles sold in thi
country, found the Swedish furs consid
erably lower.
Nearly every European country, |
would seem from the redundant and mo
notonous display In the mai
building, desires to compete.in porcelain
and China ware. Sweden is no exceI
and hur Ia. 4.