Year: 1876

W suuoIuihuic every Otncr cOnSlueraJlOn


to the one work of seeing this great object
ofinterest at Philadelphia. Hence, though


we took one of the finest routes with time
far beyond our own limitations, we passed
rapidly toward the goal of our journey
passing unnoticed along the road all OBJ
jects Of worldwide interest. We argued


in our mind that if we lived to see other


years, these abiding scenes could be visit
ed, while We could not hope to see another
American Centennial To many visitors


to the exposition, going on limited time,
and might say money also, have spoiled
their enjoyment of it by tiring and satia-
ting themselves with ordinary sightseeing
along the road, and thus, after coming to
the proper object of attraction, have found
themselves unable to enjoy it.


Our route embraced the Western Ma
ryland Railroad, scenery from Westmin
stor to Baltimore. This we could not fail
to see, except by passing along by night.
II happened that we left Westminster in
the morning, and so had full hour and a
half to enjoy the grand forest scenery
some leaves had already fallen, yet the
thick forests were dressed in beauty which
only the early days Of October can give.


There were seven of us all told. We
were compelled to make one halt in our
journey. Reaching Baltimore after the
limited express had gone out, we were
obliged to wait for the regular excursion
train, which left at 9.l5. We might have
spent several days most proftably in this
great metropolis, but We could not deviate
from our purpose to push on. The day
being clear and balmy, we obtained an
exalted idea of the city, and looked upon
it in its smiles and holiday dress.


At 9.15, We started for the Centennial
City, and reached it about two o'clock.
We did not 90 into the Centennial grounds
however, until the next day, choosing
rather to go out to the geological Gardens,
the few remaining hours of the afternoon.
The next morning, like the one preceding
it, was bright and clear, and before the
sun had mounted the blue vault of heaven
the street cars were laundering on their
way towards the Centennial grounds, laden
with their human freight, and about eight
O'Clock we could scarcely command stand
ing room upon the platform Of a Girard
Avenue car.


The day was pleasant, and the number
of visitors very great, about two hundred
thousand, so we saw the people Although
we did not see much of the far-famed in
tcrnational exposition for the first day.


This great day was Maryland day, day
ever to be remembered. Well might the
papers say, "a brilliant success. The
one hundred aud second anniversary of
the "Tea burning at Annapolis and also
the anniversary Of the surrender of Lord
CORVALLIS, at Yorktown--a special south
ern day. The Maryland State building
was an object of great interest. The
crowd while large was orderly and good
natured, and everything passed off in the
best of humor. The fair ladies of the
south were conspicuous by their handsome
aud smiling faces that set many yankee
heart in a futter. Maryland has long
been noted for the beauty of her daugh-
ters, and on this memorable day she cor
roborated this fact. The ceremonies of
the day were opened by the performance
of the well-known air maryland Ny
Maryland" on the Centennial chimes.
At II o'clock Governor Carroll and Staff
left the Transcontinental Hotel for the
ground, accompanied by the fifth and sixth
Maryland regiments They were escorted
to the Maryland State Building The
building itself had been tastefully decora-
ted with flags and banners, one over the
door containing the inscription, "Welcome
to Maryland" The Tournament added
no little to the immense attendance. At
one o'clock the knights of the Red Cross,
filters in the tournament, (twenty-one in
number) arrived on the grounds. Long
before the fitting began, the crowd assem-
bled to the number of over hundred
thousand. The arena was at the foot of
Georges Hill, in direct line from the
western extremity of Machinery Hall, and
the crowd extended in either direction as
far as one could see. Up Georges Hill
the crowd covered the entire area to the
top of the reservoir. The Georges Hill
Observatory was densely populated, and
hundreds of opera glasses glistened in the
sunlight from its platform. The Knight
of Delaware won the first prize-taking
eight (8) rings. The coronation Of the
Queen of Love and Beauty was celebrated
in the evening at Judges Hall, and the
platform was profuscly decorated. 1t was
nine o'clock before the gorgeous corona
tion pageant advanced into the hall, Major
Harry Gilmore, chief herald. The heralds
first brought in the fifteen knights, they
then retraced their steps, and again re-
turned followed by the Queen of Love and
Beauty, and the Maids of Honor. The
name of the Queen was Miss Park P.
Parkins, of Buckingham county, Virginia.
She was queenly brunette, and was
dressed in a full suit ofwhite satin, trimmed
with point lace. The crowniug, the Queen
arose from her throne and stood in the
centre ofthe platform-thc winning knight,
Mr.. X. l.. Kane, of Delaware, the hero of
the day, advanced with the crown in his
hand, and amid enhancing strains of mu-
sic gently pressed it upon his sweetheart's
head, and fastened it in her hair.


This event has brought the sunny south
near to the heart of many one in whose
mind the Southern States are thought of
with horror and associated with naught
but rufhanism and outrage.


1t is no easy matter to give anything
like fair account Of the exposition; yet
we fail to see why SO many returning visi-
tors are so powerless to tell the simplest
story of their experience there. We see
nothing except what is purely natural and
easily explained in sufficient time He
would be presumptious who would attempt
to write full account of the Centennial
in few newspaper articles; yet it is
equally strange for any returning visitor
to be unable to tell his inquiring friends
the least thing about what he saw. b.


How TO BREAK OFF BAD HABITs.-
Understand the reasons, and all the rea-
sons, why the habit is injurious. Study
the subject until there is no lingering