The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-07-25

gan to fall. they fled out-of- doors, and
crept under some fallen trees and lay on
the ground face down until the fury OF
the winds had passed over them. afraid
to look or scarcely breathe.
Then when they rose up such a scene
as awaited them is indescribable. LAT
ayette park was wreck, covered in un-
der it's own foliage as with apall OF green
boughs, and they had to Chamber and
climb over wrecksge of hundreds Of
homes before reaching their own. which
were only few blocks distant and also
more or less damaged.
Incidents of the Cyclone.
In one of these homes the roof and
ceiling were showed off and blown clear
away, furniture was turned round and
upside down. while hair mattress had
been lifted from the springs long enough
to slap "splasher" from the wall down
into it, and then put it back again, hard
enough to print the wire springs on it's
surface. One can hardly help attributing
these strange capers of the "powers of
the air" to fendish intelligence. gov
erned by malice. No wonder the anci-
ents were superstitiousl Incidents
plenty of them! A parlor grand piano
went sailing out of some demolished
home and rested from future usefulness
and present labors. on broken legs in
Lafayette park! 1t usually takes dcz-
en- men to carry such. 1t has thus be-
come freak or find" akin to a
Pompeian recovery. and now holds the
place of honor in a down town music
store with several equally unfortunate
"uprights," treated as cavalier1y by the
rude west wind.
In the Mercantile Library.
In the upper rooms of the Mercantile
Building is beautiful statue of the
"West Wind" which just now seems
peculiarly appropriate to this region. as
the patron saint ~ or sinner. The
statue represents charming young
woman with bowzy hair, and scant gar
ments blowing around perfect limbs.
She is poised on tip-toe on two of the
prettiest arched feet ever saw modelled
in any piece of plastic art. Although
one walked round and round it, looking
intently for it, l was unable to find
any name traced upon the pedestal. 1t
is too beautiful a thing to remain incog-
nito.
In the vestibule of this library is an.
other gem of sculptured art. by Har.
riet Hosmer-"Beatric Cenci''-a re-
Ginning figure suggestive of the classic
story. The drapery on this figure, re-
vealing, or but half concealing. the
beauty Of the form, is wonderfully soft
and flexible in appearance, and there
is a sweet womanliness in the whole,
from dropping head to slippered foot,
which is most charming. One can but
wonder at the genius which first sees
such visions of ideal loneliness in hard
marble, and then has the skill and pa
tience, to "chip" it into forms of beauty
and grace that rival life.
so The st. Louis Art Museum.
The city has an art Museum" de-
voted to the display of bronzes, marbles,
painting, pottery, bric-a-brac and draw
ings. No. 1919 went to church on Sunday
morning. keeping in touch with the
sacred" Sabbath, but in the afternoon
thought she would investigate, or see
something of st. Louis secular" Sab
bath. Excursions. theatres aud saloons
are all in full blast for those who enjoy
those coarser amusements; and art
museums, libraries and parks are open
for those who are capable of appreciat-
ing them but have no opportunity dur
ing the week, they all belonging to the
working classes.
On that Sunday morning 1 sat in
well-flled church, among fashionably
dressed people, whose garments were
of silk or fine cloth. Everything was
elegant. from the highly trained voices
in the choir. where the organist modu.
ated marches from Sousa's La Capt..
tain" into minor key. thus making
sacred music of opera bouffe-to the
minister who discoursed on ethics in
stead of religion or sharply defined
doctrines. My soul was uplifted in this
refined atmosphere, but another chord
vibrated with sympathy when l
mingled, few hours later, with another
class as widely severed from it as gold"
and "16 to II in the political platforms
are from their stand-points.
On Sunday in the Museum.
The women who frequent the Art
Museum on Sunday wear shirt waists"
of cotton; and the men cheap business
suits" such as one sees in the windows
of ready made mems wear clothing
stores. The faces were tanned some
prematurely scanned with wrinkles of
care; but all had intelligent faces. and
were quiet and we'll behaved. Some
were studying inteatly the various OBJ
iects of interest Others there were
young and beautiful as youth always
is when unspoiled by vices or artificial
ity. There were many fine paintings in
the gallery, but 1919 noted with surprise
the ahaanpe Of any of the uondarfnl