Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-10-14
CHICAGO LETTER.
A Glimpse of the Wonderful Vision of
Enchantment
Which is Rising on the Shores of Lake
Michigan.

CuIHOllC CnurCn.
CHICAGO, ILL, Oct. 6, 1892.
Last Saturday was an ideal autumn day
warm. with the hazy atmosphere one al .
ways associates with the month of Octo- |
ber-and it brought to me my first real
glimpse of the grounds of the worlds fair
Boarding a little steamer at the foot of Van
Buren, street late in the afternoon, brief
trip on Lake Michigan, whose waters for
a wcnder) showed scarce ripple, brought
us to Jackson Park just at sunset, and the
crimson sky formed most charming back
ground FIR the group of magnificent build
ings. Even in their present incomplete
state, and with stagings and all the other
paraphernaia of the preparatory stage on
every hand, the main buildings are vet so
far advanced that it does not require an
abnormally vivid Imagination to PICTURE
the scene that will greet the eyes of the
visitor who approaches the worlds fair from
the water side next summer. lie will find
it hard to believe that he has not been, on
the instant, transported by the touch of
some magic wand into an enchanted land.
The buildings, grand in proportion, grace
full and unique in style of architecture,
have an appropriate setting in the brilliant
green of turf and foliage: while the blue
waters of the lake dotted here and there
with the snowy sails of numberless pleas
ure yachts, form beautiful foreground of
limitless extent. Most of the large build
ings will be cream white in color and have
the appearance of marble, being covered
with "staff, a kind of plaster which is
easily nodded, and is susceptible of fin
ish in good imitation of the various richer
building materials In the construction an
iron framework of the desired size and
shape is erected and covered with lattice
of lath, and this is overlaid with slabs of
''statf, which is said to be tireproof. The
smaller buildings will doubtless supply the
bits of color needed to complete the artis-
tic effect of the scene. At this writing it
hardly seems possible that the buildings
will be ready for use next May; but in the
smoke-begrimed records of Chicago's past
achievements, as in the 'bright lexicon of
YOUTH there is no such word as fail Chat
is, if we take the native ChicaGoan's word
for it), so we dare only to mention our
doubts with bated breath
had hoped to visit the grounds several
times ere this, and give the readers of The
Phoenix the benefit of my observations;
but Home work has thus far kept me too
busly engaged to warrant such a course
An epidemic of measles has furnished oc-
cupants fol- our hospital department
throughout the summer and given us many
anxious moments There were only two
deaths, but some of the little ones had a
tedious conyalescence, and we were most
grateful for an invitation to send them out
in squads of five or six to the wildwood
Home" at Pullman, lovely charity main
tanned by Miss Florence, daughter of Geo.
NJ. Pullman of seepng-car fame. The
house is a roomy one, surrounded by eX-
tensive grounds; and here, under the care
of two trained nurses and several domes-
tics, Is convalescent children from the city
hospitals and charitable institutions are
kept for a fortnight and given good start
on the road to permanent recovery. If it
is found necessary, the fortnight is extend
ed to four and even six weeks, and the
Home is open from June to October.
Last year the Wildwood Home was the
property of Miss Harriet Pullman, who
was married in the spring and went to Cal
ifornia to live. She made use of it as a va
cation home for working girls, and many a
weary one found refreshment for body and
mind through the gracious hospitality dis
pensed beneath its roof Out of this va
cation home grew the Wildwood club of
this city, whose pleasant lunch room down
town solves the question as to how the
working girl may obtain a wholesome
lunch at a moderate price. There are sew
eral of these clubs having rooms in the
business centre of the city. A monthly
payment of 10 cents entities to member
ship any wage-eaming girl of good charac-
ter Homemade sandwiches or rolls or
cake are supplied at five cents, also bowl
of good soup and three crackers, or two
rolls With meat. In hot weather ice cream
at five cents, and iced tea are served, and
in winter hot bouillon is furnished. Most
of the clubs are the outcome Of a desire on
the part of young women graduates of GER
tain well-known and fashionable boarding
schools to brighten the lives of their toll
ing sisters, and they bear the major part
of the expense involved Besides lunches
several clubs provide lectures, evening
classes, and access to a well-selected libra
ry-for all of which the wage Garner pays
but only nominal sum. All the clul
rooms are well and prettiy furnished, and
lunch partaken of amid agreeable sur
roundings is sure to be of far more benefit
than if procured in third-rate restaurant
or brought from home and eaten in Sc
cluded corner of the workroom.
The lecture season is not quite upon us
yet we are not entirely without diversions
of this kind. On Tuesday evening DR.
Geo. c. Lorimer, formerly of Chicago
now of fremont Temple, Boston, gives hi
lecture on makers of English Poetry
from Chaucer to Tennyson," and to-mor
row night a grand praise meeting is to b
held at the Auditorium as an expression
of the gratitude of the Christian people o
the city over the action of Congress in ref
erence to closing the worlds fair on sun
day. A speaker whose theme is of specia
interest to those who are watching the at
titude of the Romish church toward on
public schools is Madame Hyacinthe 10y
coz, of paris tho wife Of Pare HVaCinthe