The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-07-29

MIRACLE Of science; they can scarcely be-
ieve their eyes as the CONCEALED masses
re laid out on slabs of cork. There are
ust now many visitors from the rural
provinces of France. who are quite as
as the exhibits they have cohe
10 look at.
observed one family in particular
standing for long while before tue lreez-
ine machine. They were quite study 10
the head OF the house was
o.t;raa in a snit of cut that might have
been fashionable fifty years ago, which the
v;lIooe tailor's art had made curiosity OF
wrinkles and creases, Of iosseness where it
should have been tight, aad OF tightness
vbere it should have been loose. His two
sons, one stalwart young man, the other
an awkward angular peasant wore clothes
that we're quite the counterpart OF those OF
their worthy progeDitor, their semblance
leading one to suppose that their local
tailor had strong conservative views, and
had trained his shears to preserve the cut
that was all the style in his youth, with a
lofty disregard for the changes OF tickle
fashion. had gone on turning out redingotes
of the style of Charles TX for three gener-
atoms of peasantry. The female members
Of the party displayed their picturesque
local costume-a high linen cap. bedecked
with gay ribbons; q wooden dress OF
quantity simple fashion, aud pretty
apron. evidently meant for show and not
for use. Thus attired, they looked as
fresh and pleasing, as the men appeared
ridiculous. They were amazed at the
sight of the artificial ice, and watched the
frozen blocks as they came out OF the
machine. leaning over the ratings to lay
their fingers upon them, doubling their
eyes until an additional sense had cllneEed
the argument, and convinced them that
there was real ice iu the middle OF sum
mer.
What is that distant sign that has just
caught our eye?
AMERICAN POPCORN.
The sight of it makes the mouth water
Just as the star spangled banner" played
by Gillmore's band, on the fourth OF July,
made our eyes slop over. We must pay a
| WISH IOE TUE Sdk0 vi OtO lduk cyuC4 II
the article, which, with chewing gum,
every American remembers to have beer
the staple nourishGent of bis school boy
days. How intensely patriotic we become
when the Atlantic ocean is between Vi
and home. We denounce our institutions
and public men before we have beer
abroad, but become devout worshipers o
almost everything American when VI
have had opportunity to compare then
with things on this side. have know
Americans so patriotic as to take drlnI
in Paris for 40 better reason than that tn
saloon. kept most probably by an English
: man, had on it the sign: America
bar" The American popcorn machine
actively turning out large round balls o
the compound, and lively sale is carries
on, most OF the people who gather aroun
S being curious to sample it, but popcorn, a
D manufactured at the exhibition, seems I
be more sticky and less savory than til
!. popcorn we used to smuggle into schoC
y and nihb}e at stolen intervals.
8 Let US approach and see what tn
l., dense crowd is looking at. 1t is an exhib
q of the manufacture of plate gilt jewellery
4 The whole process is going on under th
eye of the visitor, and large quantity
8 pretty bogus triDkets are made and soil
+ Further on under a glass case is mo
;. elaborate model of castle executed el
tirely in cork. Every detail
. architecture is finished with su
y prising care, rendering this work
IS patience and folly quite artistic in
ii character. Some idle individual devote
# nine years to the task, longer time thi
Gustave Dore required to illustrate Fl
&c great works, aud cover miles of canvas.
this section the process of diamond cutti
J. may be witnessed, and a slow laborlo
IN process it is. The lapidaries at work
the precious stones appear to be sitting
10 large open pavilion, but, on closer
as spection, you will find that thick pls
a. glass entirely separates them and the d
- mQnds from the spectator.
Every printing and engraving proc'
~ may be seen in the French or ether n
90 chanical departments. Chromos, VIC
TX cuts steel. aud copper plate pictures, It'll
I'd graphs, autographs, copies from Ediso
of electric pen. and, and from the Americ
" type writer, are all made in the preseI
er of the visitor Several Paris letters ha
e. presses at the exhibition which continuoa
tn strike off specimen sheets for distribute
&c to the public But no journal publish
10 Paris can compare in quality of pap
ol and beauty of Typography, with the pap
OF on our side the water. G. A. S