The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-05-31
WORLDS FAIR.
All About Wax Figures-Oomicalities Of
the Fair-Midway Plaisanoe-
Natural Peculiarities-Inter-
esting Sights and Works
of Art.

Speclal correspondence Oh Ire Daiig LtaotT. |
CHICAGO, May 27.-Ihe most difficult
task a visitor to the exposition grounds
can have to do is to write about what
he has seen in the buildings. One sees
SO much that is virtually impossible TO
tell all, let alone commit the account to
writing. A talking machine set to work
and kept constantly running, would fail
to describe in twenty-four hours what
the eye has seen and the ear heard In
one hour. And such interesting things
too. A very wise couple as they passed
us in horticultural hall the other day,
were examining a very beautiful water
melon in the Colorado exhibit which
they concluded, after some discussion,
could not be genuine at this unseason
able time of the year. A piece had been
cut lengthwise cut of the melon and the
interior looked a rich pink with seeds
really natural looking. Though marked
'hands off" they could not resist the
temptation to press it, and found it hard
as stone. The lady at once pronounced
it a petrifaction, but the gentleman per-
sisted that could not be. Finally, after
a protracted struggle in summoning up
his knowledge OF chemistry the man
said, in a tone that settled it for them;
II know how hat has been made SO
hard, it has been soaked in sulphuric
acid," and they walked away satisfied.
Curious to know the cause OF their pre-
plexity, the writer o after tapped the
melon with the back OF his knuckles and
the ring on his finger coming in contact
with the green looking esculent it gave
forth the genuine metallic ring OF iron.
1t was a painted cast-iron melon.
This incident brings to mind the prom
inence and frequency OF a certain form
OF art in many exhibits-wax-work.
The eye is being continually delighted
and deceived by the most exquisite
wax-work. Fruit of every description,
especially such as abound in rich, ripe
soft hues, leaves flowers, roots, waxen'
figures OF birds rich in .plumage, lovely
women and stately soldiers. The latter,
in fact, occur so frequently that they
give rise to ludicrous incidents. To-
day, as my wife and / slowly approached
the entrance to the German museum of
war relics, we saw a German soldier
standing motionless and slightly leaning
against the easement at the open door
way. We stopped within a foot or two
of him and discussed for several minutes
whether or not W q would go into .he
museum or pass on to the inner court we
had been approaching. Finally she de-
cided the matter by entering the door
way to the museum and received a shock
which soon turned into convulsing
| laughter, when the soldier Strengthened
himself up and said, tickets please
She had mistaken him for a dummy"
Passing by for the present, the great
exhibits OF the government buildings,
we will glance at some of the prominent
features OF Midway Plaisance. This is
a street nearly q mile long, outside OF
and running at right angles to the expo
sitior grounds proper, though the one
admission fee admits to both. Both
sides Of the street are lined with the
villages, temples, bazaars, resorts and
habitatlons Of almost every nation under
the sun. They are allowed to manufac.
ture and sell their wares, conduct their
resorts, run their theaters and do every.
thing as they do it at home. It is "a
busy mart. Here one sees the whole
real world of traffic in miniature, and
each part in its national characteristics
The Turkish and japanese bazaars are
literally packed with the crowds oil
eager sightseers and purchasers OF their
curious wares as souvenirs OF the grea;
worlds fair. The Turkish theaser and
harem are unique objects of curiosity
and the Moorish palace is a structure OF
beautiful art without, and ~bewilderinl
views within. In its labir;nth the
! visitor can see himself reflected miles
away or in another place his person re-
peated hundreds of times regardless oil
space. We had the modification 81
accidentally brushing against some one
whom w supposed TO have been {
strange lady who a moment before
stood near us, and raising our hat We
turned partly around, bowed and begged
pardon, only to find that we we're bow
ing and begging pardon to our othel
self and our other self was just doins
the same to us. This time our better
half got the joke on us. Al quaint sigh
is the streets and booths Of sold Vienna.
It's little shops, and rosy waiting maid
tempt one to buy at every stall. Th,
beer shops equal in number all thu
others and the magnificent displays D
the costliest porcelofn are fascinating /.
N