Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1893-08-04
THE WORLDS FAIR.
All Buildings Closed and the
GondelaS Tied Up.
The LONESOME GUARDS.
A Plan to Compromise with Con-
science on the Sunday Question
The Attendance at the Fair Is
Very Much Less Than 1t
Ought to Be.

The great white city lay dismal and silent
Sunday. Its gates were barred to the world,
It's streets echoed only the footballs Of the
pass holders and of gorgeously decked bar
barians who wandered over from the Mid
way Plaisance Even the Stars and Stripes
were lowered and not flag foated over the
nations wonder world. The twittering OF
the birds as they sweep over the waterways
or nestle in the caves Of the grand structures
sound like vociferous cries, and the gentle
beating OF the waves of Lake Michigan
against the pier down by the Per.syle seems
to be the boom of thunderous seas.
The vast buildings appear to have the
power Of multiplying sound like immense
sounding boards and sending reverberations
through all the courts. There is something
weird and uncanny in it all after the hustle
ofthe week and the sight of human faces
where now there is vacancy and the sound
OF human voices where now is only tho cry
OF birds and the ripple of waters 1t may be
that it is only the Sabbath stiffness, but here
amidst all the wondrous evidences Of Gods
power and mans dignity the stiffness is de-
pressing it does not soothe, it startles. 1t
is like the silence of an accursed town. Even
theguards shiver as they pace to and fro along
the dismal aisles Of the great buildings with
the handiwork of the men of all the nations
gathered round them with no one to view it,
THE LONESOME GUARDS.
The'guards in the outer air, along the lake
front and the waterways. are weary IN their
utter lonesomeness. Amidst the fields, tho
very stiffness W Md be natural and sweet
but here amidst the splendors of this great
city it seems almost unnatural and one re-
grets the possession of the pass that brings
him within the bars, and he hurries away in
search for something less suggestive of death.
And one found that something just outside
the Fair grounds. All the shows and clap
traps and juggleries Of the creation seem to
be clustered round the gates, and everyone
of them was palsating with life, aglow with
enthusiasm. Buffalo Bill cou not find room
for all the thousands that sought to get into
his show, and every fakir in the throng had
his crowd of admirers.
There was no attempt 10 get into the Fair
grounds on the part of the general public.
The fact that the Fair was to lie shut tight to
pay visitors was very widely heralded, and
there was no repetition of the scene of
month ago, when people pounded upon the
gates and besought admission. 1t was an
honest closeup, too, with no underhand
favors for anyone. The pass-holders were
exhibitors, newspaper correspondents and
others, who had genuine business on the
grounds. They could not have seen much
OF the show, even if they had desired TO do
so, for nearly everything that was not locked
up was covered over, and even the wooden
horse in the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany's hanson was enveloped in black
STROUD
MIR. Clingman declares that he will go into
court some time this week and endeavor to
procure an Injunction against closing the
Fair on Sunday and to prevent anyone from
covering up any exhibit.
The Fair dit ectors, however, are seriously
debating the question of opening the id
way Plaisance on Sundays. 1t is arguet
that as those on the midw y are engaged in
the show business they should be given
square chance to compete for business with
their rivals out ide the grounds. Besides
the Midway Snowman have been grumbling
about bad business and they pay the Fair
Commission one quarter Of their gross re-
eeipts.