Daily Kennebec journal., 1893-06-08
LOVERS PARADISE.
Sylvan Retreats at the Worlds
Columbian Exposition.

Popular Passion for Music Causes
Lovers to Seek Musical Places.
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| WORLDS FAIR. June T. (Speciall -
OF course we have lovers at the exposition.
Did You ever know place where they
were not. This Worlds fair IL almost
psradise fer them, as it Is for so many
other people. Here they may find every
thing in the world to ride upon-and You
know how fond lovers are Of riding upon
sll sorts of conveyances and vehicles-and
everything that is tempting to spead their
money for. This is not all. Here they
Iiay fluid sylvan retreats, safe from the
eyes Of the curious and envious. Or, they
gain confidence in observing that all other
people are SO much interested in the great
buildings and the exhibits that their eyes
have no vision for pair of silly dreamers-
1t does seem almost incredible that a
young man and - young woman can be SO
much wrapped upin one anotherthat they
are unable to see the glories Of the Worlds
fair, but every day l notice just such
couples wandering about the. grounds,
seated in the shady places along the
wooded island walks, or holding each
Others hands while enjoying asail through
the lagoons with the gay and romantic
| gondoliers. To people such as these the
mammoth building, the Art palace, the
exquisite statuary, porcelains, tapestries
and Jewels are as nothing. The wonders
of Machinery hall and the Electricity build
ing are sealed books. The curious races
of men and animals TO he found along the
Midway plaisance are as il they had never
existed. Only the things to ride upon, the
flowers and shade trees, the music, the
fountains, the electric lights and the deli
cacies to eat and drink which may be
shared between them appeal to these coy
cooers.
| lam not sure that should want to be
in love at the Columbian exposition. |
am too much in love with it, There is n
time for human love. and for heavenly
love, and for alteration of the handiwork
Of man in all the arts and sciences. This
is the time and the place for the last
named. There is enough here to call out
the highest and tenderest of thoughts
without resort to the means which all peo-
pies practice and all time endorses. BE
sides, that we have always with us, while
1 thu WrrIl's fair 10 tha nt pf n life ir1r
Still there are lots of lovers here. They
are fond of sitting out in front OF the great
Administration building, where from two
band stands music is poured forth every
afternoon. The Thomas orchestra occu-
| pies one stand and the Sousa band the
other, and of course they play alternately.
| 1t is curious to Ilote the popular passion
| for music AS exemplifed in the manner in
which the people run from one side of the
plaza to the other, according as the music
| is in the south or the north stand. There
| could not be finer spot in which to listen
| to splendid music. 1t is simply ideal. The
palatial Administration building affords .
| good background and sounding board. In
| one direction is Machinery hall, aud far
| ther along the perfect structure devoted
| to agriculture On the other side the
| Electrical building and the mammoth pNl
ace. Between these most beautiful en
| closures is the grand basin, with its foun
tain playing, the craft moving 10 and frc
over the waters. Add music to "A scene
| like this and one could not be blamed fol
| imagining himself in sort Of earthly
paradise. That is the way the lovers look
| at it, surely, for they find seats in some
| shadowy spot, or lift large umbrella over
| their heads more to ward off curious
| glances than to protect against the rays OF
| the sun, and sit by the hour.
| This is not an energetic way in which to
see the great Worlds fair, but it is q
| happy way. You may not learn much,
but you will feel good deal. This is par
| ticularIy true if you come at night when
the basin and all the buildings around it
are lighted with electricity, and when the
managers of the fair send large boats out
upon the waters bearing musicians and
choruses there TO fill the air with sweet
strains as they are silently moved to and
| fro. No such scene as this was ever before
| witnessed and one does not have to be
| lover in order to sit entranced by it. A
| line of lamps runs all about the walls en-
| closing the basin. Another follows the
cornices of the great buildings and the top
of the noble peristyle. The columns of the
peristyle are lighted from inches set on
the inner side, thus flooding the interior
| of the colonnade with a rich lustre In
the Columbian arch at the center OF the
colonnade red fire is burned each electrical
evening, and thus the gateway TO the lake
| is made to take on the hue of warmth
and welcome.
On the entrances and corners of the big
buildings there are more lights. AT the
feet of Diana, who stands at the top of the
Agricultural palace, is 4 corona of electric
lights which illuminate every line Of her
beautiful figure. The golden statue Of the
Republic which stands in the center Of the
basin is flooded with soft rays. On each
OF the four corners of the greatest build
ing that ever was is a powerful search
light, the largest of the four being mon
,ter with lens as big as the end of
street car. 1t is said to have power Of
500 0OO, 900 candles, and the print Of an or
dinary newspaper may be read ten miles
away by the aid of its rays. The vivid
streaks thrown off By the search-lights
range through the air like some celestial
beings, falling first upen the huge glass
dome Of the Horticultural building, now
making the winged victory on the Art
palace stand forth against the sky like n
silhouette, and finally causing the alumni
ium roof of the Administration dome to
shine precisely like n vast cameo set high
in the air.
OF course you cannot blame pair Of
lovers if in the presence Of a spectacle such
as this they sit closer and closer together,
and linger long after their elders have
gone away to hotel or boarding house.
You would do just as they do were you in
their places. Nor can you censure them
if they come another night and find a
nook in the Electrical building itself,
there to sit for two or three hours watch
ing the pillar Of fire and the other mag
nificent devices which are shown here.
This pillar of fire is the most wonderful
! thing in the way Of spectacular device
that man ever yet constructed. 1t il .
horetaste Of what the celestial city nIaJ ~
IA tie perpetualiy glorious hereafter. =
Imagine, II you can, graceful pillar
about eighty feet high covered in geonet-
rical Inns with incandeseent lamps Of all
| eolors, skilIfaIly arranged. Imagine these
5000 lamps hung in several hundred cir
! cui;s, - thai any number OF them, in any
combination Of place and color desired,
, may be turned on at the same instant.
Then, further, imagine band OF music
near by - ying the soulful strains Of a
waltz OF - grand sweeps Of march. AS
the band strikes up the pillar is dark.
Not an atom OF light illumines it from top
to bottom But what is tbisf There a
streak Of light, and here another All,
. yes, 1t Is so. The electrical current is keep
ing time to the music. The pillar of FIRE
Is springing its electrical notes in unison
with those Of the orchestra Could ary-
| thing 10 mora I.pauftf,tt rf.nrs. j,st,friI