The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-04
GEMS OF THE EXPOSITION.
A Landscape from the Easel of the
Chicago Artist--for One Dollar.
italian Criticism on the Woman Who Shops
The Mexican, japanese and Russian
Exhibits-TwO Historic Bells.


NEW ORLEANS, March 3l.-It must be con-
ceded that fellowship with New Orleans and the
worlds fair will have to be classified with those
happy unhappy affairs in which admiration
deepens so rapidly into genuine affection that,
when parting is inevitable, a long pull and a
strong pull are required to bring about sepa-
ration. New Orleans is undeniably filthy, and
her moral standard is, in the main, lamentaoly
low; but she has charms of sky and fragrance
OF bracing lake and river breeze of Bohemian
idIeness and languor, which 1T rends the
heart TO entirely relinquish. You know that
when you are home again you will wish you had
taken one mere lettering evening stroll In
Frenchtown or one more deliciously terrifying
sail on the lake. when the breeze was SO strong
that the boat scudded across one ear, and you
couldn't find time to be sea-sick because you
were too busy expecting to be drowned OF the
exposition similar regrets will doubtless be ex-
perienced You will long for more tire
somey delightful days tramp up and down the
endless aisles Of exhibits, or another charming
evening Of rest under the sweet strains Of the
Mexican band. It is almost impossible to
overestimate the great Indebtedness OF
the worlds fair to Mexico and her
people This country's extensive display OF her
products, inventions and manufactures is in
tensely interesting, and arouses surprise that we
have had such valuable neighbors and have been,
as nation, so comparatively ignorant Of the
fact The beautiful Mexican pavilion, filled
with their dazzling mineral display, their curl
Gus contributions to the horticultural exhibit;
their fine paintings in art hail. and finally, the
super enhancing music furnished by the Next
can band, have all made Mexico and the Mexi-
cans most prominent in all parts of the exhibit
ton, and, in measure. indispensable to its
attractions. Among other foreign ex-
hibits Japan has large display of
elegant and costly goods. Germany, France
and Italy vie with each other in booths of beau
tiful iewelry, paintings, statuary, ceramics
and bronzes. The gitterng gewgaws which
minister to unregenerate womans love OF
adornment are we'll nigh maddening In quantity
and quality. The attendants in these foreign
displays are generally goodnatured and cour-
tesy's self. Only the New Jersey Turks and the
native American threaten to spill your gore if
you act as if you don't care to buy. One day,
however, it was my misfortune to encounter
hotrheaded Italian, who had just escaped from
that species of American woman known as "a
shopper and happening to ask the price OF
harmless little silver pin, the Walls of wrath
which the woman-whosh had stirred up
madame, she all re time price when she no want
to buy! What for, madame, you all re time
price when you no want to buyp Deeming dis
cresion three -fourths of valor re American
madame vouchsafed no reply, and after enjoying
about five dollars worth of his insane scowls and
shrugs. withdrew. Greek had met Greek, how
ever. and in few days, when | supposed the
irate Italian to have subsidized into proper frame
propose to have Italy come it,
Indiana in that style This time my
fat friend was all smiles and gracious
ness, laying his whole shop at my feet
so to speak. l told him how abominably rude
he had teen to me. and lnsinuated, in my choicest
Quackenboss's rhetoric that if telling the prices
of his goods was such trial to him he had bet
ter pack up and go back to Venice He assured
me, in about five yards of the most delightful
Italian English, that he had such fine and costly
goods to take care of, and was so pestered by
American madams who pulled things around
and never bought pennys worth, that he be-
came Isl nervo" that he hardly knew what he
was about If the madame would graciously
deign to accept lis apology he be teetotally over
whelmed forever, words to that effect
So l accepted his apologies, advised him
TO take acid phosphate to prevent him
from smashing his own brc-a-brac, and then let
him beguile me into buying the very pin which
caused all the row. BY contrast, in the Russian
department is Russian lady who will be forev-
er conspicuous in my memory for her signay
beautiful manners. If you purchased, her gra-
cious thanks made you consider yourself her
debtor; if you were not ready to buy, her gentle.
quantity accented at your pleasure, madame"
made you feel as if you had been presented at
court. The Russian exhibit is extensive and at
tractiye-beautiful bronzes, maachite orna-
ments and tables glittering samovars,
graceful sledges and droskys all novel
and interesting. Although the for
egn displays are most auring, by reason
of their oddness our own exhibits in the main
building are by no means in the rear. Our fur
niture displays are magnificent. particularly so
that of Mitchell, of Cincinnati Some very cost
ly English furniture is shown by Oswald, of
london but it has a sort of faded, antique,
buried and dug up" appearance, which only the
soul of a real Anglo maniac could ever hope to
live up to. The Wakefield rattan display is
most attractive. Every imaginable shape of
chair, settee, table, basket, baby carriage, book
shelves and screens is here beheld. The 'Henop
Tea Company has an oddlooking bamboo pa
vilion. in which the cup which cheers but not in
ebriate, is kept constantly on tap for the thirsty
Elsewhere Liebig's beef-tea flows without money
or price. Bakers chocolate advertises itsels in
similar style. Somebody's mustard, pearline
and spool-cotton of every make are also given
away. Every piano known to man has large
space, we'll filled, and active advertisement by
indefatigable agents smites the at all hours.
When the exposition chimes are playing an or
gan concert going on, the machinery moving,
pianosplaying and the vendors crying their wares
Bedlam is deaf and dumb school by comparison.
Apropos of pianos, the first piano ever brought
to this country, in 1885, by Chas Carroll. the last
Giving signer of the Declaration of
independence. Is on exhibition in the
Maryland department, governmentment building
One of the most amusing features of the exhibit
tion is the lightning artist, with Neufeid, of
Chicago. This fast-express artist puts an oil
painting on y canvass measuring about Ski in
about ten or fifteen minutes, all signed, sealed
and ready to deliver for 81. These lightning
landscapes go off like hot cakes, and there is al
ways large crowd watching their manufacture
witnessed the process from beginning to end
one day, and not being handicapped by any pre-
vious knowledge or prejudice on the subject of
art and artists, enjoyed myself immensely;
therefore | shall describe the operation with
that sublime disregard of technical terms
in which only the guilelessly igno-
rant can indulge Artist easel and
paints were on little platform, so all could see.
Almost To the top of the white surface ne first