Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1893-08-17
Worlds Fair.

Worlds Fair.
Many readers OF the SHEAF vii
probably want us to tell about onl
experiences in the cosmopolitan anl
in many respects interesting thor
oughfare known as Midway Plai
sance. This..street extends about 4
mile in length and is lined on either
side with exhibits from all quarters
OF the globe, illustrating the man
ner or want OF manners, customs and
state OF civilization OF different ma.
tions and races, quaint and curious
displays, theatres, dancing halls,
and q multitude of rich any racy
shows that attract the attention OF
the curious. The street is to the fair
proper what a side show is to n cir
Gus. A tour Of it is equivalent to a
tour around the world. One can
travel from Lappland in the frozen
north to Egypt in the sunny south
by simply crossing the street. As
soon as one enters the Plaisance, one
feels as if he had been transposed to
another country. Strange music is
constantly dinned into ones ears,
and representatives of oriental and
other countries pass to and fro, clad
in native full-dress, or rather, un-
dress costumes, and the speech one
hears is a Babel OF tongues. The
street therefore, possesses education
al value, besides serving to amuse
and satisfy ones appetite for the Gu
rious, and I felt much interested in
studying the different characters
and types ofmen. An entrance fee
from 10 to SO cents is charged for
the privilege OF seeing each attrac-
ton, but being a newspaper man,
long ago learned the commercial val
lie OF cheek, and I passed it wherever
l could, and generally succeeded,
though occasionally / struck snag.
Some concessionaires preferred to
have the deprecated silver money is
sued by Uncle Sam. Close to the en-
trance OF the Plaisance stands the
Libby glass factory, where one can
see how glass is manufactured. 1t
was very interesting to see glass
spun and woven, and dresses made
up Of the material. A glass dress for
Eulalia was made at this factory.
We purchased a few souveniers, one
being a piece OF braided glass, fexi-
BILE as linen. Hagenback's Animal
Show is one OF the best attractions
on the street and should not be
missed. 1t is wonderful, indeed, that
trail man, by the exercise OF tact and
intelligence, can command wild and
ferocious animals to do his bidding,
and perform on the arena like so
many actors. Man is lord OF crea
ton! Animals that are each others
natural enemies here dwell together
in peace and unison in the same
cage. In the "Street of Cairo" is re-
produced the quaint architecture OF
an old Egyptian city as it was cen
turtles ago, with it's mosques, old
temples, towers, minarets, and ia
milliar street scenes. rode a camel
through the street with as much DIG
nifty as any Egyptian pascha. The
camels are made to lay down in or
der to let persons off or on, and /
pitied the poor animals which had
to repeat the performance continue
ally. Really, the principal feature
OF the ride is the sensation experience
ed when the animal rises orlays down,
for then the rider is thrown back
ward Or forward with sudden Jerks
as the fore or hind parts Of the body
OF the animal are elevated or let
down. My wife was convulsed with
laughter to see me cling to the sad
die with all my might in order to
avoid falling off. Next we step into
the realm OF ancient Egypt as por-
trayed in q reproduction of the an.
cient Temple OF Luxor, and like Bro.
Smith We shed q tear over the re-
mains OF Rameses III, whose mummy,
Tin imitation, had been transferred
from the banks OF the Nile to the shore
Of lake Michigan! May it rest in
peace! Here we saw a religious song
and dance by a number Of priests,
the dance consisting Of continual
swinging Of their hends-they put
ting more brains into their dance
and devotions than civilized people
often do. Next we proceeded to the
Egyptian theatre where dancing
girls perform the Dams du Ventre, or
stomach dance, while the musicians
who accompany them are as weird
and picturesque as the dancers
themselves. This dance is peculiar
to many eastern countries, for the
same thing was seen in the Turkish
Algerian and Moorish theaters. 1t
consists ola rhythmic motion up
down and sideways OF the middle
portion OF the body, and is rather
wanting in good taste. The street
fairly swarms with Egyptians, Arab