The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-05-23

Exhibit Full of 1nterest-Mr. Bow.
kin's Unique ldea-Bureau of Educa.
tion-Miss Alice Fletcher and the
Indian Bureau-Curious Things From
the Philippines-Music and Art.
Especial Correspondence of the Gold Leaf
Buffalo, N Y, May p, OF.
Palms and cacti from Florida, Louis
lana, Texas and other Southern States
are now growing out of doors in the
Exposition grounds. The grass is the
setting and these splendid palms and
other tropical products form an ideal
frame for the gorgeous floral dis
plays scattered with lavish hand and
exquisite taste all over the Exposi-
tion City. The flowers at the Expo
sition deserve an especial article.
They seem to have bloomed out in a
single night. Today the air was
heavy with the perfume of hyacinths,
buttercups, lilies of the valley and
other early spring flowers. There are
mammoth beds radiant in tulips of
many hues. This profusion Of flow
ers-and l understand there are half
million now blooming-the stat tuary,
the fountains, the gaudily painted
palaces, combine to make an ensembl
which suggests the hand of magi-
clan. Wonderful progress has been
made in putting on the finishing
touches since the first of May, and
everything is in good shape.
The exhibit Of the War Department
in the Government Building is a very
interesting one. In one corner of it
is reproduction of the shores of the
Mississippi river. Here it is shown
how rocks and logs of wood are strap
ped together and buried in the sand
to make the levees near New Orleans
as strong as possible and repel the
encroachments of that mighty ''Father
of Waters" Another feature of this
exhibit is a group of dredge boats
used for clearing the channel Of this
unruly stream.
Capt. Wisser's Company of Coast
Artillery (73rd Compauy will en-
camp on the grounds and each day
give exhibition drills with fine and
varied collection of guns exhibited by
the War Department, including the
- inch gun on disappearing carriage.
Lieut.. K. H. C. Kelton, who ha.
charge of mounting these guns, il
First Lieutenant of this Company.
A brigade field hospital will be ex-
hibited South of the Government
Building. Capt. f. L. Munson, As
sistant Surgeon of the United State.
Army, is in charge of this exhibit.
He will have under him twentyfour
enlisted men of the Hospital Corps,
United States Army. These men will
give interesting exhibition drills each
day. First Lieutenant +. W. Lewis,
Eighth United States Infantry, will
be in charge of the West Point eA-
hibit, planned and prepared by Prof.
c.. W. Larned, Professor of Drawing,
United States Military Academy.
Mr.. j. G. Boykin, a native OF
Georgia., has charge of the exhibit Of
the Bureau of Education. He has in.
stalled the finest exhibit | have ever
seen at any exposition. A unique
and original feature of it, which was
designed by Mr.. Boykin, is a phono'
graphic representation of school work
in the United States. He has a dark
room built, and the monographs give
representations in many branches Of
education. He secured these in the
best schools in Washington, and the
effect is very entertaining and some.
times very laughable. TO heighter
the effect of the reproduction of daily
recitations, he has photographs Of the
teachers and pupils taken. Thss.
photographs have been put on slides
and with the use Of a stereopticor
are thrown on large screen in this
dark room. This will certainly prove
to be one of the greatest attraction.
in the Government Building.
Miss Alice Fletcher, who was fol-
many years connected with the
Indian Bureau in Washington City, i.
here and has installed in the Govern
ment Building one of the most inter
esting Indian exhibits in the history OF
expositions. 1t is arranged in syste
matte order, beginning with the
earliest data obtainable about the
American Aborigines. One case con
tains many relics of the time ante
cedent to the discovery of America
These are worthy of serious study
They show in a most striking way tn,
peculiar trend OF the Indian mind
Manv of these are artistic and highly
interesting. Indian relics and speci
mems are grouped in separate case!
from this primitive beginning to th'
present day. Finally there is dis
played, enclosed by wooden grill
work, carved by an Indian, the inter
ior of modern dwelling. In thi:
miniature apartment i. beautiful,
carved and inlaid furniture. = collec
tion OF paintings, an Illuminated
frieze, an artistic dado made Of dyet
grasses, and \ fire place that is {
poem in itself This fire place wa:
designed by an Indian girl, Angel d.
Cora, a graduate Of the Indian schoo
al Hampton, Va, now an art studen
in Boston. She uses very light ant
. very dark wood. Just under tn
mantle thunder bird" is inlaid i,
dark wood. This thunder bird il
our eagle, so called by the Aborigine:
because his eyrie is among the clouds
the home of thunder. 1t is places
over the fire place because il is ais
the bird of the sun, the origina
source of all heat and fire. An arti.
tic border is carved from the sacre'
FIRE sticks arranged in conventions
form, because the Indian produce
fire by rubbing these sticks together
Over the mantle is hand painte
panel representing = fiery sunset on
Western prairie. To the left is
group of Indian tents through whic
glows the light of the evening fire.
In the center an Indian brave wooes
maiden of his tribe, thus givin
promise of the establishment c
another hearthstone. This attractiv
| exhibit will be under the charge c
!; an Indian author, Frances La Flescht
whose recent book The Middle Five
is receiving compliments from th