The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1885-03-19
WOMEN AT THE EXPOSITION.
The WOman-s Department at the
Worlds Fair Described.

WORLDS Fair Described.
In the Domestic Monthly, Miss Maud
Howe, the clever novelist and daughter
of Mrs. Julia Ward Howe, describes the
woman's department of the New Or
leans exposition, of which her mother is
the head, and gives the following new
and interesting view of the enterprise:
1t is not an uneasy thing to unravel
the threads of woman's work from the
great ,oom of labor. They arc SO close
ly entwined with the work of mans
hand that it is often difficult to deter
mine what is purely feminine work. This
onerous task has been undertaken by the
president and officers of the woman's de-
partmcnt at New Orleans, and has been
faithfully and laboriously carried
through. In the space of seven hundred
and odd feet wherein the woman's ex-
hibit is displayed, only two masculine
articles appear; patchwork quilt of the
most intricate pattern made by man,
and copy of ''Leaves of Grass" by Walt
Whitman.
The space SET aside for this depart
ment was well chosen. The wide, we'll
lighted gallery running along the south
side of the great government building
has proved most advantageous place
for the display of feminine arts and in
dustries. Ascending from the lower re-
gions of mans Iabors the first object that
attracts the eye is the temple raised to
the River God by the Woman's Christian
Temperance association. Clear fresh
water is to be had here for the asking, rs
we'll as various specimens Of temperance
Observation-Disclosures for the body as
we'll as the soul
Each State has its distinct exhibit OF
feminine labor in the gallery, as well as
on the floor of the government building
where the State exhibits are made. They
are divided into groups, the Northwest
ern, the Southwestern, the Pacific
Slope, Middle and New England States.
The exterior of the gallery presents a
very gay appearance, the decoration of
the national colors being we'll and har-
moniously arranged. Turning to the
right at the head of the stairway one
enters the exhibit of the Woman's ex-
change of New Orleans. This is most
! advantageously displayed = an alcovc
twenty-five feet square in the rear af-
tording an excellent opportunity for
showing the art work. Some very good
specimens Of hammered brass ale shown
here by lady from Philadelphia. The
head and shoulders of a beautiful woman
7 wrought on brass disk is the most no.
ticeable of these. A fine collection of
| old lace is lent by Mrs. Cuthbert Slocum,
| of New Orleans.
The States of this division have each
partially inclosed the space allotted to
them. The dividing partitions have been
draped and are treated as wall space,
wherein are displayed pictures, plaques,
| hammered brass work and other orna-
mental exhibits. Thus one has the SEN
| sation of passing through a series of we'll
| furnished drawing rooms, each dis
.inguished from the other by the indi-
vidual taste and characteristics of the
| community it represents. One of the
most useful and excellent articles of
| house furnishing goods invented by
| woman is exhibited by the Indiana State
exhibit. 1t is the Columbia ironer, in
vented and patented by Mrs. Marion l.
Remy, of Columbus. =
This machine resembles a sewing ma
| chine in several particulars and. is some
| thing entirely new. and without doubf is
| the only successful machine invented by
either man or woman for the purpose of
doing family ironing. 1t will iron any
thing that can be ironed by hand, but
with greater rapidity. 1t is claimed that
ironing is made SO easy by this process
| that where it is used the dread of ''iron-
ing day. is greatly modified.
From Austin; Mimi, Mrs. Fl, A. Dear
born has sent her patent multum-i in par
vo ironing table, in which ten indispens-
able domestic articles are combined in
one. An adjustable work table, yard
measure, scrap basket. clothes drier,
adjustable folding ironing table, clothes
bars, clothes basket, chld's hammock
with rockers. canopy top, and rustic
seat, are neatly and strongly put tc-
gether in one.
The writer's attention was also called
to patent cooking thermometer, in
vented by Mrs. Flora Grace, of Montezu-
ma, Ia, and graded to the proper heat
for cooking meats, bread, biscuit and
pastry. Into the mysteries of feminine
fancy work it is not the intention Of the
writer to enter. Suffice it to say that in
all its ramificationsit is we'll represented
at the exposition. Afgllans, quilts, ban
-ners, etc, abound. Mention must also
be made of a certain very famous auto
graph quilt, which bears the names of
most OF the distinguished people of the
day. Mr.. Arthur, Mr.. Gladstone, Gen
cIal Grant, the Archbishop of Canter-
bury, Carl Schurz, Carlotta Patti, Mme
Gerster, Edwin Booth, Tomaso Salvini,
the Lord Mayor of London, Mary Liver
more and innumerable more or less known
worthless have inscribed their names on
this quilt. This collection of names,
written on slips of silk, has been made
by Mrs. II. T. Wright, of
Minnesota; it is unique specimen
of work and attracts much attention.
Nebraska shows the best preserves
and fruits in this group of States; the
clear golden jelly of the white grape
and the sound red strawberries floating
in clear liquid are covetously regarded
by hungry folks on their way to the
lunch-room at the far end of the gal
iery.
In entering the New England States,
which are all thrown together without
dividing partitions, one is struck by the
fact that different class of work is be-
ing exhibited from that which distin-
guishes some of the other sections. We
find less of the delicate fancy work and
tasteful ornamental contrivances than in
most of the other sections. Feminine
industries are more fully represented
than feminine arts It is an exhibit of
working women, and has less of an anna
teur and more of a professional character
Tv,r for Ifoyr, ~