The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-10-03
special Correspondence of the Gold Leaf.
Buffalo, n. r., Sept. 80, 'O1.


Buffalo, N. r., Sept. 80, 'O1.
The sun is about to sink in the
waters OF Erie's placid lake. No cloud,
nor star. nor trace of purple mist
mars the glowing stretch OF luminous
sky against which the Electric Tower,
tho Mighty Pylons Of the Triumphal
Bridge, the Propylaa and the Palaces
grouped around tie Esplanade and
Court Of Fountains. stand out in re-
lief. In the slow twilight of this
region, "Here by the Great Waters of
the North" the workmanship of the
artists who planned this half oriental
city for the plaisance of the peoples
of the Occident, shows to great ad-
vantage. The rose and gold and
emerald of the sunset, the darksning
blue and violet of the zenith and the
Eastern horizon blend with the rain
bow hues that CLINT towering domes,
ornate friszes, splendid arches, tower
ing monoliths, colonades of columns .,
and forests of fountains whose limpid
waters reflect the colors of sky and
palace Is they rise and fall. At this
hour one can easily imagine the God
dess who dominates the great central
Electric Tower is Iris herself, pausing
on outstretched wings in her flight to
Olympus. to admire . domain where
her colors are seen 1t every turn.
By q singular coincidence the envi-
ronmsnt Of the Rainbow City has
many ppints of interest that recall
the fair daughter of Zeus and Electra.
Iris Island. which can be seen from
tho Electric Tower, was once the
poetic and alliterative name of what
is now called Goat Island. This was
most appropriate because Of the
myrisds of irridsscent arcs that con-
tinuously adorned the clouds of mist
that snvsloped its bosky boundaries.
Luna Island, near by, is so called
from the lunar rainbows seen from
its sylvan shades and rocky cliffs on
moonlight nights, and all who love
the mythology Of the beauty-loving
Greeks will remember that these
bows Of seven colors always mark
the pathway OF Electra's daughter,
the bright winged messenger of the
gods!
A twilight dsspsns the colors
grow DINNER. Songs of Venetian
gondoliers float from the long lagoons
that wind their way around The Magic
City. Music of distant bands and
the fragrance from rose gardens with
which thousands OF crimson beauties
freight the air are waited on the
evenings breeze.
Thought, that swifter messenger of
the soul, is busiest in moments like
this, when harmonies of color and
sound and the blending Of melody
and perfume combine to charm the
senses. As the scene grows less dis
tinct, memory calls up the pages of
an old book long out Of print, said to
contain extracts from the famous
volumes left unburnt by the Cumsan
Sibyl. On that page, it told OF q
mighty kingdom whose ruler kept in
. Temple Of Janus bronze "eidolon"
to represent each conquered province
When this province rebslled the
sgents Of the King would cause the
doors of the Temple to swing open
and the 'seidolon" which stood for
that particular province, to tell Of
the rebellion through An invisible
agency, swift IS light and mysterious
- life. The conclusions conjured up
by this almost forgotten page prompts
the thought that electricity may have
been known to scientists of IN age of
which We of today know nothing.
Naturally, the name Electra, the
feminine of . Greek word meaning
Amber, the substance by which cleo
tricity was and is frequently pro-
ducsd, instantly suggests itself.
old pictured the godlike hand of
Oiympian Zeus holding in its grasp
tbs zigzag lightnings and made the
thuuders obedisnt to his nod. The
oldest Indian legends make Niagara's 5
cataract the home of the God OF
Thunder. There is q mysterious link
between the classic and aboriginal
myths which cluster around the pano-
rama contained within the Exposition
City.
In the last moments OF the twilight,
the shadows which 7hsve fallen on
earth and sky have dsepsnsd the
tisss OF the Magic City until IS one
stands on the Hrch-o Of the Triumphal
Bridge it looks Is il it might have
bean built Of dark gray stone. Only
the fountains CLEAN white in the
cleaning, and in the distance they
resemble columns OF alabsstsr, hewn
after the model Of those seen in the
far of Gardens of the Gods. At this
moment anticipation runs riot and
in the expectancy of . second subtle
silence prevails.
From one Of the band stands comes
the stirring notes of our National
Anthem. This 10 the signal for the
cOmmencement OF the most beautiful
and most spectacular triumph Of the
Psn-Amerioaa Exposition. Suddenly
the lamp posts are ringsd with circle,
Of rosy light. The same red glow
AA~hAG 81 vSz4sy4a 80 lS~AA .lnA~ NA1