Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1886-03-18
THE SUNNY SOUTH.
NEW ORLEANS. Mar. l.

I
NEW ORLEANS, Mar. 4, 1886.
Last Tuesday was a great and gala day al
the American Exposition" 1t being
wOMANs DAY,
great preparations were made to make the day
success. A rich programme having been
prepared for the entertainment of the people,
and the day being pleasant, fully %, 200 were
attracted to the grounds to do honor to the
occasion and to crafty their laudible ambi-
tion for sightseeing, and also to enjoy the
innocent, amusing and instructive entertain>
ment there provided for them. Our party,
considering it the proper thing to do, went
that day-going early, SO as to avoid being
crammed and jammed in bob-tsiI car, which
is drawn by ene mule, and into which fifty
people crowd themselves, cars too which have
seating capacity of about twenty. All fors-
noon these cars continued, together with the
dummy line, steam>car line and steam boats,
bringing in the people so that by noon there
was vast multitude on the grounds. Wo>
men, men and children thronged the buildings,
crowded the art hall, and pushed good-natur>
edly up and down the broad, white walks of
the grounds. This large attendance was very
gratifying to the management, not only on
account Of the entrance receipts showing a
substantial answer to their call on the public,
but that, although New Orleans may be be
hind some northern cities in the rights and
privileges she grants females, but,When her
own women come forward and ask due honor
to be shown the day set apart for them to
celebrate, no response could be more generous
or more royal. On no one of the twelve diff
ferent days, which the writer attended last
year, did he see anything like the throngs to
be seen almost everywhere in the buildings
and on the grounds, as were witnessed Oh
Tuesday. Never before, perhaps, has
MUSIC HALL
looked more brilliant. Other gala days have
drawn largely upon the beauty and gallantry of
| the Crescent City, and have seen the great hall
| filled 10 overfowing, but none of them surpassed
woman's day. OF the seven or eight thousand
| visitors that sat in the vast auditorium and its
galleries, or crowded its aiSles and sides, fully
| three-fourths were ladies', and the field of
beauty seen from the platform was well calcu-
lated t0 inspire with eloguence aAd poetry the
orators Of the day. The exercises proper Of
the afternoon were preceded by most inter
esting
KINDLRGARTES DISPLAY
by some 65 little girls and boys of from six to
ten years of age, nicely dressed, pupils Of q
lady teacher, which proved to be very sttrac-
tive feature in the programme of the day. They
went through series of movements in drill,
answering to the time and sentiment of songs
they sweetly sang, embracing. gymnastics,
marching, steps (the right and left, and figures
innumerable, in a most exquisite and graceful
manner. One very impressive thing performed
by them was the charming singing of our
national hymn, my Country, it's of Thee" !"
whilst marching, and each of them waving
miniature flags, "the stars and stripes" The
more impressive was it in being performed
away down here by the children OF our once
foes, but now friends of our common country.
1t filled our eyes with tears and our heart with
gladness.
THE CEREMONIES OF THE DAY
were then opened with music by the French
band, followed by an address Of welcome by
Major E. A. Burke; then an original poem by
New Orleans lady was read, followed by an
GRAFTON by Judge c. Fsnner, the orator of the
day. Then another original poem by another
city lady. All this with music by the French
band, sandwitched between-concluding by the
actress Mile Rhea,who is starring in the city at
the Grand Opera House, and who was on the
platform, being called upon for recitation,
but on account of indisposition she declined by
bowling gracefully to the audience.
Immediately after the ceremonies concluded,
what was called "A Festival of Nations" was
held in the neighborhood of music hall, where
refreshments were served during the balance
of the evening. The booths were presided over
by young ladies in fancy dresses.
grand "Creole Concert" was given during
the evening at art hall by the best local talaut
"JapaHese Teas in He-No-Hong;" tea and
Japanese ices were also served by young ladies
in full Japanese costume.
Their. were few other things of minor i'm
portance going on during the afternoon, more
particularly for the amusement of the children,
such as a free marionette show, tight-rope
performances and a children's lawn party and
calico ball. This last on the platforn in music
hall at o'clock.
At this point, Mrs. W. and Miss A, Of our
party, returned to eur temporary home in the
city, whilst for the qualification of the junior
member of our party, she and the writer re-
mained to witness, for the third time, the con-
cluding spectacle of the day, the grand dis play
of fireworks, "Ths Last Days of Pompeii,
which took place at 1880 O'Clock, mesgsr
description of which l gave in former letter.