Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-09-25
THE JAMESTOWN EXPOSITION.

| THE jamestown EAfOol llON'
Every human endeavor whatsoever
that reaches the general public must
submit to the criticism of the ignorant
and the incompetent. There are none
50 rash and so ready with their judgments
as the empty-headed. Having nothing
whatever on hand with which to compare
product or an experience, the verdict
degenerates into the simple question OF
whether the empty head chances to be
accompanied or not by comfortable
digestion; for many men, as the great
humsnist said centuries since, are no
better than sacks through which nourish-
ment passes. The jamestown Exposi-
ton has been especially exposed to this
, type of humanity; namely, the nourish-
ment sack. A gentleman recently heard
! the whole exposition and all that is in it
roundly abused, together with the whole
South, its origin, history, and progress,
by two dry-goods drummers in the train,
and when, after patient questioning and
careful probing, he came to the founda-
ton of their distrust and dislike, it
proved to be an absence of corned-beef
hash for breakfast at their hostelry.
This deficiency had 80 outraged and
upset their equilibrium that the whole
locality was seen through their wrath
and indignation. We all know the
lady who denounces the whole American
civilization because gloves are cheaper
and better in France, but it sometimes
seems as if we were less ready to detect
the reporter of the dry-goods drummer
type of mind.
The jamestown Exposition has had
to submit to a sad amount of the callow
reportefg' judgments. The truth is that
Judgment upon it requires some mental
background. 1t is smaller and rarer
than other expnsitions have been. Put
forth by an established and provincial
people-provincial in the sense in which
Greece itself was provincial, as having
faith in and caring for its own indigen-
ous types and customs--making almost
no attempt at glare and cheap and vul-
gar attractions for the dry-goods drum
mers and the callow reporters, it can
only be Judged by student Of history,
| patriot, an artist.
No more beautiful site has ever been
chosen for an exposition. Stretched
along the broad expanse Of Hampton
Roads, with the smooth, soft, CLASSY
southern waters lazily tapping its miles
OF frontage, with the groves of tropical
looking pines, like majestic feather dust
ers standing on end, with the soft brown
| carpet beneath of dead pine needles
called "shadders' (from shattered) by
the negroes, in an atmosphere almost as
drea n-laden as that of southern England
lies the white and pink colonial city
among its riot of southern flowers and
| its rare southern trees. On either side
of the Auditorium Building, low, white
and dome crowned, are two enormous
Psulonia trees OF incalculsble age, with
their huge branches of purple blossoms.
lifting their heads upward like clusters
of purple grapes standing on end, and,
later 10 the season, still raising their
masses of brown cups, tan and chestnut,
large and small, among the great green
leaves. Hedges and bushes everywhere
of laurel and bay, the bay that when 1t
is chafed gives forth sweet and aro-
matte odor, run along the paths; fence
six to seven feet high smothered in
masses OF coral honeysuckle, rambler
roses, and the great crimson bell Of the
trumpet-vine, stretches round the dull,
soft green's of the southern landscape.
Little winding paths run through
heavy thickets of crepe-myrtle, hve-osk,
and bay trees, where the indigo bunting
birds play and the mocking-birds sing.
Probably nowhere else, except In Italy
and Greece, can one see such splendor
of surprise and sunset owe: the soft lines
of fat land and smooth sea, such opal
tnts of changing gold and crimson and
bright green, such masses of winged
clouds lowering over the great daily
drama of the earth's Lord and giver OF
life. But is this the sort of maguifcence
that will console the lover of corned-beet
hash? Never. He will be as blind as
mole or an oyster. Nor is ne likely
to be impressed as he walks through the
low Colonial buildings and sees the great
products of educational endeavor, the
exhibits Of the schools all over the
country, of the blind and deaf and
dumb institutions, Of the life-preserving
devices, CT the agricultural improve
ments, OF the development of farming
implements, and of machinery, to think
of what 80 marvellous a national progress,
since few stalwsrt gentlemen adventur'
ers touched here upon the virgin forest,
NAV signify. Nor will he be interested
| in the speech of the people, although
there is hardly an idiom of the locality
which is not familiar to the student o
Elizsbethsn drama.
Here is crystsllized the speech anC
mary of the social customs OF the court
Of the stuarts, bit Of the undestroyet
past. so soon inevitably to vanish, an'
yet so precious, so worthy OF thougn'lu
investigation while 1t lasts.
If real coffee disturbs your stomsen;
your Heart or Kidneys, then try tni
1 Clever Cnfca ;p,ftaf;ou--Dr SlOOD'S HedlI