The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1888-08-09
AN ORIENTAL EXHIBIT.

Persian Rugs, Swords Of Damascus, ana
the Draperies of the Dark-Eyed Iiaide,s.
The knowledge to be gained by the WIS.,
itors to tho coming Centennial is far
more potent in its diversity and charac-
ter than can be decided by cursory note.
It would require whole tones to tell of
the wonderful things to be seen there.
The whole world, It may be said, has not
been slow to bring It's manifold tribute.
The scientist, no less than tho artist, or
mechanic, may stand amazed before the
cosmic vision. Tho witnesses to the re-
suit Of this scheme, so mighty that 1t
appals the ordinary brain, are tho roal
benenciaries of its greatness Men may
dream for years of being able, at some
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 recog-
nize the value of the privileges thus
afforded them by this enterprise. Where
ever float the banners of civilization
there is cognizance of this exhibit, AMI
the workers in brass and iron, as we'll as
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 yield
future harvcsts.
Yesterday / saw darlt-eycd, tawny
citizen of Damascus, who is here for the
purpose of erecting booth in tho de-
partment of arts for his textures, the
like of which was never before the Now
Orleans Fair shown I'm America. Tho
boastful words of Naaman, the L.eper,
care not the waters Of ALBANIA and
Pharphar better than all the waters of
IaraelS' may find their rival In the assur-
ebce of this sombre-eycd Turk (whosc
namc is Fares II. Ferzam, Zonnk Mckail,
and home Lebanon, in Syrnia, from
whence the ccdars of "Thc Temple were
brought as precious woods,) that he
has textiles moro than seven hundred
years old, some of which he showed us,
valued at something ever two thousand
dollars In our money, the colors of which
aro as glaring as though yesterday dried
from the dip. Perhaps once only in n
lifetime viii opportunity be given for u
sight of these wcll-nigh priceless things.
Nothing more than these, said the New
Orleans Picayune, attracted the atten-
tion of the curio-lovers ut their exhibit.
The colors are fadeless, every ounce of
silk being washed, boiled and otherwise
tested, till the impossibility of change is
made fact. lie will weave the gold
foil flament and the wonderfil-hucd
threads into cloths before our eyes, OH q
loom that has been the property of his
family for centuries, as well as the
method Of work, materials and secret
dyes. A genuine Cachemire shawl II
among his precious stores, aud embroi
derics on Grape, with tho thread SO fine II
seems like phantom, and colors SO rare
they might have been rosurrected from the
sea depths. He showed lace woven from
the inner bark Of tree that grows on
Pharphar's sunny shores. lie will bring
TO tho exhibit veritable swords of Da
mascus, the character OF which has gone
into song and story, and Damaskeenine
models-the art Of iDcrusting wires o
silver and gold on the surface of iron
steel or bronze. When Ncz, the son o.
Aram, who, according to Josephus
founded Damascus, little, indeed, did he
dream of it's checkcred history, or of the
time when bit of carving, mosaic OIL
textile from It's looms would be held n:
among the choicest treasures of tho art
world.