Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-09-05
CURIOS FLORIDA
70 Be se'n at the Columbian
EXPEDITION.
LIVE oHAk-Lsoss AZ BREAsrPus

rAsy Are Pevfeetiy Harmless bss Lssk
Rather Unsanny-rhs Florida Building
Model Of OIL Fort sfariss-Ths Credit
abls Exhibit Made By 0kiaAsna Terri.
tssy-Intsrcsting Statistics.
WORLDS FAIR. Aug. %. .-(Spscial.l =
Florida Is Arranging 10 have her day on OF
near Oct. Q. but her governor will not b
here, certainly not officially or BY invite
tion OF the managers at any rate, though
there Il no law to forbid bis coming - .
private citizen. He has been consistent
and unyielding opponent Of any action By
the state. and the Legislature did not ap.
proprists o dollar. Some enterprang
citizens raised . few thousand dollars
and built here . model Of old
Fort Marion which IL said 70 b
the only specimen Of purely msdisval
architecture In tho United stat~s. Il u ot
one story, staSas nearly In the centre Of
the group Of ,,at~ buildings, not far north
Of the Art Palace. and has a. many visi.
tors from other sstss - any stats build
Ing on the grounds
It Il literally packed With curiositiss Of
every kind-rc.tiles fSom the live cham
slson TO the stuffed alligator; antiquities
from the first landing nt the Spaniards 70
the last shot OF the civil war; ferns, fruits.
flowers and grasses, md q surprising A.
ray Of objects Of art ami small manufao'
lures. Many Of the exhibits are Of very
perishabls nature, and shs expense OF ~
storing them Is considerable, and a. Flor
ida fruit comes In late there can bs no
complete display even In October. Oranges
will then be brought In the green state
and will take on their yellow hue here.
The story went about that small live
alllga.ors were sold In the building. with
collar on and chain and pin attached and
that some Of the giddy wore them -
breastpins; bpt the superintendent en-
phatically denies the allegation and sneen
at the alligator. "The alligator is scaro
animal In Florida, sir, and We make u
show Of ths,n," said no to me.
But live chameleons are for sale u plen-
~, and very curious little creatures they
are. With tiny gold ring around the
body and fairy.liks gold chain attached
the delicate little thing Is fastened to the
coat collar. vst. or necktis and makes .
lively but rather uncanny breastpin. They
change color when frightened or excited
and sometimes Just for luck. On the dark
parple velvet ON which they are exposed
Tor sale they generally maintain dark.
dull color, but even then one will occar
sionAlly turn deep grass green and stay
20 for hours, for what reason nobody
knows. They are perfectly harmless, Of
course, having nekher teeth, claws nor
stings, but still that instructive dread Of
all reptile.iike creatures which we are sup
posed to inheii, from the primordial mon.
keys makes inost men hesitate TO touch
them, and the ladies often give little
feminine scream when one II handed to
them.
The buildi.iS In handsomely and appro-
priately finished In Florida woods, and In
the only place where room can be found
for social matters there IL q piano. Ths
open central court Is beautifed BY
palm, palmetto apd pampa grass,
and all aroand II every room u
o museum. There are sponges,
oorals and sec fans Of 30 delicate q texture
that Il seems light wind might watt
them away. T.Icre are shells OF dozens Of
kinds and carved or Uttered In style that
Il fine art. T!sre are sea beans, star dsh
and alligator teeth In every conceivable
form of jewelry, and 1sh scales wrought
into hundreds OF delicate and beautiful
forms. Leather Of alligator skin can b
bought here In any desired quantity. Al
the grains and grasses, roots and fruits OF
Florida are shown In some form, with cot.
ton and the cotton plant, the sugar cane
and the Spanish moss artistically draped