The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-09-05

NiSuuOuO OhueS 1HO SIO0eWdll JACK.
sons Band at Buffalo's Great Fair
Large and Creditable Representative
OF Southerners In the City.
Special Correspondence of the Gold Leaf
Buffalo, N. Y, Sept. 2, 'O1.
On the morning of Aug. 21st Gov.
Heard, his staff and the Commission
ers from Louisiana, DR.. Stubbs and
Major Lee, received about three hum
dred Louisianians in the elegant
Louisiana pavilion in the Agriculture
Building. There were at least three
hundred additional Southerners and
Acadlans present. There was also
large contingent from the city of
Buffalo on hand, many of whom have
always shown the greatest interest in
the superb exhibit the Pelican State
has made here.
Headed by the Carlisle Band the
Governor with the commissioners on
each side OF him marched from the
Agriculture Building, followed by his
staff and crowd of people which ex-
tended the whole len 9Th of the Court
OF Fountains. Arriving at the Temple
OF Music they were escorted to the
rostrum where about forty distin-
guished citizens of Louisiana had
been invited to seats. The front row
was occupied by the Governor, his
staff, the Director-General of the Pan
American and the two Louisiana COM
missions. DR.. Stubbs, the presiding
officer, called the meeting to order
He introduced Director-General
Buchanan lin a graceful speech, which
! called forth great applause from the
immense audience, which had, by this
time, packed the immense Ten pie of
Music from the auditorium to the
top-most gallery. The Director
General extended a cordial welcome
to the visiting Louisianians and paid
an especial compliment to the exhibit
installed in the Agriculture Building
of the Pan-Ame1ican Exposition. DR..
Stubbs then introduced Governor w.
w. Heard, whose address bristled
with statistics, showing the marvel
Gus resources of his State. The Gov
ernor is an aristocratic looking gen
tleman of easy manners and pleasing
address. The acoustic properties of
the Temple of Music are bad but the
Governors resonant voice was dis
tinctly heard. At the close of his
speech, amid thunders of applause,
the band played ''Dixie." This was
the signal for renewed cheers. The
Governor of the State then introduced
Prof. Alcee Fortier, gentleman Of
the finest type of the Southern thor
oughbred Prof. Fortier spoke in
classic French on ''Our Creoles,' and
finding that Congressman Broussard
could not be present, he included in
his closing remarks an eloquent and
feeling tribute to the Acadians, many
of whom had come from Canada to
Join with their brethren of Louisiana
in celebrating Louisiana Day. Prof.
Fortier's speech, was something of a
revelation to the people here by the
Great Waters of the North, where
such perfect French is the exception
rather than the rule. His accent re-
minded me Of speech l recently
heard in the Sorbonne in Paris, by
that master of French, the last and
the youngest member of the French
|.Academy of Immortals, M. Faguet.
The finest elocutionist of the day was
Prof. J. b. Aspell, who commenced
with an eloquent tribute to his native
State and introduced stanza from
Longfellow's Evangeline, which
struck a responsive chord in the
hearts of the Southern people pres
ent. have heard the finest orators
in America and in Europe, but have
never listened to a man who is more
of born orator than this young son
of Rustin, Louisiana. His gift ought
to be cultivated. His enunciation
was distinct, his periods beautifully
rounded. and his voice as clear as a
silver trumpet. The speech ought to
be published in full throughout Louis
lana. A most remarkable surprise
was in store for the Governor and his
party when M. Henri St. Pierre, the
most distinguished criminal lawyer
in the Province of Quebec arose and
made speech full of patriotic and
kindly sentiments. The first few
paragraphs were addressed especially
to the Governor of the State and to
Prof. Fortier. He assured them of
the strength of the link which binds
the Acadian of Canada to the Acadian
of Louisiana. He gave brief resume
of the wonderful things these French
emigrants have done for their adopted
country. He is fine speaker and
thrilled the vast audience which he
addressed.
After the exercises Col. j. b. Eggle-
ston invited the Governor and his
staff. the commissioners and about
twenty of their friends to very
elegant luncheon, in the main hall of
the Louisiana and Texas Rice
Kitchen. A course dinner of Creole
dishes was served, and a number of
toasts were drank and responded to.
1t is needless to say that Louisiana,
her accomplished Governor and his
brilliant staff, her efficient commits
sioners, her wonderful resources,
came in for their share of eulogy
while these toasts were being drunk.
The lucheon closed about six O'Clock,
when the Governor and his party pro-
ceeded to "do'' the Midway, where
special entertainments had been
arranged for them. They are so
much pleased with the Exposition,
with Niagara Falls, the greatest side
show on the face of the earth, and the
charming environments of the city of
Buffalo, that your people will prob
ably not see them back until after
this is in print.
Two Southern days in one week
naturally brought a great influx of
Southerners to the Pan-American Ex-
position. Early on the morning of
the 2srd the local Virginia Committee
was astir. At twelve o'clock the
Governor and his party, who are
stopping at the International Hotel.
Niagara Falls, were received in the
elegant white marble New York