Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-03

The Brilliant Scene That Greets the Visitor
to the White City.

to the White City.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
CHICAGO, June 1, 1s93
"Glad am I, oh. happy am 1, that this great
American people can see the theater with tho
Bedouins, something so new. The great
Americans are always fond Of new things"
The speaker stood in front of the little
Bedouin theater in the Midway PIaisance the
other night and poured forth the fowery
language Of "Araby the happy" and stumbled
and almost ruined himself In his attempt to
speak English. Back of him, peering out from
little window, where she sold tickets, was AN
Arabian girl, and very clever one. TOO, for she
spoke English well and conducted her business
with the air of one accustomed to it, although
it must be an experience entirely novel to her.
Inside the booth there are more Arabs more
men, girls and little baby. They have drums
and they beat upon them with their fingers, and
one black-bearded old child Of the desert PLAYS
the pipes, which, while not the same as Scotch
bagpipes, are similar to them and make a
similar squealing sound. And then there Is
dancing. simple enough In its movements, but
depending for its beauty upon the gracefulness
Of the dancers. And Bedouin girls with
Bedouin music are graceful in the extreme.
CAIRO STREET.
The light in the theater is rather dim. but
outside 1t is bright enough with the electric
lights. 1t shows you across the road from the
Bedouin's place lusty Egyptian mounted on
top OF an enormous camel, pounding away with
two sticks upon two drums. one hung on either
side Of him. If you did not see him you would
be sure to notice him. for he kicks up racket
enough to rouse the whole Midway Plaissnce.
He is there an advertisement for the Cairo
street. and near him is the inevitable little win
dow where you can buy o ticket and see the
show. Inside the street the whole place is in
commotion. Donkeys are there and their own
ers are loudly urging you to ride. When you
do SO, away you go down the street with the
long-robed donkey boy shouting behind you,
while he belabors the poor little beast with his
stick. Then you come upon booths where they
sell fezes or slippers or bric-a-brac. You find
yourself in the middle of crowd, and the
cause OF it is that three men are dancing and
singing. They keep up low monotonous
chant, and as they hop about they strike each
other lightly the side Of the neck below the
ear. You escape from this crowd only to get
into another. where Cairo magician is showing
his tricks. He borrows a quarter, and after as
torishing his audience with the tricks he can do
with it, be coolly appropriates it to himself.
which is certainly the cleverest trick of all.
THE ALGERIAN IRoUBApoURs.
After tearing yourself away from Cairo you
stroll along and soft music comes waited out
to you. 1t Is not the monotonous song Of bar
barians. and it is not accompanied by the beating
of drums but it is the beautiful music of trouba-
dours. The fame Of the Algerian troubadour
has not reached America before, and it is doubt
full if many people ever knew tina. there were
such things as Algerian troubadours: but such is
the name borne by this troupe, and their music
is beautiful indeed-not the less so because it
can be enjoyed while the inner man is being re-
freshed with cool beer.
Several times a week now the visitor to the
worlds fair has an opportunity to zee what it
looks like at night for it is open until II o'clock
quite often. On these occasions. OF course, the
chief attraction is the general illumination, but
the buildings are open. too, in many cases. and
o good many a the exhibits can be examined.
The latter do not generally appear IN all their
beauty at night. for they were not installed with
q view to being exhibited then. But there are
great many people who think the exterior Of
the buildings and the grounds more attractive
by night than they are by day.
ABOUT THE COURT OF HONOR.
The principal place where the Examinations
are is about the court of honor, which COM
prises the administration building, the agri-
cultural building on the RICH: -hand side as YOU
look toward Lake Michigan, the casino. the
peristyle, the music hall, the manufacturers
building and the electricity building, all follow
ing one another in the order named and inclos
ing the body of water known as the basin. As
SOON Uarkness comes al tnese are
aglow with electric lights. which run in rows
about the roofs, but the administration build
ing is the most brilliant Of ALL About the top
of the dome the lights are arranged SO as to
make a crown of light, from which rows run
down to the first line Of pillars. The latter are
there are more electric lights All this
briiliancy falls upon the high spray Of
THE GREAT COLUMBIA FOUNTAIN,
H. oIo IL IL -
the park 1t is hard to describe work Of this
character so that 1t can be understood. 1t must
be seen to be appreciated. Briefly stated, it
represents Columbia on a lofty seat in a tri-
umphal barge; figure representing Fame is in
front of her and behind Is old Father Time with
his scythe turned into a rudder. Eight stand
ing female figures are rowing. About the
barge are sea horses aud mermalds sporting in
the water. To say of this work of art that it is
beautiful only feebly expresses the fact The
whole basin is lighted up and electric launches
and gondolas go fitting about.
Leaving the court OF honor you may go in
other portions Of the park where there are
almost no artificial lights and you may get the
full effect of the great white buildings aud the
dark lagoons with only the light Of the night
to show them. You may go to the wooded
island, where the beautiful little Japanese
village is and where the Boone and Crockett
Club has Its hunters cabin. and there you will
be able to enjoy comparative quiet and may
sit down and take in the surrounding scene
at your leisure. On one side, across the canal,
the manufacturers building lies before you.
and on the other is the huge red structure
where all the means of transportation, from a
wheelbarrow to an express steam engine. are
exhibited. There are few more charming or
romantic spots than wooded island.
One hundred thousand people by daylight. in
an endless, ceaseless stream. with room enough
for them to move about in peri ct comfort
without crowding, vet moving on and passing
hour after hour without ever presenting the
same face twice to the observer. most of them
looking little tired out. but all looking eagerly
about them to see everything that can be seen
this sight is strange enough. but when you put
this large crowd through the grounds Of the
worlds fair at night the effect is stranger.
They pass from bright light that shows them
as distinctly If it were broad day light into
deep shadows, where their forms are only just
discernlble.
Written for The Evening Star.
Chimney Swallows.
When the swallows come In spring,
From the Southland far away,
Under each wing they blessing bring,
And they merrily chirp all day.
When they in our chimney build,