The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-07-03


oence hall. expect you all know this is the
place where the convention met to declare the
independence of the United States, and where
the original declaration of independence was
read and signed and it hangs there now,
framed there also is the old bell that rang out
nations independence. Many of you may
have seen it at the New Orleans exposition, for
II was taken there in special car; it is cracked
from top to bottom, but it is carefully guarded
ana priced In one room of the hall are the
portraits OF many of our presidents and before
each picture the chair THAT they once occupied,
ola. queer looking chairs, with horse hair seats
ana mahogany frames; they are all enclosed
behlnd an iron rail and no one is allowed to
touch them. There are more old curosities in
glass cases than L can tell you of. In one
were the baby clothes worn by President
Monroe when very tiny baby the little cap
and dress were yellow from age and they
looked very different from the baby clothes we
see these days. Independence hall is q long,
low brick building, the door and window
facings of white marble. 1t looks very old
and queer, as it is on the fashionable street
(ChestnuD and surrounded by large, high, ele-
giant modern buildings; great portion Of it is
occupied by court rooms. Behind it is q
beautiful square or park filed with flowers,
ohstuo thcSo anu grass lHer5 arc u great many
squirrels i'll the trees, and the children love to
visit this square and carry nuts to feed them.
Another interesting place to visit on Chestnut
street is the United States mint. 1t is open
every day until IL o'clock. You are taken
through by guide and shown everything of
interest, first the bricks of silver and gold that
the money is made out of, then through the
various rooms whore every process is gone
through until it is finished. While we were
walking through we saw them taking the bags
of money to the vault; the bags were piled up
high on the truck, one man walked before and
one behind to guard it. it was more money
than any of our party had ever seen before in
our lives. Among other places to see was
the house in which the Declaration of Inde-
pendence was written; the house where the
first American flag was made and Franklin's
grave. This is on the corner of Fifth and Arch
streets and can be seen through an opening in
the wall on Arch street. The Academy of
Fine Arts is another very interesting place to
visit, and one of the handsomest buildings to
be seen is the Masonic Temple you cannot go
into this without being introduced by Mason
or having letter from one. We had two
boys and a little girl in our party and l would
often take them and we would go off sight-see-
ing together and have lot of fun ; one day we
found the Young Mems Christian association
building and visited that; the boys were very
interested in the gymnasium. Then we went to
the academy, and on our way saw a beautiful
church that was open; we looked in and saw
the sexton, and asked if we might look at the
church. He was very polite and said certainly,
SO he took us all over it, showed us the grand
organ and then through the church to the
infant class room, also beautiful room where
IL. 10 e -. l. ~ -.
social meetings, then to the prayer meeting
room, then to the library, which contained
over thousand volumes, He said if we did not
mind going up stairs he would show us the
Sunday-school room. That was just what I
wanted to see, so we followed him and were
repaid for our walk; it was q beautiful room,
lighted from above and elegantly furnished.
Seats were all cushioned and easily turned over
so every teacher faced her class. There was o
large pipe organ and O handsome piano. The
superintendents dest was also very handsome
We really enjoyed our visit to this church.
could tell you of great many other places we
visited, but time forbids, and / must tell you
a little about the celebrated John Wanna
makers store, the largest store in the world.
This store occupies an entire block You can
buy any article you wish from a cabbage to q
paper of pins. Down in the basement there is
a whole. department for vehicles of all sorts,
also rooms for toys, which delight the chill
dren. Such lovely dolls and furniture for doll
houses. Then there are games of every descrip-
ton. You can buy any game you ever heard Of
In the upper room, beside all sorts Of dry
goods, there is a regular book store in one part
of the building, then there is room for gentle
men and boys hats, also millinery depart
ment On the third floor you find the most
beautiful furniture; there is cottage of four
or five rooms, each one furnished beautifully,
parlor, bedroom, dining room and library. This
is to give one an idea of how to fix up house.
and it is good way to advertise the style of
furniture they have. There is always some
thing now and attractive at Wannamaker's.
When I was there he had regular park-a
place laid off the whole length of the store.
boxed up and filled with dirt and laid off in
walks and planted in grass and flowers. At
one end was a tent, under which about dozen
very largo dolls dressed up III the costume of
different nations were standing or sitting
around table, on which was a set of china
and the remains Of FEAST they looked as if
they had Just finished eating Outside Of tho
tent was fountain, and from it ran quite a
good size stream Of water. 1t ran the whole
length Of the park and emptied into pond
which was filled with gold and silver fish (real
fish. All along the banks Of this little stream
could be seen toy frogs, so 4ratural that you
would have to look good to be sure they were
not real frogs; little stuffed birds were on the
bushes and trees and many Of them were
suspended by invisible wires just over the
stream as If they were flying through the air.
In enc Of the walks of the park was toy
horse and wagon large enough for boy Of
four years old to ride in, and in it doll as
large as child beautifully dressed as a boy,
with the reins in his hand driving. A little
further on you come to two dolls having pic
mic under the shade of some trees; there was
the cloth spread on the grass, and the lunch
baskets, the little napkins, plates, knives and
forks, etc. 1t was just the cutest little scene
imaginable. A rustic bridge was over the
stream, and on the bridge stood a lovely young
lady doll, and meeting her young gentleman
was just coming from the other side l can
not give you any idea how beautiful it all was
Hundreds Of people were walking around
looking and admiring it. All this WAS enclosed
by railing so as to prevent persons from
touching anything Not far from this park
was lawn tennis ground very much on the
same order, only the figures in this were full