The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-11-06
readyY We have fifteen hundred ham.
mers driving every day. Fifteen hundred
thousand nails every few hours will get

her done mighty soon, now."
The buildings are a rife.shot from the
banks of the Mississippi. The place is
high and dry now, of course above all
approach of floods; level as lawn,
green, cool, beautiful, with avenues of
oaks that have no equal on earth; but
the grounds are going to be muddy. The
ground is deep black Oregon Camas
muck; it is the mud of Illinois, in fact,
worked over and washed down and made
tenfold more sticky by its long transpor;
tation. But of course planks-and there
are plenty of them here-will keep your
feet from the mud. 1t is going to be simply
a tremendous success. I can tell you
more of the details two weeks later. In
the three great Expositions of the past |
was sent to report upon the show grounds.
was sent to Vienna, to Paris, and also
to Philadelphia, as am sent here, long
in advance of the opening; and can
only say that things here compare most
favorably with the best prospects, as I
remember them and recounted them, at
these other places. And that is about
all that I am justified in saying now. !
will say this, however, to my friends and
readers-and 1 have about million, l
believe-that any one who fails to visit
this city and these scenes at this coming
Fair, health and all things permitting, is
simply silly. This city hopes to get some
good out of the coming show. The main.
good, my friends, will be to the North.
You want to learn something of the size,
the story, the glory and the splendor of
your land. You want to see these people
here, too. A vanquisbed, beaten and
impoverished people; but brave, and
good, and true, and warm at heart as the
sun above them. lam already assured,
from what see, that it is going to be the
greatest thing Of its kind that has ever
been on earth. That is saying very
great deal, certainly. But bear in mind
that outside of the million dollars, these
brave sunny-hearted. and show-loving
people have perpetuated their Carnivals
through all their trials and have long
been celebrated for their matchless skill
in getting up such things. So you can
safely calculate that to miss this Exposi.
tion will be life regret.
But to continue the Sundays excur.
sions. went to see the "Bandit King"
and "Bunch of Keys" at night, alternat.
ing between the two theaters, which stand
close together. The heat was too intense,
and before the, plays were over l went
out, walked down Canal street, stripped
and plunged into the river from the
wharf, which slopes to the waters edge.
Not soul in sight, not even apoliceman.
The electric light made the water sheet
of silver, and l did not see that the swift,
strong river had caught me up in his
arms aud was rushing on with all his
might tothe sea. Perilous! But what
did it matter? When l got back and sat
catching my breath on the edge of the
wharf / saw lot of jet black bugs as big
as mice sitting on the edge of the plank
at my side. / never saw such creatures
in my life. Now and then they would
dive off into the water. One of these
bugs finally elbowed around, and lifting
upon his hind legs, looked me squarely
in the eyes. He had mustache like the
King of Italy. l fled precipitately, as
soon as [ could dress.
sauntered up Canal street two blocks
and turned down street to the right. l
heard men calling out games and names
which I had not heard called for thirty
years. Up wide, bright stair of brass,
and gambling was before me in all its
doubtful glory. A policeman looking on,
good order, no noise except the men call
ing out their games. Twenty. y.seven
tables going in this room. No woman in
sight. The dealers were generally little
pot.bellied and bald-headed Frenchmen.
The language h.ostly spoken was English.
I went out, down, up again; saw four
other places, all so alike that.I need not
mention them.
passed on, down hundred yards or
so toward the French quarter, and I
heard wild, discordant music and the
cracked and squeaky voices of matured
women who we're dancing and singing by
dozens right and left; l pushed open
some of the doors; the dingy floors we're
pached with men and women.
1t was time to 60 home. wish had
not seen it all. / wish 1 did not, as
truthful chronicler, have to set it down
here. 1t mars my picture Of discoveries
and of the mighty scenes that have been
before me. God, how pitiful is man, and
how contemplate he can be, even in the
presence of all this majesty of Nature.
JOAQUIN MILLER.