Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-05-26
STEUBENVILLE'S EXHIBI-
TION.
Its Appearance as Viewed by
Wheeling's Ewes on Saturday.


out the aid of the great disseminated
the press-is the man who hides his
light under bushel instead OF placing
it on acandlestick. There was an ex-
cursion to Steubenville on Saturday,
there really was, startling as the news
may be. Not very extensive one, be-
ing composed of about dozen, but still
an excursion, over the p. G. & st. i.
railway. 1t was not advertised, and
consequently, the train which drew up
at the station of our pretty neighboring
city only deposited about the number
named.
But Steubenville did not miss them
in the general rush to view her greatest
enterprise - the Loan Exhibit
ton for the benefit OF
the Soldiers Reunion. Steubenville
does not entertain, as a rule, the most
friendly feelings toward Wheeling. And
why? JealOusy-rivalry. Her people
speak of rivalry with Wheeling as fact
something substantial, instead OF the
visionary, one-sided thing it is. Steu-
benyille is one of the many beautiful,
thriving towns OF Ohio, has fine Court
House and a number of pretty girls, but
then what? They say we are inhospit-
able, and do not reclprOcate the kind
and cordial welcome they have always
extended to our excursions and enter
tainments. That when they give per-
Torrance here ii is criticized as though
they were professionals instead OF anna
teurs. Do they bring their performan-
ces here and throw them on our mercy?
All this brings us by an easy grada-
ton to the great exhibition. 1t is held
in the Court House, a really fine build
ing and one of which Jefferson coun-
tv may we'll be proud, and which for the
last week has apparently held
most of the population of that county,
leaving the outside rather deserted. 1t
is building OF "many mansions" and
without disturbing the Offices on the
lower floor, leaves ample room for the
wants of the exhibition. Care and labor
unspeakable have made the loan,
what it is-a Centennial on a small
scale, and many pleasant and profitable
DAYS might be spent in the different de-
partments.
Passing up the stairwar to he second
story, YOU are first struck, if you are
Young, masculine gender, singular num-
Der, with the beauty Of the commit
tees" which are made OF the villages
fairest daughters. They tell you every
thing YOU want to know, answer your
questions, ifthey can, and sell you catal-
Ogues.
You first enter the department de-
voted to geology, ethnology, natural his
tory and education, where you STE in
Vulnerable things that you don't know
and can't tell the names OF. Bethany
College has largely contributed here, and
that old fossil, the Smithsonian Institute,
has sent photographs of its collections.
But you can't stop any place, and after
looking at utensils, &c, from, prehistoric
man down to Darwin, and cracking
your neighbours head in an awkward
attempt to explain the manner OF
throwing an Australian boomerang,
you pass on.
In the department OF pottery and
glass, may be seen vases, bowls and
dishes of every sort, size, age and de-
scriptiOn; pottery that would have
driven Bernard Pallissy wild with envy
and amphor;p that held wine in the old
cellars of buried Pompeii; delicate
sevrcs and singular japanese plate;
Bohemian glass, Dresden ware,
iridescent and sulphurescent glass,
Jardinicrcs, Longwys and Glen Falence
until you can't rest.
The departments of home art and
textile fabrics are filled with things
that no man who doesn't part his hair
i'm the middle could describe. And in
a hurried trip through, you get con-
fused idea of point lace and applique,
rare and costly shawls. fans and hand
kerchiefs; silks, satins and en-
broideries; dresses, old and modern,
opera cloaks, parasols, scarts and
gloves that are the continual envy and
admiration of all the ladies' who see
them, and their name is legion.
You step into the oriental department
and find yourself suddenly transported
To- Damascus or Bagdad. Here Madame
Demorest's exhibit is resplendent with
articles of oriental art and luxury. You
walk through the bazaars Of CONSTANT
nople, Ispahan and Medina, and note
the blending of rich hues, from the
coarse bright colors of Syria to the deli
cate tinting of Arabian Camelshairs.
Then YOU 90 through India, with its
rich sandal wood, coral and ivory, and
bring up at China and Japan. And Bob
Ingersoll would revel over the display Of
idols, and probably buy up everything
for sale in the way OF gods and god
desses, crowns, beads and feushcs.
There are innumerable articles in this
department that would be considered
rare curiositieS in the British Museum.
Another department is devoted to
books, curiosities and relics, where q
perfect myriad OF attractive objects wait
the ewes OF visitors. An archaeologist
would be delighted and Dominic
Sampson would 90 stark mad with JOY.
Iudecipherable documents in blacklet-
ter, manuscripts in old mOnkish Latin
that would puzzle Yale professor, old
historical works, acts and papers are ar
ranged around in profusion, and week
would be insufficient for comprehen-
slvc examination.
Then comes the floral department,
well-stocked, and the art gallery, a
moderately fine collection, and you find
yourself in the presence OF collection
of relics that brings you face to face
with the past-war relics. There is
tine old kettle that "Gran'ther Young
brought home from Concord, bust
ed" a fife played during the fight
at Brandywine; a shot from Fort Sum-
ter; piece OF the collar worn by
Lincoln when assassinated, and stained
with his blood; the reward for Booth
posted up by Secretary Stanton; innu-
merable relics of Washington; the chair
Grant used when Lee surrendered; and
one thousand and one other relics that
can only be appreciated when seen. In
this department many fingered long.
The interest inspired by an amphora
found i'm the Mediterranean sea and sup
posed to be 1900 years old, and worth
5000, was nothing to that felt in hand
ling the pistolthat shot Alexander Ham
ilton, or a bayonet that helped repulse
the British at Stony Point. The hand
of the mummy, perhaps hand that
helped build the pyramids, created
some interest, but it paled before the
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