The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-01-16

posite sides, made of shelled corn.
Two comets are above, made of pieces
of bright straw for heads, and tickle
grass for tails. The half risen sun,
made of straw, is also shown at the
base of the shaft, just emerging from
horizon of large ears of yellow corn.
His rays are also made of straws with
bearded wheat heads. A tasty sail
boat floats lazily on placid waters, on
whose banks is built dainty air cas-
tie and all this is made of our Kansas
straws. All this must be seen to be at
all appreciated. But above all stands
robust figure of Ceres. She alone is
fifteen feet high. Her left hand rests
upon a shield on which is plainly CIV
en- the number of bushels of corn and
wheat raised in Kansas i'm 1884. In
her right hand is sickle, and in her
arm a sheaf of wheat. Her hair is flax
en-, and she has crown.of bearded
wheat heads. Her bust and arms are
covered with shelled corn. The skirt
is of long wheat with the heads at her
feet. The overskirt is made of oat
heads, with a fringe of large millet
heads. Thrown loosely over her shout
ders is a sort of shawl, the body of
which is woven of orchard grass heads,
and heavily fringed with beads of dark
colored sugar cane. The statue rep
resents the Goddess of grain indeed.
Nebraska has a somewhat similar
figure mounted on monument also,
and the Milwaukee & st. Paul R. r.
has q very winsome little lady made
of grasses, but ours is by Others than
Kansas folks, considered much the fin
est. "Kansas" in large letters paint
ed in limitation of bearded wheat
on blue ground stands over thirty
feet high arched between two main
posts of the building, These posts are
also tastefully decorated with corn,
wheat and oats, and at their bases tall
stalks of shock corn. Close under the
arch of the state name is hung the
great seal of the state, painted, and
at least eight feet in diameter. These
last two are trimmed at the margin
with oats. We have out good dis
play of potatoes, onions, beets turnips,
pumpkins, etc., etc., Here in the
state space, as well as in the Horticul-
tural Hall, is good display of Kansas
apples. AS these begin to decay they
are given to visitors, and replaced by
fresh ones.
Although the managers of the great
fair have made some serisus blunders,
or rather omissions, yet it is well worth
while to come here to see it. We are
now paying thirty dollars month for
very good board and lodging. 1 have
tried shrimp jumbles, crab chowder
and baked red snapper, and pronounce
them all excellent. A good apple
tastes even better than an orange,
We eat lots of bananas and like them
much better than at first.
Last night ] attended meeting OF
the G.. A. RS. There are three posts
in New Orleans and are all thrifty and
doing excellent work. The ex-Confed-
crates honor the boys very highly,
and do their best to excel them in
courteous and kindly deeds. There
was time not long since, when the
reverse was true, and to be G. A. r.,
was to be tabooed and ostracised. Last
night they were presented with a
handsome picture of "Custer's Last
Fight" which was hung upon the
walls of the post room after being pre-
scented in very fitting speech from
an ex-Confederate delegate.
The exposition is open at half price
on Sundays.
In my first letter you made me say
that the soilof Tennessee is ofa superior
quality when 1 meant to say inferior.
More when l have more time.
H. E. VANDEMAN,
50. Carolton Ave. n. o., La.
Jan. 10th, 1885.