The National tribune., 1892-10-27
IN THE METROPOLIS.
Echoes of The Columbian Celebration.
Hot Politics.
New York CITY, Oct. "a, 1892.

where he would, he could not get away from
somebody's flag, and it made him feel like
widow ano an orphan. Italy, Spain, America.
They are the three links which bind in COM
mon brotherhood the whole wide world TO day,
IN render magnificent tribute TO the memory OF
one man who nearly four hundred years ago
died reviled. prosecuted. and almost forsaken,
his moor ashes considered hardly worth Chris
tiau burial.
II CHRISTOPHER Columbus's spirit was hover
Eng over Manhattan Island. there was surely
trouble in the choir when he got back TO
Heaven. for he was doubtless SO pulled up
with priae that an addition will have to be
built as the original allotment of spiritual room
will now be too contracted TO hold him. III ne
retains the ears of mortais he must be mlghty
tired of the din. too. For one straight week
the whistles on sea and land screecbed IN
dcmoniacal unison at unearthly hours supposed
10 be anniversary episodes in that wonderful
first VOYAGE: all the chimes in the city were
tangled out of tune on the airs OF all nations,
The atmnsJhere smell like that around third
class battlefield, from the explosion OF gum
powder and Brooklyn bridge twice Narrowly
escaped con9agration from the fireworks
sent up from its center How tired nc must all
make Columbus when he remembers that it
has taken 400 years TO work the world up to
this panegvric pitch.
And the bunting. New York looked as
Thought old Noah's rainbow had been run
through shot tower and spattered all over tho
city, as though the stars had been slited TO
make them 60 around. and the sunoeams
strained through a colander TO furnish yellow
in honor of SPAIN But over and above it all
tie free flag loated." God never put 1t into
the heart of man TO conceive anything prettler
than the Stars and Stripes anyhow. and the
American people know if. The uses TO which
they put it was unique, but place 1T where they
will it makes bright the dark places, and gives
1...i,& Lrnr, EnTi q
Garden Old Glory futtered in the wind and
nodded welcome to the flags of other nations.
The almond -eyed Celestials in Mott street
calmly hung the blue dragon and Stars and
Stripes side by side, despite the exclusion
act. and the toughs in Hester street pinned a
little flag on the left shoulder and dared any
'son of sea cook to tear it of. See I"
/ went down in the " Tenderloin District
to see the decorations the denizens of the dives
had put out They must be a cosmopolitan
lot if emblems are significant Great Britaln's
imperial lions and Slams elephant were sport
lively paving at each other in mid air, the two
headed eagle of Russia foatcd iaziiy over the
cross of San Domingo. while the red-and-yeilow
of Spain made regular sunburst OF raolance
in the dark. dirty street.
The Stars aud Stripes we're so thick that they
reminded me of spilled prisms One motherly
old daughter of Erin was calmly putting clothes
through the first "suds" under an immense
green flag with gold harp and the distress
signal flying in the shape of the Stars and
Stripes with the blue field disconsolately flop
ping upside down.
One front blazoned as "O'Hooleyhan's
Place" had swinging doors, the Stats inter-
laced with red-white. and-bue ribbon, and the
samples of wet goods in the window had each
necktie of the same. The proprietor, whose
capacous stomach was an expansive advertise
ment of his wares, had over the generous girth
from vest button to pocket a watch-guard OF
flags. The effect was electrifying.
little tumble-down shanty, set back few
feet from the walk, had its moss-grown
weatherboards almost hidden under Longitude
nal strips of cheap star-dotted cheesecloth. IN
the dirty dooryard was a single stalk OF sun
flower with one sickly blossom. A fat old col
ored woman was tying bit OF red white-and-
blue ribbon around the sunfower stalk close
up to the bloom. / paused to admire the
gorgeous effect, and just then youthful Semi
gsmbian came to the door. and sticking up
one red stockinged foot displayed quantity of
heel and five black toes peering through.
Nanny. JUS iookee heah, / sutinly has
eotter ter hev some new stoekin's'
Now 20 Emmerline Ellen. yo' doan' wan
ter come pesterin' me when Ise busy. l aim
got no money ter vase on yo' feets dis week.
Go long an put on yo' buds an pin on de I'll
flag bow an no one won notis' yo' ole close We
potter be patterotic dis week if we doan' hev no
close dis Winter"
Decorations "patterotic" were not confined
to buildings by any means. Men wore little
bows of tri-colored ribbon or tiny flags on the
lapels of their coats. Girls tied their braids
with yards of flags and made sashes of them.
Little tots were dressed in frocks made entirely
of silk flags. Women sacrificed the latest swell
thing in millinery for fag-trimIned hats. wore
knots of tri-colored ribbon, and carried silk
flag handkerchiefs which they waved as often
as possible. One charming young lady Of my
acquaintance mixed politics and patriotism in
thoroughly unique manner
Her dress WAS a tailor made blue cloth as
trim ms could be- but uniquely fastened with
four-leaf clover buttons, of which two leaves
were white, one red, and one blue. On each OF
these leaves in tiny gold letters was printed,
/" Honest money" Honest ballot" Reci-
procisy," Protection" Her pretty turned
back cuffs were fastened with buttons contain
ing pictures Of President Harrison, and at her
throat was jaunty silk flag necktie. Zone
always has TO suffer for ones principles" she
remarked sedately as she noted the eyes feast
ing upon her jaunty person, and all the time
she knew that she presented decidedly swell
appearance. Women are such deceivers.
The Naval parade was awe inspiring, and rs
the great guns belched forth their 81 rounds in
salute to the memory Of the silent man who
slept dreamlessly dead TO all the splendid pa
geantry under the Stars and Stripes on the hill
a. Riverside, the flags Of Italy and Chile and
China saluted each other and gently kissed
Old Glory. as they thought Of their temerity OF
few months back ia making faces at Uncle
Sam and calling him names. OF ali the won
derful things of this week of wonders those
big warsbips would probably surprise Column
bus most. The little Nina, Pinta, and Santa
Maria could be comfortably slowed away in the
hold Of one vessel and the room they take or
hardly be missed. The number OF people would
have excited his curiosity too. They excited
nine and j am quite used to people. There
were eight miles Of them extending from the
Battery to Riverside Park. Over million and
half Of souls lined the banks as the stately
ships steamed up the silver waters, which lay az
placid under the blue sky and smiling sun as z
mountain sheltered lake. 1t WAS a gigantic
object lesson in history aud the arts and sci
ences.
Not the least Of the parades Of this Columbus
week was that devoted exclusively to the schoo
children. Nearly 10000 boys from six years old
TO 10 with flags and banners aud brass bands
were 1ve mortal hours III passing given point
Fine, manly fellows. from the kid in knee
pants 70 his brother in tail coats. All boys
the school girls had been permitted to marcl
they wouldn't be past that given point yet.
unique feature Of this parade was the abo
rhymes from Carlisle. They were 200 strong
The &dvance-guard was rugged out regard les
In blankets, paint, and war 5onnets, probabl,
10 represent the costumes introduced to Colun
bus when he FIRST reached the shores of til
New World, 10 the weaFeTs OF which be gave
through information the name Indians