The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-09-10
One Of the Most Popular Features
Of tho Greatest Show on
Earth.
The Conjurers. Snake Charmers
and the Soudaneee Baby in
the Streets of Cairo.
visitors Who Fail to Visit the Midway
Miss n Good Portion of tho Educa-
ttonal Bencfits of the Fair.
Special to The Independent.

the Worlds fair that tho monkey sho
does to the big three tent circus. it is new
ertheless true that it ia one OF the mos
attractive features of the 'greates
show on earsh.'' When the street
of the white city are being ira
versed by hundreds Of sightseers. tn
by Thousands. When the vast machiner
hail ~c!attess and roars with its varied an
wonderful aggregation of time and laSo
saving appliances. and its long aisles ar
promenaded by.a handful of ~listless OBJ
servers. the oriental booths of the Turk
and Persians ere crowded with hosts of Gu
rious, interested visitors. We inset an oil
gentleman at breakfast and ask, What d.
you consider the most interesting featur
Of the Worlds fair?" Before he ha
time to snswer we overhear the sam
question asked of a Observation-Disclosures
young lady at the next table and sndeav
ored to get both anewers.
The old fatherly- appearing gentleman
who ia undoubtedly a class leader or dea
con. snys: II find myself wonderfully in
terested in the incompatible displays O.
the liberal arts building, IL is. in my opin'
ion, the Drowning triumph Of the exposi
tion," and. in q verv proper and dignihed
nanner, he readjusts his napkin and sips
his coffee. At the same time the refined
lady is saying: 'Oh! The art gallery is
beyond all question the most magnificent
of all the displays. / can scarcely stay
away long enough to eat my lunch. How
warm and beautiful are those French paint
inps and what exquisite skies in those
Italian lardacapes. BY tho way. did you
notice those lovely roses in the English COL
lection?" All! I see this lady is an artist,
which accounts for her raptures over the
art department. The breakfast parties
break up and all betake themselves to the
fair, the gentleman. presumably. to the
liberal arts building and the specialized
lady to the charming picture rooms.
The writer, being bnt q poor piece of
ordinary clay, takes the fret car tor the
plaisance and hurries for a front seat at
the Persian theatsr. In his eaeefneas to
get a ticket, ut the window, he runs into a
wheeling chair. over two chilaien ana lanos
in q heap before tho girl who, with her nut
brown fingers. ia beating a dram to call
attention to the performance within. I'm
der ordinary circumstances this would be
embarrassing, but under circumstances like
these, when one. mas haYe to taks a baok
scat, il is diffe,ent-we do not mind it ii
we can but succeed In securing a position
that commands IN advantageous view OF
the stage. FSlled with this purpose we
hastily assume a perpendicular position,
purchase the coveted ticket and enter the
we'll filed hall. where the performance is
Just commencing.
There is but ono scat on the front row
it takes to tell it the writer
has it, wipes the Precipitation from
his face, discovers that he has lost two
inches of cuticle from his shin bone and
has a large bEGise owe. his left eye-but the
dance begins and all is forgotten. AS the
fret dancer takes her seat there is hearty
applause all over the room. in which our
right hand neighbor joins with hand and
feet. Another performer comes on the
stage. As she bows to the audience our ap-
preciative neighbor applauds ard exclaims,
"Now for something hHe!' The music
starts up. The oaatinets of the artist keep
time while all eyes are rivsted upon the
fair danseuss. Now isn't that fina?' says
our neighbor. But we cannot be distracted
long enough TO make answer. The din of
the music increases. The eVolutions of the
performer grow more and more violent and
as she finally retires there comes O burst OF
applause in which our n~eichbor fairly
shoute. AS it dies down q little he begins
TO applaud for an encore. Turning to as
he says: CLAP! Clap!" ana then subsidies
~ IL wrapped In o blanket of ice.
'Iist the old gentleman who thinks the lib
eral arts building is the most interesting
thing at the fair. His face assumes a SER
ious look and after e. few embarrassing
moments he risea. muttering We'll, l haVo
have had enough of this stuff" and disap-
pears through the exit. After the last act
and when all the troupe have left the stage
we too arose and went out upon the st eet.
1t was not time for lunch and yet so late
that there was not time to accomplish any
thing before, SO to while nway an hour we
stroll into the "Street of Cairo"
This place is always crowded with the
young and eiddy, for there are the dtoilest,
little, shaggy horses to eide, or if one p O.
fers it. great, homeiv. patient camels. Here
is Rn Egyptian flower girl. with a black
veil covering her face, save the eyes, for
tune %tellera, greasy looking tTur ks whose
rHnts bag terribly at tho seat, tho wonder
full c%onjatet Calico, who befo-e each
performances rromenad8s the street With
one egg, N his eye and
another. adherinR III some mysterious man
ner TO his left ear. while behind him fol
lows a mite of a burro not larger than a
coyote, carrying on hia back n funny,
shaggy monkey, who sets there With n big
m1zZls over his mouth-poor thing, He
would not bite a fly. Then. too, there are
the snake charmsrs from India, and the
houdanese baby, only eighteen months old.
that comes out on the stage dressed in a
Belt OF goats toes. ana dances, just too cute
for anything. Besides this there are two
Loolos who come from Central Africa. so
black and ugly locking that syen the caneIs
turn away their heads. and near by 10 the
temple of Luxor, whe.e the mummy of
solomon's mothet-in-law lies in state,
A great mGny people drop % cents
In tho collection box and pass in
TO pay her their respects. This
sad duty being performed, they take
seats until the sacred CD dances have
ended. This is done ont of respeet to the
sacred temple and the presence of the hon
oted remains (manufactured especially for
this colleetion} for Solomon mosher-in. law
10 accompanied by ton or twelve other we'll
{ behaved mumnies. Well, as We said, we
htrolLed iato tue street to wait until noon.
Ihofe vera ionr or i've hundred people
there. some riding burros, some perehed
upon the back OF camels and u good many
moro who looked as if tho wanted to ride
but were Ashamed to do so. Ilp-tap, tip
tap. sound the hoofs of q little burro on the
brick pavement az he trots buck to tie
starting place with 4 tInid li.t.e niss on
his back, whose face is flushed with excite
ment and pleasure.
Now a great burst of laughter is heard
farther ~ the street. mingled with which
can be heard Il drivers peculiar shout Of
Luke ont! Luke out!' and there comes
into aiglt tie sorry face and long cars of q
tiny burro CARVING on his back u big, fat
man, whose huge proportions we'll nigh
hide the courageous little animal. The
driver. a bit of a boy. urgea on his beast
by punching his rump. whenever he can
find a section that is not covered bv the
surplus anatomy of the rider. and then
WHOM the ride 10 over shows, his business
capacity by charging 10 cents additional for