Our Show: A Humorous Account of the International Exposition in Honor of the Centennial Anniversary of American Independence, from Inception to Completion, Including Description of Buildings, Biographies of Managers, Receptions of Foreign Dignitaries, Opening Ceremonies, Poem, Oration, Amusing Survey of All Departments, Incidents, Etc., Etc.Cohen, David Solis
History
Our Show: A Humorous Account of the International Exposition in Honor of the Centennial Anniversary of American Independence, from Inception to Completion, Including Description of Buildings, Biographies of Managers, Receptions of Foreign Dignitaries, Opening Ceremonies, Poem, Oration, Amusing Survey of All Departments, Incidents, Etc., Etc.
The statue of Christopher Columbus, the jolly salt previously mentioned
in this history, was next to be unveiled. It was serenaded by an
orchestra of eighty hand-organs, after which the Italian societies and
citizens were addressed in their native tongue by the Italian Minister
to the United States. He commenced, naturally, with a glowing eulogy
upon his immortal countryman--
“Sono rare e fugaci le occasioni grandi, ed è pudenza e magnanimita,
quando si offeriscono, l’accettarle,” said he, “and the noble man, whose
statue reared by loving hands now stands beneath that veil, took his
tide at its flood. Ill mondo è un bel libro, ma poco serve a chi non lo
sa leggere, but ’twas a book which was plain to him, a book which he had
read, an open page which he had studied.
“Ill sangue nobile è un accidente della fortuna; le azioni nobili
carratterizzano il grande. No title greeted his coming to the world, but
he left at his exit a name which still lives freshly on every tongue,
while hundreds of potentates and their titles are forever buried in
oblivion. Raise, raise the veil and let his features smile upon us.”
Amid cheers and _vivas_, the veil was raised; when lo--the committee had
made a mistake, and instead of Columbus, the statue of Religious Liberty
erected by the Jewish order of _B’nai B’rith_ was exposed to view. The
Italian minister was disgusted, and so were the Jewish lodges when they
arrived and found their statue already unveiled. They arranged matters
amicably, however, and started off with the sons of sunny Italy to
discover the great discoverer and let off their speeches at the base of
his monument. At ten o’clock there was a grand military review, of which
we will spare our readers the account, and at twelve precisely the
International Concert in the open air was inaugurated with a symphony by
twenty thousand string instruments. Most of the people thought the
musicians were just tuning up, so of course the symphony was a success.
At its conclusion an awful and unexpected sound startled the assemblage.
The earth trembled, and the towering trees bent their haughty heads to
earth. The Messrs. Krupp of Prussia, had fired off their mammoth gun. As
soon as the report reached police headquarters, a posse under command of
Chief Jones started for the grounds and arrested the Messrs. Krupp,
their engineers and firemen, for violating the Mayor’s proclamation.
They passed the remainder of the day in the cells at Fifth and Chestnut
Streets. After the excitement caused by this proceeding had subsided,
the concert was continued.
The national hymn of each country was rendered by its native artists in
appropriate costumes, all at the same time. The Mukdeesha Warblers from
the Eastern shore of Africa, made the most noise; and the English
singers in their affecting anthem “God shave the Queen,” made the most
music.
[FIREWORKS--HEREDITARY TALENT.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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