The Irish standard., 1893-07-01
nHE w ri DIS FAIR.
- Slight Falling Or IA the Attea.
dance Noticed.
Z Many Exhibits Closed on sunday-Relt-
gious Services Held Strange Scene IN
Midway Plaisance--The Good .e
@99 ,44ss Es !. Old Songs.
A FEW FIGURES.

A FEW FIGURES.
CHICAGO, June 26. The attendance
Mt the fair the past week, although
good, did not average as large as that
of the week before. The attendance
for the week ending June II was 723.-
796, an average of about 103, 400 daily.
For the week ending June "a the at
tendance was 703, 900, a daily average Of
something over 100000. The paid adj
missions on Sunday were 62,O28.
EXHIBITS CLOSED.
Even the most Indifferent of SUNDAYS
worlds fair visitors could not fail to
notice the large number of closed and
covered exhibits. The number of for
eign exhibits that were closed caused
surprised comment among the sight
seers. The Fine Arts building was the
one building where worlds fair Sun
day did not appear different from other
days. All United States government
exhibits were closed, whether in the
Government building, which was tight
~ locked, or elsewhere.
RELIGIOUS SERVICES.
Rev. DIR. Thomas preached the firts
sermon on the worlds fair grounds be-
fore an audience of 1000 persons in
Festival hall at 3 p. m.
The singing was conducted by the
Apollo club of Chicago, about 500
strong. If later on religious services
prove attractive the musical feature
will be improved upon as there was no
instrumental music Sunday except
from piano, upon which Prof.
Tomlins performed and directed the
work of the chorus.
ON MIDWAY PLAIsANCE.
Strange sights were witnessed in
Midway Plaisance Sunday morning.
The Mohammedans in the queer street
began the celebration of the birthday
of the s'True Prophet and the man
ner of it filled the spectators
with wonder and at times, with
horror. The Mohammedan Christ
mas brings penance and prayer, in
addition to feasting and making
merry. The day had been frightened
by the sun but few minutes when the
guards and early risers in Midway were
attracted to the Algerian village by a
mighty hubbub. All the dancing girls
and the native attendants of the
bazars were congregated in the res
taurant and they were attired in
their most gorgeous costumes. Two
lambs were brought into the room by
couple of black men and slaughtered
in the presence of the entire company,
while the worshipers sang a quaint
ia
A brazier full of live Goals stood just
outside the door of the cafe. The
blood of the lambs was caught
in earthen dishes and placed near
the brazier. After a half hour
of prayer, during which time near
ly all the villagers remained pros
trate on the floor, the women gathered
about the vessels. One after another
the girls approached the dishes of blood
and dipped their hands il, the warm red
fluid Some Of the women ran to the
nearest wall and placed their blood
besmeared hands against the wood
work so as to leave the impression
of their fingers outlined in
red. Then they rushed back
to the brazier and thrusting their hands
into the live Goals ran with a handful
to the blood marks on the woodwork
and actually, burned away the red
stains with the fire held in their bare
hands. A few of them showed that
they suffered pain, but the majority of
them did not seem to mind it at all.
This peculiar ceremony occupied the
best part of an hour and was intended
to typify the cleansing of the blood by
/ fire after death.
INDEPENDENCE DAY.
CHICAGO, June 26.-Patrio:ic songs by
a choir Of 100, 900 voices is to be one of
the features of the Fourth of July cele-
5. bration at the fair. The singing is to
be under the direction of Silas G. Pratt.
Trained choirs Of 1900 or 5000 singers
will be placed at the four sides
of the grand court and so di-
rected as to sing in unison the
following familiar selections, the entire
populace joining with them. so as to
constitute vast chorus of at least 1907
900 singers. Each separate section will
have leader and be supported by a
large band Of musicians. all being con-
nected by means of electricity, SO that
Mr. Ps'att may indicate the exact time
to all alike:
l. The doxology-with . salute of cannons to
punctuate each sentence Special ceremonies
Of the national colors.
2 The Star Spangled Banner" sung by the
popujace in unison, with the waving Of flags on
all buildings and the throng Of people present
g. columbia, the Gem of the Ocean"
l. America #ya
At the conclusion of the ringing of
the liberty bell the doxology will be
repeated and the new patriotic hymn,
'.Love and Liberty by Mr. Pratt, will
be sung, also patriotic melodies, such as
''Hail Columbia, Yankee Doodle. !"
..Battle Cry of Freedom Dixie
Land Marching Through Georgia. =
For the evening it is proposed to invite
specially drilled choirs to sing upon the
! lagoon or grand court songs familiar to
American folk.
.3M Won the American Derby.
CHICAGO, June 27.-The American
Is Derby, worth $50, 900 to the winner,