The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1888-07-13
AN ORIENTAL EXHIBIT.


Psrsian Rugs, swords - Dnmascus. and
the Draperies of the Darh-Eyed Haidsea
The knowledge to bs gained by the Wis
itors TO the coming Centennial is far
more potent in its diversity and charac-
ter than can be decided by cursory note.
II would require whole tones TO tell Of
the wonderful things to be seen there.
The whole world, II may be said. has not
been slow TO bring its manifold tribute.
The scientist, no less than the artist, or
mechanic, may stand amazed before the
cosmic vision. The witnesses to the re-
suit Of this scheme, 80 mighty that 1t
appals the ordinary brain, are the real
benehciaries Of its greatness. Men may
dream for years Of being able, q SONS
period Of their lives, TO traverse the
haunts Of youth, and Of gathering treas
ures and knowledge at the ancient
shrines, yet can fail, perhaps, to recos-
nize the value Of the privileges thus
afforded them by this enterprise. Where
ever float the banners Of civilization
there is cognixance Of this exhibit, and
the workers in brass and iron, - we'll -
of stone, bronze and wood, will HE
them there with specimens Of their
genius to the end that their fame may BE-
known throughout the earth, and yisld
future haryests-
y Yesterday saw : dark eyed, tawny
citizen of Damascup. who Is here FOR the
purpose Of erecting bo0th IN tine de-
partmcnt of arts for his textures, the
like Of which was never before the New
Orleans Fair shown. In America The
boastful words Of Naaman, the Lepcr,
'.Are not the waters of Abana and
Pharphar better than all the waters Of
Araels'.'. may find their rival in the assur-
ance Of this sombreeyed Turk (whose
name Is Fares H. Ferzam, Zonnk Mekaii,
and home Lebanon, in Syrnia, from
whence tho cedars Of THE Temple- were
brought as precious. woods,) that he
has textiles more than seven hundred
years old, some Of which he showed us,
valued at something over tswo thousand
dollars in our money, the ooiors Of which
are as glaring Is though yesterday dried
from the dip. Perhaps once only in
lifetime will opportunity be given for q
sight Of these well-nigh priceless thin g.
Nothing more than these, said the New
Orleans Picayune, attracted the atten-
tion Of the urio-lovers at their exhibit.
The colors are fadeless, every ounce Of
silk being washed, boiled and otherwise
tested, till the impossibility of change il
made feet. He will weave the gold
foil filament and the wonderful -hued
threads into cloths before our eyes, on
loom that hss besn the property Of his
family for centuries, as well as the
method Of work, materials and secret
dyes. A genuine Cschemire shawl Is
among his precious stores, and embroi-
deries on Grape, with the thread so fine it
seems Hike = phantom, and colors % rare
they might hsve been resurrected from the
go depths. He showed . lace woven from
the inner bark Of tree that grows on
Pharphar's sunny shores He will bring
to the exhibit veritable swords Of Da-
mascus, the character Of which has gone
into song and story, and Damaskeening
models--tho art Of incrusting wires Of
silver and gold on the surface Of iron,
steal or bronze. Wheu Nez, the son Of
Aram, who, accordipg to Josephus,
founded Damascus, little, indeed, did he
dream Of it, checkered history, or Of the
time when . bit of carving. mosaic o.
textile from IT, looms would he held -
among the cholccss treasures Of the art
v,orld