Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-09-29
THE BEST DAYS.
Worlds Fair Managers Salts
fed With the Attendance.
Climate Is Freaky, but There Is
Always Fun on the PIaisance.


WORLDS FAIR, Sept. ss.-tSpseiall- l.
Chicago maintains her record for the wors.
climate in the north incorporate zone On
q recent afternoon the mercury fell from IS
degrees to IS degrees SO rapidly that 'our
crowd. after sweating its way through the
live fish galleries, were chilled 70 the boEe
in 10 minutes after getting out. On Iowa
day the mercury stood AZ 81 degrees at sun
set and soon after fell % degrees in Is min
utes. All afternoon the dust WAS \ blind
ing nuisance At Q p. m. the lagoon was
ali over the fair grounds, and everything
loose WAS washed away. Some folks say
500 go worth Of damage was done 10 fine
articles. Next morning it was cold enough
for an overeoar, and day or two later there
was more suffering frcia heat. 1t makes
me laugh to think what fun there would
have been in keeping this thing open
through November.
A Lost Opportunity.
The exhibitors show by actions rather
than words that they look for decreased
attendance soon. Some are already pre-
pairing TO move to san Francisco, and four
or five of the Midway plsisance concession
naires want to leave row il the courts will
release them Some Of the shouters insist
on shouting, and the rule against IL is not
very strictly enforced. Unfortunately the
best ones obey the order The man in
front Of the California ostrich farm was
whole circus by himself The last day
was there boy Of 10 years or so was anx-
ious to go in, but his father, a sturdy farm
er, was pulling him away, when the touter
sang ont in the inimitable Bowery style:
''Oh, yes. drag your poor little boy away
from this greatest show on earth, and few
years from now abuse him because he don't
know anythingl Come all the way to Chi
cago with your pocket full Of money and
then refuse a child sight Of these magnid-
cent tropical birds. Oh, yes. France has
her lily, and England has her rose. but we
have the ostrich with two pointed toesl
So don't let the child lose the greatest OPP
portuaity Of his life
The eyes Of the crowd were on him, and
the farmer had to go in. There are many
sights in the larger buildings which one
eau scarcely get to in these crowding days,
such as the electric theater, Tiffany's dis
play and the live fish. By common consent
and American good nature children are
given the right Of way among the fish. and
it really is a pity that all our little country
men cannot get there, for the sight Is one
to delight and instruct q child and give it
pleasant memory for life. One walks
around a great circle in a narrow passage,
and the clear plate glass rises on each side
Of him to the roof. Behind that glass swim
specimens Of every fish In American fresh
waters and almost everything that lives in
the sea. aud the Illusion is SO perfect that it
Is just the same as If one were walking at
the bottom of lake or ocean.
The pass gate at Fifty street Is
never closed by day or night, SO have gone
in early aud taken views of 1iifany's as
soon rs the doors Of the Liberal Arts de-
partment were open, and after three inspec-
tions l feel competent to say something
about it. First to draw the crowd-and
last for that matter-iS the great diamond
revolving slowly on pivot point at the top
of the great jewel case, 1t weighs 1888
carats, is Of course the largest in America,
and all the world knows the rest Next In
popular favor is the magnolia vase. pure
ly American conception suggested by the
pottery found in Toitec ruins in Mexico.
Cactus leaves and goldenrod predominatei in
the floral figures. pure gold being the ma
terisl wherever the color suits, and else
where silver, opal and emerald, with points
in precious stones. The vase Is 81 inches
high and weighs III ounces.
a Precious Necklace.
Another favorite is the "Oriental"-popu-
lar nane--a necklace of three strands con
tanning ..5Stl,0o9 worth Of precious stones.
Somewhat like it are the French necklace
and brooch, containing 2,G9 stones rang
ing from diamonds to topaz and plain EN-
eralds. Still another is the Viking punch
bowl of iron, finely etched and damaseused.
with gold and silver inlay. There are also
limitations Of all the jewels dug out of
Pompeii and Cyprus; reproductions of the
finest japanese and other Asiatic jewelry;
gems cut, polished and set after the styles
OF all the nations; watches Of every size and
style from the dainty little thing called the
Strawberry watch up to the lar-es. made;
the Portuguese necklace, containing $50
rose diamonds, and, most conspicuous of
all, the wonderful clocks. OF these the one
to attract most popular attention is the
Globe clock, made of sterling silver.
A Wonderful Clock.
The motive power is in the lower part,
which seems merely a support to the globe,
and Oh examination this support is seen to
be a model Of the Roman Pantheon. with
pillars to represent the months. and on its
roof the signs of the zodiac, Above it the
globe revolves on an axis, SO as to bring the
hours of the day as marked Oh the equator
successively under the lines which indicate
at n glance the time on any part of the
earths surface. On two curved arms ris-
ing from the axis below are the moon,
which passes around the globe in its reg
ular time, and gilt dial showing the dec
liaation Of the sun north and south of the
equator according to the season.
/ have named but few of the wonders
of this clock, yet it is really less wonderful
than the 50 called Louis XIV clock, the
name being given for the style OF the case
1t is made Of South American afnaranth
wood richly carved, is feet high. and
thcrl. a r., % silrer and enarneltI ui.l mates