The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1885-04-11
EXPOSITION EXTRACTS.

I'VE make the following excerpts
from a private letter from New Or,
leans received by US some time
ago.-ED1ToR
At last, after a lapse of nearly
three months since its Inauguration
the Exposition is on a respectable
footing and doing we'll. OPENING
its doors as it did with nothing in
readiness, disorder reigning SUI
preme and meeting with an almost
unparalleled spell of detestably in
clement, rainy weather, no wonder
its success tremblcd in the scales,
and visitors. exhibitors, and even its
timid friends, pronounced the Expo
sition a failure and a fraud. To-day,
however, the scene has changed as
by enchantment. Cool, bracing
winds have rolled back the heavy
clouds, exposing a sky as clear and
brilliant as that which mirrored it.
self in the placid waters of Lake
Como. Relieved Of the foods Of
water which had rendered the
grounds a huge mud fiat intcrspers-
ed with cowpaths and forIorn shrubs
the busy hands Of the skilled land
scape gardeners have wrought much
for our admiration. The once IN
broken prairie has disappeared and
we fud broad, smooth asphalt walks
in all directions; bordered by hand
some shrubbery and ~tastefully de.
signed parterres, while here and
there the musical p.ash Of a foun,
tain's falling waters glads the eye
and strikes with musical softress on
the ear.
To attempt in the coflined scope
of a letter anything like a descrip-
ton Of the entire affair would be a
futile task. indeed, so | shall give
only a few of the items which most
interested me as l strolled through
the grounds and buildings.
Under the shade of two majestic,
moss festooned live oaks growing
near the lower swamp corner of the
Main Building stands the grandest
relic of America, the Liberty Bell,
suspended from a heavy wooden
frame on the car in which it made
its celebrated triumphal trip from
Philadelphia. This time -honored
memento Of the times which tried
man'e comic" 80 INIT little II any
larger than the loud-mouthed bell
which rouses the Abbevillians from
their morning slumbers and summons
the devout 10 the service Of the
mass. Up the side runs a huge rift,
and number Of large chips have
been Knocked off the rim and its
symmetry otherwise marred. Over
in the Maryland Exhibit is a little
bell about the size of the one which
formerly hung in the rear Of the old
Catholic Church in Abbesille. 1t
is claimed to be the oldest bell in
; the United States, and was brough,
over by the first colony which set
tied in Maryland under Lord Balti.
more.
In the Colcred Department the
J Negro has made in some instances a
very laudable display. Kentucky
and Virginia lead the van. | was
forcibly struck with the large col
lection of artistic photographs. the
wore OF j. c. Farley, Of Richmond
He like his subjects is a Negro, and
the work is not only frst-class bu1
the faces are all indicative of intel
lect. I was pleased to find among
J them the %patriarchal phiz Of the
} renowned Rev. John Jasper, Of "the
Sun do Move" fame. From a biog
3 raphy Of him written and printed
by Negroes, l see thai, he began his
ministry during the war, nursing and
preaching to wounded and sick Con
e federate soldiers in the hospitals il
piobnopI