The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-05-14

and surrounded by handsome grounds.
It will become the property OF tue Bnf-
falo Historical Society, and will re-
main the one permanent feature OF the
Exposition.
THE PEOPLE.
The number of visitors ut the Exposi-
ton ran from 81, 900 to 75, 900 daily while
we were there. There never seemed
to be O great crowd, however, till just
before the illumination. This fact may
he due to the variety Of attractions Of
fered and the size OF the grounds
about $50 acres.
The crowd itself was one of the most
interesting features OF the Exposition
to me. Composed of all shades Of hu-
manity, seemingly from all quarters
Of the globe-the all pervading Guaiity
in which all shared was good nature.
A waiter in restaurant on the grounds
said to me, "Everytbing goes ut the
Pam A merican," and ii was true. Peo-
ple would laugh at their own undoing
lust rs readily ~ they would when dis.
aster or mishap overlook you. And
you needn't suppose that any little
slim would pass Enobserved. There
was always some one near by to laugh
ut you.
< Midway Barker" divided the
crowd into two parts. One that came
to enjoy themselves land to see his
show, Of course and were willing Ia
pay for II. The other part he called
the "Shoe Box Brigade" These he
said were not worth considering.
About lunch time, say from II to- :.
you saw the point Of the "Barker's'
joke. On every seat, all over the
grounds. wherever they could group
themselves together, yOn would see
from two to ak or eight around q shoe
box full of lunch. They had come on
the morning trains to Buffalo, bring
ing their lunch and would return home
at night without expending a penny
more than the price Of admission To
the grounds. This was quite disgust:
ing 10 the Barkers and to all who had
wares for sale All in all 1t was the
"greenest" crowd I ever saw.
In order To gain u reputation fol
worldly wisdom II was only necessary
not to commit ZONE overt act OF folly,
when those around would soon regard
you as man of great experience, and
ask all manner Of questions. This free
and easy style of intercourse was quite
amusing tO me.
When the eye became weary will,
incessant novelties, and the brain
could no longer respond TO new im.
pressions. you dropped on bench
somew here and watched the everchang
ing, everinteresting stream of people.
The incessant struggle between the
victims and victimizers. the oft repeat
ed expression, coined, ! believe, at
this Exposition: Have a-look II
costs you nothing. Have another
It's free" the immense variety "l
things offered for sale-eatables, drink
ables, trinkets, souvenirs nj prices
from one cent to several dollars, all
together make a picture not soon to he
forgotten.
THE MIDWAY.
spent two days on the Midway, one
in company with my brother, and one
alone. | think We saw everything
worth seeing in that department Of the
great show. 10 tell you of the bull
fights, hot tamales and dancing girls
Of the Mexican Village. Of the camel
rides and strange cries and criers o
the beautiful Orient, Of the Mystic
Maze and Dream Land, Of u trip to the
moon OH the airship Luna. and our re
cep.ion by His Majesty, "The Man il
Moon," of The gruesOme horrors and
| brilliant Viz ws Shnwu i'm Dark ness auI
Dawn, of the Johnstown Flood and tho
CyclOramic representation Of the Bat
tie uf Missionary Ridge, Of Alt Nurn
berg the German Village, Of fifty OtheI
amazing, amusing shows-To tell %
these would be preposterOus task
Suffice 1t To say that they were anus
ing or instructive, sometimes both, anG
were worth the price of admittance In
my Judgment. You were always ex
pecting u fake" OH the Midway, anC
sometimes you were not disappointed
but that only made you enjoy the goot
shows more.
The Exposition must he regarded a.
IA great success, in that it's design, thu
bringing together in closer relations
the people of the Western Hemis
phere, was abundantly realized. |
was said to be a failure financially
having deficit of over S3,OOO,OHO. !
was u good thing for the visitors, fo
the city, and | AN sure. also for th'
!, hotels, boarding houses, street cars ant
railways.
NIAGARA FALLS.
!, Niagara Falls, twenty-five miles dis