Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1893-09-09
Worlds Fair Notes.
Special WORLD Correspondence.


does the Swedish building and the ex-
hibit it contains. Here again is build
ing that it would be a pity to tear down.
The space allotted to Sweden was a
three-cornered lot and its building was
obliged to accommodate itself to this space
to make the most of its room. The
building is typical Swedish structure.
1t was built in Sweden, then shipped in
sections and pat up in the fair grounds.
You look long at the outside of the
building, for it is so beautiful with its
many turrets or towers all finished in
colors but done SO artistically that there
is nothing to offend the most artistic eye
in the multi-coloring. You should see
the exhibit of the world-famed Swedish
iron! Do you think there wouldn't be
much attraction in iron?
Well, just sit down and look at the
Swedish coat of arms worked out in
horse shoe nails. Look at the arrange
ment of her arms, her cutlery and the
tasteful exhibit of the ore itself, and you
would never think again that iron is I'M
attractive.
Standing on pedestal in the main
hall are two pictures carved in relief out
of solid blocks of hard wood. These
pictures take up about the space of a
small sized chopping bowl-to use an
illustration that comes naturally in look
ing at the wood. The figures are in re-
lief and every little detail is perfect. One
represents the first step of Columbus on
American soil, the other is the serpent
or Ewes temptation in the Garden of
Eden. Can you imagine the infinite
pains of the artist in carving out the
delicate leaves and features of the fig
ures; it was truly wonderful.
There were such fine lot of fur floor
coverings, rugs and mats of all kinds,
but who would want to keep the moth out
of so many beautiful and expensive furs.
There were nice displays of embroid-
cries here, beautiful draperies, but real
needle work, one cannot help feeling
that many, very many pairs of eyes have
been sacrificed and nerves shattered to
little purpose after all Truly, does it
pay to wear ourselves out at such work
when one can employ ones mind and
time to so much better advantage2
There is here suite of typical Swed-
ish rooms beautifully furnished that
gives one an idea of how the wealthy
class live. Then there is death scene
from humber home. The figures are
of wax, and are so ife-like that one is
impressed with picture that will never
fade from the mind. The baby is lying
dead in it's cradle The father sits at the
head with an open Bible on his lap, a
little tot stands beside him with string
in her hand to which is attached little
cart. The mother and minister confer
near the cradle. All of the appoint
ments of the room are Swedish to every
detail. While the figures are wax and
dressed in Swedish costume the furni-
ture was principally old relics, that I
presume could hardly be bought for a
fortune. The clock standing ON the
floor was over 100 years old, and some of
the books were even more ancient.
There were figures on snow shoes, and
figures on sail skates, showing the man
ner OF getting about in Sweden.
China, glass and silver are here very
pretty and one feels that somehow one
has had wrong idea of these people
from the land of snow and ice. It may
be true that it is bleak ond barren on
the outside of the Swedish homes, but
the interior is quite as pleasant as our
own.
Then their educational exhibit in the
gallery is very good indeed They had
the best exhibit that 1 saw any where of
gymnastic accoutrements. Sweden has
truly shown her interest in us if her
work in our fair is anything to go by for,
outside of her own building, she has
smaller collections in Agricultural hall,
Machinery hall, the Woman's building
and the Fine Arts building, and in the
last named her work is truly fine. Nor
way and Sweden seem so closely allied
that l looked for the portrait of the
famous Biornstjerne Bjornson in the
pavilion thinking him resident here,
but I found him any way in the section
in the gallery. They had not as had the
Irish people forgotten their illustrious
citizen-their, as his name means when
translated into English-bright star,
bright son.
Venezuela building is just across the
street. 1t is only one story high. Well,
the little republic is not more than one
story in size, but she makes up in ener-
gy what she lacks in actual dimensions.
This little building is very pretty, not
grandly beautiful as some of the large
buildings, but it is just pretty, artistic
white marble pavilion and it is typical
in its contents of the country it repre-
sents. Two life-size statues ornament
the front, on the left is Columbus the
great discoverer, on the right is Bolivar