The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1885-01-10
New Orleans Correspondence.

EW ORLEANo, Lag coh'
Ny DEAR MERIDIoNAL -
This is one of the few gloomy,
dismal, bleak and dreary winter
days occasionally allotted to South
ern Louisiana. 1t has been here all
dav, and like a bad cold has evi,
IDENTITY "comc to stay'-a while at
least. The sky is overcast with
dull leaden clouds which now and
then still disconnected drops and
drizzle of "Scotch mist > the wind
except on the river front, is not
bo%isteyous bat one does not journey
far without becoming aware that it
assists no little in bracing UP the
strength of the cold which so in
sinuatingly advances upon you and
renders the close companionship Of
a glooming fire far more agreeable
than any of the beauties of nature.
The Great Worlds Fair and In
dustrial and Cotton Centennial Elk
position has thrown open It's gates
to the multitude which has hocked
here to feast their eyes upon its
grand display of the wonders, of
nature and the handicrait of nations.
| was present at the opening, and
will remark casually that such
things always look better on paper
than anywhere else. The day was
very auspicious, the crowd in at,
tendance immense, but the arrange,
meuts deuced poor. Going up on
the Blanks, arrived at the grounds
at 1920 and about half an hour later
the affair opened by Rev. Mr.. Tai
mage lifting up his capaeious voice
in prayer. His profile somewhat
resembles that of Beechci but his
brains as we'll as his voice lack the
depth and volume of the lattcr's,
and he failed to fill Music Hall with
his sonorous tones. Maj. e. A.
Burke, had worked himself down to
shadow and looked very much like
an electrified corpse or a meterial.
lied shadow. He was dressed in
costume de 1iiguer but the addition OF
a huge silk handkerchief tied around
his throat, and a shaggy overcoat
rather spoiled than increased the
artistic effect. His voice was so
husky and cracked as to almost be
no voice at all. Although within
|25 feet Of where be stood | heard
very few of his words-But Of the
speeches, addresses, kilograms and
poems erough-at least | had
enough Of them. They were al
tiresome bores, and had it not been
for the splend aye charming, music
furnished by The Sth Mexican Cav
|alry Band of GO pieces, and Curriers'
Exposition Orchestra, | don't know
what we would have done to kill
time. AS it was we were reJoiceo
to hear the puff puff of the grea'
engine and the whirr Of the thousand
wheels it set in motion.
GLOW do you like it ?" This i:
the prevailing query--and for ont
can truly say THAT depends
1t is very much like calling on ONT
Of your neighbors on washing, OIL
scrubbing, or house-cleaning day
and passing judgment on her quail
ties as a housewife. Nothing wa:
lin perfect readiness, nearly every
thing was topsy-tulvy. Confusion
and disorder reigned supreme anG
the result is readily imagined. Elk
hibitors and visitors alike felt dis
satisfied and disappointed. Time
however will slowly correct all these
evils and defects and although there
is now far more to be seen than 20,
can take in" during n or ever
two days time, | will tell you can
didly that a month or six weeks arr
yet required to get everything il
shape, and then it will be the great
est thing the South has ever seen