The record-union., 1893-08-04


cutters and penholders. A man sits az
the stall where they sell German silver
and coin silver souvenir spoons, and
manlpulates an electric pen to lnscribe
the name or the initials upon the metal
possessions of those who wish to be
properly tagged.
IN another corner of the Deutschesdorf
IS the Iankiest OF Yankee show men who
strives TO persuade the passers-by TO pur-
chase Notwithstanding device. The
snow of the German village is repro
duction OF an old Ieutonic castle which
IS used as a museum. But while there
are so many live things 10 see on the
Plalsance few care to pay twenty-five
cents to see a lot of old armor and battered
weapons.
The Javanese village is interesting,
tamely so. The men walk around with
lordly air. They look like cross be-
tween Chinese and a negro, while their
women who sit on the porches Of the
picturesque thalched-rOOted cottages, and
worked embroidery in gay colors, looked
Ike pretty japanese girls. There is a
theater on the grounds where Javanese
sports are illustrated at certain times OF
The day. Twenty-Five cents here to 60 in
besides the quarter TO admit 10 the vii
lage. At another end OF the PIaisance is
the Dahomey village. 1t was general
house-cleaning day when l visited the
Inclosure. The AmazOus, who are all
undersiZed women, when Judged by our
standards, are in all the different stages
OF youth and old age. They are dark
bronze in color, not terOciOus, although
not exactly amable in aspect, ana
with the kinkiest hair imaginable.
This they ''do up" in variety OF
ways. There were some tierce-looking
tOp-knots, some aggressive spear-shaped
twists from the crown of the head, but
wi hat Spampn abGI1rllu =
all these ladies from Dahomey wore
cheap American tortoise shell pins in
their wool.
They were washing their ''Iinen'-
heaven save the Misunderstanding kitchen
utensils, cooking something over very
modern ranges, and grinding corn. Their
village Is arranged in square, with huts
all around the sides and a covered pavil-
ion in the center. Their huts are covered
with plaster in which have been blown
or stamped while it was wet the figures
OF birds and beasts and reptiles.
Hanging over the rail in front of one Of
these houses was shirt made of the
American flag cambric which is sold 50
extensively for wall decorations for pa
triotic occasions. 1t Inundated me to
see that glorious emblem, which ilies
above all the flags of all the other nations,
debased so low as 10 be the undershirt of
a haIt-naked dirty savage.
Where Will this desecrauOn of the flag
end? For nearly three years l have been
writing on this subject, implOring Con-
gress to save our flag from being branded
with the insult OF being used as back
ground for the advertisement OF any beer
saloon, or Sunday picnic. or cheap cloth
Ter or wnbroker. 1t is a shame that
American patriotism permits such des-
ecration. This Columbian year is the
time to rescue the flag from such crim-
n II and a fa1l
woman's society in the land, | call upon
every Grand Army post in the country
to memorable Congress on this subject
and ask Tor law that shall cause this
practice forever to cease. Congress has
prohibited the debdsing of the coin of the
land by stamp or even by being made in
to articles OF leWeiry; but the tlag-is the
flag less sacred than the money Of the
country?
our party wandered into a Moorish
palace, where the Alhambra is repro
duced on weirdIy confusing collection
OF arches and many optical illusions pro-
duced by means of mirrors. This is a
''two-bip' attraction. Upstairs is a daz-
zling array of wax figures, and without
further ceremony one may hobnob with
/ all the celebrities and crowned heads Of
Europe. For the sum OF ten cents extra
one may be admitted into a side room
where poor Marie Antoinette, in all the
sorrowful dignity of her recent widow
hood, faces the guillotne. We are as
sured by placard, which faith takes to
be yeracious, that this is the original
genuine and real true" guiIlotine OF the
French revolution.
Whenever l am called upon to accept
such "tacts" | find myself wondering
how in the world these historical relics
have found themselves in the hands of
travelling showmen.
a nn e,1N
taurant, where the most noisy and un-
musical music rends the air at stated
periods.
For those who love the circus, there are
the trained animals, where three lions are
driven abreast, and all that sort of thing
he performance was enlivened the other
day by tigers chewing up the lady tiger
tamer's thigh, but that is not down on
the regular bill.
On one side of the Plaisance the
Bedouins of the desert have hung ont their
sign, and the passerby is invited to step
within and see portion of one of the
oldest palaces of Damascus.
\ lady out of the Arabian Nights sits
at the tick t-seller'S window. She wears
Oriental toggery, but pve studied her
well, even talked with her, and l can t
make up my mind that she's an Arab. l
think she's French; and she has very
much bored air. | saw her shut her eyes
and indulge in good-sized yawn, with
/ out any attempt to hide it. I should
( think she would be tired Of the everlast-
/ ing tum, tum OF the hand drum that those
1 Bedouins bang under her very ears. in the
! endeavor te attract the crowd.
am afraid that popular composition,
The Bedouin Love Song" hasgiven US a
wrong idea of the BedOuin music. lust as
the rhapsodies of Oriental travellers have
made us hold an exaggerated idea Of the
graceIulness OF Eastern dancing girls.
l nat IS, II what one sees in the Midway
can be called dancing. i'II coufess to i'm
agining that dancing mad principally to
DO with the feet; but after my Observa-
uons on the Plaisance-ah me! how
much l have seen!
4 VI entered the Bedouin eneampment,
winning sweet smile from the treuchi-
I tied Arabian cashier lady. on one side is
the interior OF the palace, dark, dingy,
and suggestive of a certain Kind Of Ori-
entail magnlncence. \ fountain plays in
the center of the court, rich emDroiaeries
overiay the cOuches while rare rugs
cover the floors. The walls are covered
/ with thing and are here and there sug-
/ gestive OF sliding panels, and mysterious
murders.
one does not get the full flavor Of a
tour in the Orient unless he can conjure
up memories of eunuchs, and scimetars.
and bowstrlugs, and midnight plunge
in a sack in tie Bosphorous.
The Bedouln encampnent is divided into
4 squares, which are rooted with rugs. In
/ one ofthese compartments satan old crone
i on the floor baking a thin sheet Of paste
/ over circular metal shield, which was
heated by a ire under it. She handed
me a piece, which l took wirn proflse
I thanks and deyoured it with feigned
avidity before her. How did 1 know but
\ W hat she might know some evil incanta-
/ ton to say against those who insulted her
/ hospitality?
Then the smooth-talkiug Armenian