Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1922-03-23
Meanderings
By Robert K. Williams, D. c., Phi. c.

thru the turf here and there and trees
in liberal profusion. 1t is crossed here
and there by cross town lines" Fifth
Avenue is on one side and Central Park
West is on the other side.
IF anyone had given me this descrip-
ton before ! came I'd had no difficult
ty in understanding what it was all
about.
The big museum, two blocks long, is
on the Fifth Avenue side and from my
room | can look down upon the stone
roof. While waiting for car a few
days ago, decided to go in with Sis
ter Jean, who swears by-and at
New York. She says that New York is
the apotheosis of cities upon the earth,
and Id accept her judgment, for she's
travelled west as far as Davenport, and
been over to Jersey City once or twice.
Yes, she's fond of New York; don't
blame her, tho.
1898
Where in the world did all the ma
terial that fills the great halls of this
museum come from and who gathered
it? Objects from every known coun-
try, from the first faint dawn of his
tory to the present, stand there for in
spection. One of the most gruesome
things ! saw was mummy of wom-
an, folded up in a grave, with cups,
food and water jars, just as she was
placed there in the Nile valley four
thousand years ago. Her finger nails
and hair and teeth look just like any
particular lady of to-day. She's in an
advanced stage of emaciation, thru
lack of nutriment.
While standing there looking down
at this form of once woman, throb-
bling, pulsating with life, filled with
thoughts, desires, ambitions, loves and
hates! Who was she? What did she
think when alive and where is she
now? All, that's the question.
If one wants to feel the insignifi-
canoe of self and appreciate the great
ness of time, and how it levels every
thing, destroying, revamping, unfold
ing, just look at these still forms and
speculate on the antiquity of man and
the world and ask the question "And
for what?"
An old priest, several thousand years
old lies in state, his body uncovered
and slightly shrunken. He has spIen-
did features, skull shaped practically
as that of any of your friends. He is
ssid to be the best specimen so far dis
covered.
The art of Greece, from Praxiteles,
Phidias and unknown soul ptors stand
all around; reproductions and repIicas
of the buildings and friezes charm and
interest. Rare gems, pottery, glass
bowls, papyrus, rugs, cloths are shown.
1t will take days and days to go thru
the museum. An education for a think
ing person can be had on every floor
and in every room. Teachers with their
broods, ten and twenty, were seen here
and there, the teachers explaining et-
erything to the young eager minds.
was just thinking what a wonderful
chance these New York children have
if they are only made to embrace the
free chances of filling the mind witt
the history of the past.
1898
Amazing, gorgeous, impelling as
the museum, we come out and look III
and down Fifth Avenue and see tina
wonderful stream of life, going bot
ways, street cars, buses, cabs, taxis
horse barouches, the subway and tn
elevated, and stand in admiration an
, awe of the present-day New York.
The traffic on Fifth Avenue on tn
street is controlled by an ingeniou
] system of lights reflected from TOW
ers set few blocks apart. Thes
lights obviate the possibility of cor
gestion. 1t is like watching a wei
trained army to see the traffic, rushin
: pell nell seemingly one instant, the