Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1893-07-12
WORLDS FAIR LETTER.
The Midway Plaisance-Truly &
place of Amusement.
The Ferris Wheel..Japanese Thearter
Trained Animals.
From Our Special Correspondent

CHICAGO, June 80, 1893. =.
After the visitors have spent two o.
three days at the Fair seeing the won
derful exhibits in the different build
ings he begins to long for something
amusing. Then is when he visits the
Midway Plaisance. The name is takel
from the French word pleasure ground
And the Midway is rightly named, fol
one can not help being amused every
moment of their stay there. If one
enters from Cottage Grove Avenue, tht
first thing to the left is the big balloon
grounds where you can 60 up two hun
dred and fifty feet in the air and have
lunch. This costs fifty cents but il
well worth the money, for the very
best is served and you can get fine
view of the grounds.
The next attraction is the Persian
dancing girls. This also costs twenty
five cents and consists of dozen OF
more native dance girls dressed in
fantastic costume and dancing a
queer kind of dance to the tune OF
the oldest of mnsic played by tawny
Persians.
One of the oldest and most barbar.
GUS dances was given by the wild
Nubians. These are the same people
that Stanley found in the wilds of
Africa.
In another tent we found au Algier-
ian jugler performing his many tricks
of sorcery. This is we'll worth the ten
cents admission, for never before have
we witnessed such truly wonderful
feats of magic. The streets Of Cairo
are crowded all the time. 1t is hard
to tell what is in Cairo Street Theaters
and dining halls are numerous, while
booth after booth is filled with the
wares for sale that come from Cairo.
There is one thing in Cairo that people
never get tired of, and that is mind
reader This gentleman will instantly
tell you what you are thinking of. No
matter what you wish him to do he
will look at you for a second and then
with smile walk over to the object,
if it be one and while repeating your
thoughts word for word will do just
what you asked. Thousands visit him
every day and watch his marvellous
performances.
Probably the most instructive ex.
hibits in the Plaisance is Carl Hagen
bach's trained animals. Nowhere IN
America is there such another show
of trained animals as he has. Lions,
tigers, bears, hyenas, panthers and
dogs, all perform in the same ring,
and after the performance is over they
all gambol and romp together like
little kittens. Thousands visit this
snow daily.
AT noon yesterday, the Japanese
village was thrown open to the public.
Over 5000 people visited the village
during the afternoon. The fame of the
Java coffee and cocoa brought the
crowds to the restaurants. The people
could not be served fast enough. Extra
walters were called in. Nearly three
thousand people were fed. The theaters
were crowded to overfowing. They
gave three performances daily in their
picturesque little theater. The Japa-
nesse have been long time in opening
but they have caught the popular
fancy, and they deserve it, for more
peaceful set of people could not be
found any where. A good many of
the inhabitants in Midway quarrel
among themselves, but not so the Japa-
nese. Their children are quite as man
nerly as our own. Gentle words and
soft manners are quite in keeping with
their pretty little village.
The Ferris Wheel is doing a big
business now. At first people were a
little bit timid in venturing up so high
in the air, but some few brave ones
started the fashion and the thirty six
carriages are filed most every trip.
There can be no danger as the boxes
are all strongly wired, and the wheel
revolves SO slowly that you forget how
high you really are. Then the magnifi-
cent view when you reach the top re.
pays you for any nervousness you may
feel while descending. Once a day
there is fine parade through the
Plaisance. All nations take part, with
queer looking costumes and fancy
head dresses they march slowly down
the broad street to the slow music OF
many kinds of instruments. This is
done to attract the crowd.
Yesterday Buffalo Bill with his
wild West" headed the procession.
The wild" West show is not in the
Plaisance but one block further south.
They joined in the procession yesterday
to show the original Red men OF
America among the other tribes from
foreign countries The exposition is
very proud of the "Wild West" and in
vites all visitors to see the greatest
show on earth" Col. Cody has had
more honors paid him than any other
American scout that ever lived. Col.
Cody never misses an opportunity in
each of his special offerings in the
illustrations of wild western life. His
principal feat is shooting glass balls
while riding horseback.
EVELYN MINIS