The Topeka state journal., 1911-08-05

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Home Coming Day.
Thursday, F'raternaI day, will be one
of the days on which hoHorS will be di-
vided with the College alumni and
kansans coming home to greet old
time friends. Home coming day at the
old established state fairs is one of
the biggest events of the week, and
though it is just inaugurated here it
will no doubt become in time a date
long to be remembered As a welcome
home to the wandering Kansan.
On Friday, the last day Of the fair,
nothing will be permitted t. be taken
from the grounds, and exhibits will not
be allowed to be disturbed, until
o'clock p. m, so that there need be no
fear but that the last day will be a big
fair day. The same full program of
races, the same concerts and grand
opera, and all the exhibiTs in place is
the intention of the management. The
prize winners among the livestock ex-
hibits viii be paraded at IL O'Clock a.
m. Friday on the race track. This
alone is worth coming miles to witness,
and is a special feature that will be
impossible any other day for the
reason that the judging of the stock
will not have been completed before
Friday.
State Meetings.
A number of state meetings will be
| held in Topeka during the week of the
fair. Last year convention dates were
left open so that when the fair dates
we're announced the time of the meet
| Ings could be announced by the secre-
taries, in one or two instances. and in
others the meetings of 1910 were held
after the dates of the big fair were
fixed. This idea viii grow in Kansas
as 1t has in other states where annual
state fairs are held.
: On the grounds of the Minnesota,
Iowa, Illinois and Texas state fairs are
permanent headquarters Of many asso-
Citations and societies that are a stand
4 ing advertisement of these organiza-
tions. Invitations are sent out over the
state calling attention to this fact, and
asking that members of the civic,
lsemi-military, fraternal or other orders
Tor organizations having headquarters
on the grounds make those places their
. headquarters when in the fair city
fSOme of these are exduisitely furnished
and decorated. and all are rest rooms.
provided with every convenience for
the comfort of the visiting member.
The same facilities might be furnished
by the state fair management. but the
feeling of proprietary rights does not
| pervade the reception rooms of the fair
as those of ones own society or order,
no matter how strong q welcome is ex-
/ tended. and how free the service may
be of restrictions.
A Famous Painting.
One of the features of the art ex-
/ hibit will be the wonderful painting by
Henry Hammond Ahl, which has been
accorded the distinction OF being an in
spired conception of a full length figure
of Christ, and combines an almost su-
pernatural luminosity that makes Him
appear walking in the moonlight. The
effect was not intended by the painter,
but was first discovered hy him on the
occasion of night visit to his studio
before the painting was completed
The effect was as if the soft moonlight
was streaming through an open win
dow upon the canvas. The picture
was never finished. Ard artists and
scientific experts have never been
aNle to explain the phenomenon.
No mixture of pigments has ever
been known that would produce
like effect This luminous back
ground assumes distinct radiaI
qualities in the dark. and won
derful though it may seem, takes the
form OF distinct cross above and
behind the figure of the Savior
The painter of the now noted canvas
upon discovering this phenomenal
shadow, refused to finish his concep-
ton, and its strange quality so impress
sed him that he called scientists and
the clergy to see It in hopes of learn
| ing something that would explain the
mystery. All who were called were 90
much astounded as he. A physician
/ or washington, d. C., purchased the
canvas, and owing to its peculiar light
giving reputation, the privacy Of his
home was destroyed by visiting hunds
reds, and he placed it In charge Of a
Philadelphia establishment for public
exhibition 1t has been shown at the
Worlds fair at st. Louis. the James
town and Yukon expositfons, and in
about forty of the big cities of this
country. Topeka is fortunate in get
ting an opportunity to show this weird
art treasure to visitors to the Kansas
State Fair.