Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1907-07-11
A Trip to The Exposition.
Continued from 9th.

In the Department OF State, we
find some very interesting things.
Under glass you may see Wash
ington's old sword, also Jack
sons lying side by side. Neither of
them very large-show signs OF
use. We feel that we are bending
over things that are almost sa--
cred. Under the same glass is q
pair OF eyeglasses presented to
Washington by Lafayette. They
appear to be a rather cumber-
some appendage for the present
day and not texpensive. Also some
buttons from Franklins "Court
Dress" They don't appear to be
larger than an ordinary coat
button and worth abou 10c O
dozen.
In another apartment we see
fine gold hilt swords presented
to our government by Japan,
Siam and others. In the same
case is a whales tooth about one
inch in diameter and about one
foot long. We fail to see what
relation this sustains to war or
the Department of State unless
it refers to Jonah's Department
of State.
In the same building, but in q
different department the student
of history may find a veritable
paradise-old and important doc
uments of all kinds almost with
out number, such as old writs
and subpoenas in the trials OF
Walter Raleigh, Aaron Burr, an
old letter written by Washington
and Franklin, and judgements OF
courts in famous cases; impor-
tant Treaties between this and
other nations, in the boxes or
chests in which they we're ship
ped across the ocean. The most
conspicuous, of course, is the
Declaration of independence.
We next pass on to a building
in which is represented Captain
John Smith trading with the In
dams. In the center of the build
ing is a lake of water, perhaps 40
feet long, with a curbing of ce-
mented masonry extending two
or three feet above the floor of
the building. On this lake is an
old ship about 10 feet long with
very old mast and old weather.
beaten sails and rigging; on the
ship are wax figures, life size,
dressed in the old English style
with.their weapons-guns, sworde
and etc. on along side the ship
are Indians in canoes loaded with
corn, real corn, trading wit h
Smith and his men. The Indians
are exchanging corn for cloth,
beads and all kinds of trinkets.
They are in every attitude ofmak
ing a trade, one Indian is hold
ing a basket of persimmons, one
of Smith. s. men has bitten one
while Others standing by are
laughing at his very face.
These figures are so life like
that any one who has ever seen
the picture of Capt. Smith can
readily distinguish him from the
others.
One feels while viewing t h is
fine reproduction that he is STAN
ding in the presence of 300 years
ago. In the same building are
othernationalities very striking
ly represented. A Dutch farmer
and his wife dressed in the old
Dutch style; a Spanish settler
and wife dressed in silks, W t h
Others, gives us a fine idea OF ear
ly settlement. Also in the same
building are all kinds of Indian
relics. In one inclosure is repre-
sented by wax figures, Indians
making flint spikes. One Indian
with a large stick digs a large
flint out OF the ground; another
brakes it in small pieces by throw
ing it against another stone,
while another finishes the spike
by dressing with a flint.