The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-29
COLUMBUS HAS NUT
 BEEN FORGOTTEN Unique Exhibit to be Seen at
 the St. Louis Fair THERE ARE MANY PAIN TINGS The Old Masters Vied With Each Other in Depicting the Features
 of Dscoverer From Boy
 hood to Manhood.
THERE ARE MANY PAIN TINGS

and one wandered through the old con-
 vent of La Rabida feeling just half
 league from the little seaport of Palos de
 Moguer in Andalusia. Every step seemed hallowed ground and one looked over ones shoulder with some apprehen- sion, expecting to see a spiritual pro- cession of ancient Franciscan friars in the goodly company of the ghost of a certain Genoese sailor.
 The Louisinana Purchase Exposition Is another story" and one which even Kip ling can scarcely describe adequately but 1t has been too courteous to slight the memory of the long-ago visitor to our fifteenth century shores.
 There is at least one small corner of the great show where the tired spirit of the great navigator Gin case 1t should pass unchallenged vigilant Jefferson guard) may feel at home. This is the southwestern end of the United States
 government building. where the color scheme of the main roof with it's blue cell ing, red rafters and the clear white of it's windows has been allowed to change to a cool, neutral green in roof and walls; and here, properly, is found the one spot which might be called cosmopolitan in that it is occupied by the exhibit of an international bureau, representing all American republics. This bureau was the pet idea of that great apostle of CO., operation, Automatically termed ''reci- proeity," to plain people, the getting to- gether' of people with the same funda- mental principles and the same ultimate aim; in this case the idea of independent government and the glorious liberty for which the word republic stands.
 Founded in 1890.
 The Bureau of the American Republics was founded by the first international conference of American states, held in Washington in 1890, of which conference MT. Blaine was the president and to which he lent all the magnetic enthusi- asm wGIch carried to a happy conslSSa- ton so many ideas which he advocated.
 In 1901 a second Pan-American confer ence was held which gave fresh impetus and a wider scope to this organization of American republics, and at this confer ence 1t was resolved to place under the bureaus fostering care a library, to be devoted exclusively to America and to be named, in memory of Christopher Columbus, the Columbus Memorial Lii brary. It is young as yet and little known, but 1t has sent it's tribute to the greatest Ol w Oflu \ ldlIS III lilt lOlHl pl some rare books and old American maps and bits of Coombiana
 One is half startled to find amid com mercial looking glass vases, in which are displayed samples of South American rice, all varieties of coffee in all stages of development, little fluffy bundles of cotton from the fields of Paraguay, wool which once sheltered some wandering lamb on the great plains of the Rio de Dl.A. I...s..1 .1,t a,I. -tIIr from sillk-w9rms fed on the mulberry trees of Central America-interesting re- mnders of those misty days when Col umbus was seized with a new idea, dreamed of an unknown world, and sailed out In his earaves to discover us.
 On the main wall of this exhibit are pie tured several haunted houses which should interest all Americans. The first Is dilapidated looking old house from whose walls the plaster hangs dejectedly and whose shutters, even to limited inn agination, are plainly endowed with a for crealIng with thrilling portent on any windy night. This is the old house in Genoa where, tradition claims, Columbus first opened his eyes to the light of a world wherein he was to cut so brave figure and to meet with his share of human ingratitude. Another picture shows the cross which marks the spot where on a gloomy night, discour- aged and foot-sore, he stopped to beg for bread and water from the prior of the convent of La Rabida and found friend in his need.
 There are other houses full of memo ries. Beneath fine oil-painting of Mat thlas Ringman, a member of the Gym nase Vosgrin, who carried from Paris to St. Die the letter of Americus Vespucius which, when translated christened the new world, hangs a picture of the en- trance of the cloister of St Die, where the "Cosmographa Introductio' was translated. Farther on appears the quaint walled citadel of St Die itself and the house where the continent of Amer lea was actually christened.
 After this seemingly disloyal excur- sion, one returns to an absorbed interest In christopher Columbus, His Own Book of Privileges" bound in stout boards and fastened by iron chains. photographic facsimile of the manuscript in the archives of the foreign office in Paris, with a facsimile of the bag in which Columbus transmit ted his Book of Privileges to the Genoese in March, 1902.
 Log Book of Columbus.
 What strong interest one must take in this log-book of the sturdy admiral which he kept through fair weather and foul and, also, in his letter to his friend and banker, Nicolo Oderigo, at Genoa, and all sorts of other quaint and musty documents concerning him and his descendants. as for instance the auto graph letter of his son Diego to Charles V, saving that if the emperor will give him priest enough he will convert in ten years all the Indians between Boco del Drago (Trinidad) and Cape Gracias "a Dios (Honduras), an undertaking truly worthy of son of Columbus.
 After having ones memory thoroughly refreshed as to Columbus and his some what tragic story. one retires to a far corner near the door to rest and, there Is brought Up with a round turn and a momentary doubt as to the properties of the cool glass of unfermented grape juice which one has in the Mines and Metal lurgy building nearby. Surely there was only one Christopher Coumbusl And yet here Is an alarming array of faces, no two of which are alike in type or ex- pression and each officially labelled Co., lumbus. Since official labels are like Cea- sar's wife, there Is nothing left for the unenlghtened but the belief that here, at last, Is the original "Dr Jekyll and MT. Hyde' on grand scale-a man who was all sorts and conditions of men, from Flemish pirate to type of cherubic innocence which would have driven Raphael crazy. There Is Columbus in his tender youth, with phantom ship for background and look of concentrat- ed purpose and century old wisdom sure ly remarkable in a child of humoie wool combers of Genoa; Columbus, with long, lank hair carefully combed at the sides and covering the ears; in this picture he has nice. clean innocent face, and what