The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-07-07
THE MIDWAY PLAISANCE AT THE
WORTDiS FAIR

villages and other special exhibits on
the Midway Plaisance at the Chicago
Exposition to the side show of circus.
There is an extra admission fee TO each,
and indeed visitors can uuthfully say
they have "seen the fair without visit
ing these places, as they have 10 con-
nection with the ex position people ano
are made by concessionaries But to
people who are at all interested in the
study of human nature and the ways and
doings of races and individuals, better
opportunities than those of the Midway
Plaisance could hardly be offered except
by travelling among the people in their
native lands.
Miss Minnie Veazey, who has met with
so much success as teacher OF vocal
music in Boston, has just returned from
Chicago and described some of the at
fractions on the Midway Plaisance.
II have always been interested in
watching and studying people," she
said. "Whenever pass locomotive |
always look at the engineers and think
how wonderfully clear-headed and clever
they must be to have such perfect con-
troll over the great giant machines, which,
but for the firm, calm hand that re-
strains them, could in minute destroy
the lives of hundreds of people"
She said she was especially interested
in studying the faces of the foreigners,
many of them savages, in the different
villages.
"The Dahomey village had strange
fascination for me" she continued. II
imagined, before l went in, that the
people would not be the real savages,
but that they were dressed up to repre-
sent them. | had no doubt, however,
when had been in the place two min
utes. that was gazing on the genuine
article. was actually frightened when
these grotesque-looking creatures, with
their uncanny, angular antics, came near
me-
Their village is inclosed by a high
fence of bark and their little square
matched huts are built of bamboo and
sticks. Their appearance is very ugly,
most of them having coarse, Scared
faces. 1t is almost impossible to dis
tinruish the women from the men, ana
one young amazon is almost untaGablee,
the keepers being often obliged to torcl-
bly, prevent her from scratching and
biting the other members OF the settle
ment Much to their disgust they have
been compelled by their keepers to wear
little clothing, so they are clad in short
|
"They seem very busy most of the
time" said Miss Veazey, weaving
baskets, stringing beads and doing some
really beautiful embroidery. One old
fellow sat stiffly on the ground his legs
stretched straight in front of him, toes
turned up, and not even a tree to lean
against. There he worked without
noticing any one, rug thrown across
his legs to protect them from the burn.
ing sun. and some kind of a scarf wound
round his head"
In rather absurd contrast to all these
suggestions of the wilds of Africa, the
dinner was being cooked on the most
modern of ranges, the water was drawn
from fau~ets, and, with perfectly natural
ease, the cook was using utensils OF
latest improvement, from kettles to
shining tin pans.
In the midst of the village is a plat
form, on which the warriors perform fol
the benefit of the spectators, g ing
through the weird antics of the wal
dances, keeping time to the beating OF
drums, the shrill piping of small wind
instrument, somewhat resembling a
reed, and the metallic ching chang of q
three stringed instrument, not the slight
est attention being paid to time or har'
mony. One of the drums was made 10y
tying skins over the ends of nail keg,
another by tying skins over something
that looked very much like the hollow
trunk of tree.
81 was intently watching the queer
proceedings of the dance when the
music suddenly ceased and the dancers
bounded into the very midst of the com
pany. A savage looking one came in
nv direction and | suddenly decided
had seen enough and Departed" said
Miss VeaZey.
Zone of the most interesting things on
the Paisance is the street of Cairo" she
continued. She said one could easily
imagine herself in the streets of the
Egyptian city. The street is paved with
brick, and on either side are the queer
houses with jutting windows and the
stores and booths filled with Egyptian
wares.
While we were wondering at the mer
chants with their queer costumes OF
rich, oriental colors, we heard the beat
ing of drum and the sound of music
announcing the approach of the wedding
procession, which is one of the daily at
fractions of the Egyptian exhibit First
came the dancers, gayly dressed, waving
their arms and brandishing weapons and
clubs. Then followed three men or
camels, decked out in most elaborate
finery and regalia, and finally the bride
herself appeared, closely yelled, riding
in a soudan chair, and attended by heI
maids of honor, who were resplendent
in rich draperies and sparkling jewels.
Miss Veazey found these very interest
ing people, many of them having regular
features of the oval type, smooth olive
compilations and pearly white teeth.
The Irish and other villages are also
interesting, although the Chinese savorf
much of money making, and the Japan
ese may be seen in many of our large
stores The spectacular panorama rep
, resenting in realisli, manner the Ha
waiian volcano of Kilauea is impressive
but not as interesting as the villages.
One of the exhibits which resembles
in character the sights on the Plaisanc'
is the Esquimau village. Here one sees
the queer people from the North, bu
they have been obliged to lay aside theil
furs on account Of the heat, substituting
q costume of white cloth, though made
with a hood and cut in the same style az
,, their suit of fur. The little Esquimar
, baby, born at the fair, died on accoun
of the heat, and they all seem to suffel
, very much.
, The people are very clever with thei
dog whips, which are eight and ten fee
hn ut M