The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-07-11

souri, Apple = Alabama Forging
Ahead-Oregon's Fine Paintings in
the Press Building.
Especial Correspondence of the Gold Leaf.)
Buffalo, n Y, July s, OF.
The Pan-American Exposition is
completely finished and the vast
crowds which throng the grounds
every day are very much pleased
with the outcome Of the work. The
exhibits are at last installed in their
various buildings. Every depart
ment is in perfect working order. A
trip to the midway even convinces
the most skeptical that in every par
ticular tho Director-General and his
efficient staff have spared no pains to
have the best material displayed in
every department so as to produce
the most desirable effect. Eight
years ago The Midway Plaisance"
was a portion of the expositions
which many visitors declined to pat
ronize. The name and some of the
performances too strongly suggested
the grand boulevards and cafe chant
ants of Paris, if nothing worse, and
careful fathers and mothers refused
to permit their sons and daughters
to frequent the various places along
the gay street confessed devoted to
pleasure. This is changed now and
the Midway at the Pan-American tx
position is the most complete, the
most refined and the most instructive
ever installed on this continent or IN
Europe Ii far exceeds the Midway
at the Paris Exposition from every
Indian Congress, of which previous
mention has been made in this CORE
spondence, one is suddenly trans
| ported from the wilds of the Western
Hemisphere to the most famous spot
| in the worlds history.
AS the warwhoop OF the Indian
dies away, there steals on the ear the
silvcry note of horn playing the
familiar and beautiful melody, The
Holy City, Lofty oriental columns
support an ornamental facade which
bears the legend, .Jerusalec the
Golden" The seductive notes of the
melody and the suggestive environ
ment prepare one for the panorama
to be seen at the head of winding
stairway which begins at the end Of
a corridor of columns and palms. TO
the splendid painting of the cyclo-
rama is added an electrical effect pos
sible only on the grounds of the Pan
American Exposition.
In the center of the canvas is the
Hill of Cavalry as it is supposed to
have looked at the sixth hour of the
erucitixion of Christ. The shadow of
the potentious black cloud is begin
ming to spread over the Towers Of
David, of Marianne and the Palace of
Herod. The city and the roads lead
ing to it's gates are astir with the
crowds that have come to Jerusalem
for the Feast of the Passover. A
scattering procession is seen on the
road leading from Herod's Gate to
the plateau on Calvary. A field of
golden sunlight falls on the plain that
lies toward Bethany. The Roman
Centurion leans thoughfully on his
shield. A Roman soldier taunts the
central figure on the cross. The
group at the foot of this cross is a
masterpiece. Mary Magdalene kneels
on the ground with an expression of
intense perplexity and sorrow in her
upturned eyes. The Virgin Mary
stands near by, the picture of de-
spair, while Saint John vainly seeks
to comfort her. Joseph of Arimathea,
| | fr;n g
Christ lingcr near the cross in the
attitude of men discussing a mystery
or a catastrophe they do not attempt
to understand. Far off among the
hills is the palatial home of Joseph of
Arimathea with the arched entrance
to his place of future sepulture in
view, in front of which lies the mas
sive stone which is soon to close in
the mortal remains of the Son of
Man. Embowered in the trees of
the more distant hills are the villas
of the Roman officers. The crest of
Gethsemane is in the shadow of the
gathering blackness. The marble
columns that grace the porticos of
Herod's Palace are beginning to be
obscured. Slowly the darkness
deepens, while around the head of
Christ a luminous halo begins to
| scintillate with an unearthly radiance.
Now and then in the center of this
| burning light there is faint shadow
| OF fiery cross. Soon the cloud over
spreads the sky, Jerusalem, Calvary,
the Mount OF Zion. the valley Of Hin
non, all are obliterated and this golden
glory alone glows with concentrated
effulgence. The fated ninth hour is
come. In the ominous silence one
seems almost to hear the final agony
OF Eloi. Eloi, lama Sabacthania.
There is something at once awesome
and reverential in the Stiffness Sud
denly from out the darkness, SEEM
ingly from the far off hills that
environ Calvary comes the ringing
notes Of a pure, sweet, tenor voice
singing The Holy City" AS the
last glad "Hosanna in the Highest"
dies away Jerusalem and her en-
circling hills, her storied temples, her
historic gates and immortal Calvary,
are once more pictured on the can
vas. The crowd disperses, feeling
they have had a foretaste of the cele-
brated Passion Play without having
TO go to Oberammergan to see it.
This wonderful canvas was painted
at Munich by Bruno Pigelheim of
Vienna. The singer is Mr.. Gustave
Miller, Richmond Avenue NJ. f.
Church Choir of Buffalo The cleo
trician is Mr.. +. P. Bradwell of
Chicago. The lecturer who eloquent
ly and feelingly describes the piano.
rama is Mr.. George Gray Ballard. the
son of Rev. George Gray Ballard, of
Buffalo, who is to be ordained to the
Episcopal priesthood next fall He
is an alumnus of Trinity College
His lectures consist of brief descrip-
lions OF the geographical position of
Jerusalem; the enumeration and de-
scription of its chief buildings fol-
lowed by an outline of the journey
OF ha = L.. IL