Elsie at the World's Fair by Martha Finley

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"Yes; supplies and reinforcements were sent in schooners, by way of Lake
Erie, but they were captured by the Indians, who then compelled their
prisoners to row them to Detroit, concealed in the bottom of the boat,
hoping in that way to take the fort by stratagem; but, fortunately for the
besieged, they were discovered before they could land.

"Afterward another schooner, filled with supplies and ammunition,
succeeded in reaching the fort, though the Indians repeatedly tried to
destroy it by fire-rafts.

"Now the English thought themselves strong enough to attack the Indians,
and in the night of July 31 two hundred and fifty men set out for that
purpose.

"But the Canadians had learned their intention and told the Indians; so
Pontiac was ready and waiting to make an attack, which he did as soon as
the English were far enough from their fort for him to do so with
advantage, firing upon them from all sides and killing and wounding
fifty-nine of them. That fight is known as the fight of 'Bloody Bridge.'

"On the 12th of the next October the siege was raised, and the chiefs of
the hostile tribes, with the exception of Pontiac, sued for pardon and
peace. Pontiac was not conquered and retired to the country of the
Illinois. In 1769 he was murdered in Cahokia, a village on the
Mississippi, near St. Louis. The deed was done by an Indian, who had been
bribed to do it by an English trader."

"Papa, you have not told us yet what happened at Mackinaw," said Lucilla.

"It, as well as many other forts, was taken by Pontiac's Indians and all
the inhabitants of the island were massacred," replied the captain. "There
is a cave shown in a hill-side some little distance out from the village
in which the French sought refuge, and where they were smoked to death,
the Indians kindling fires at its mouth."

"Oh," exclaimed Grace, "I am glad I didn't live in those dreadful days!"

"Yes," said her father, "we have great reason for gratitude that the lines
have fallen to us in such pleasant places, and times of peace."

CHAPTER XV.

The _Dolphin_ lay at anchor in Mackinaw Bay only a day or two, in which
time her passengers visited the fort, the village, and the cave of which
Captain Raymond had spoken as the scene of that dreadful slaughter of the
French by the Indians; then started on the return voyage to Chicago.

They were still favored with pleasant weather, and passed most of the time
on deck. Mr. Lilburn seemed to appreciate the society of Miss Annis Keith,
generally contriving to get a seat in her immediate vicinity, and to
engage her in conversation; that did not strike anyone as strange,
however, for Annis was a general favorite with both old and young, she
showing a cousinly regard for all her relatives; especially for Mrs.
Travilla; for the two had been almost lifelong friends. In these few days
that they had been together they had had many private chats in which they
recalled their early experiences at Pleasant Plains and the Oaks, and
Elsie had urged Annis to return with her to Ion and spend the coming
winter there.

This invitation Annis was considering, and the more she thought upon it
the stronger grew her inclination to accept it. But she must go home first
to make some arrangements and preparations, she said.

The two were conversing together thus, as they drew near the end of their
little trip, not caring that their talk might be audible to those about
them.

"Surely it is not necessary that you should take much time for
preparation, Annis," remarked Mr. Dinsmore. "We of Ion and its vicinity
have abundance of stores and dress-makers near at hand. And you would
better see all that you can of the Fair now, for it will soon be a thing
of the past."

"That is true, Cousin Annis," said the captain; "you would better stay
with us and see as much as possible."

"You are all very kind, cousins," she answered. "But I fear I am crowding
you."

"Not at all," he and Violet replied, speaking together; the latter adding,
"We have all slept comfortably, and in the daytime there is certainly
abundance of room."

"If you don't stay, Cousin Annis," Rosie said, with a merry look, "we will
have to conclude that you have not had room enough to make you quite
comfortable."

"Then I certainly must stay," returned Annis, with a smile, "if my going
would give so entirely false an impression; since I have had abundance of
room and a most delightful time."

"Then you will stay on?"

"Yes, for a while; but I must go home for a day or two at least before
leaving for the South."

"We will let you know our plans in season for that," the captain promised,
and the thing was considered settled.

When her passengers awoke the next morning the _Dolphin_ was lying at her
old anchorage near the beautiful Peristyle.

All had returned rested and refreshed, and were eager to go on shore in
search of further entertainment and instruction.

The greater part of the day was spent in the Midway Plaisance. They
visited the Lapland family of King Bull, the most prominent character in
that village, and found them all seated beside their odd-looking hut,
which, like the others in the village, was made of skin, tent-like in
shape, and banked up with moss. The entrance was very small, the door made
of a piece of wood. A fire was kept burning in the centre of the house, in
the ground. There was no chimney; some of the smoke escaped through a
little hole in the roof, if the wind was right. But if the wind comes
from the wrong direction the smoke stays in the house, and the people
enjoy it. It does not, however, improve their complexions, which are said
to be, in their native state, not unlike the color of a well-cured ham.

King Bull they found had the largest house, and a very large family.

The Laplanders marry young, and it is not unusual for a grandfather to be
under twenty-five years of age. King Bull was one hundred and twelve years
old and had great-great-great-great-great-grandchildren, and every day he
played for a little while with the youngest of those.

Our friends learned that he had with him a son, Bals Bull, ninety years
old, that he had a son aged seventy-three, he had a daughter aged
fifty-nine, she a son aged forty-one, who had a son aged twenty-nine, who
had a daughter aged fourteen, and she a daughter two years old.

"Dear me!" exclaimed Rosie, on hearing this, "how old it makes a body
feel! Why, just think! the mother of that two-year-old child is a year
younger than you, Grace Raymond; and you don't consider yourself much more
than a child yet, do you?"

"No, indeed! and don't want to be anything but my father's own little
girl," returned Grace, giving him a loving look that said more than her
words.

"Can you tell us if this looks like the real Lapland village, Harold!"
asked Walter.

"I am told it does," replied his brother; "that it is as nearly as
possible a reproduction of one, though of course it is not very large,
there being but twenty-four Laplanders here."

"What do they eat, papa?" asked little Elsie.

"Fish and reindeer meat, and cheese made of the milk. The reindeer is
their most valuable possession: its skin is used for clothing, the fur is
woven into cloth, they drink the milk, and use the bones in the making of
their sledges. They live entirely on such food during their winters, which
are nine months long."

"And their summer only three months," said Evelyn, "I shouldn't like
that."

"No, nor should I," said Herbert. "I think it must be by far the most
enjoyable part of the year, for it is usually spent at the seashore."

"Are they heathen folks, papa?" asked Elsie.

"Most of them are Lutherans," he answered. "Now let us go to the reindeer
park." They did so, found nine of the gentle creatures there, saw them get
a bath of Lake Michigan water from a hose-pipe, which they were told was
given them three times daily. Then they were harnessed to their sledges
and driven around the park, just as they are driven in their own country.
After that they ran races, then they were fed and milked.

The children had been deeply interested in the gentle reindeer and seemed
almost loath to leave them when the performance was over. But those with
which they were most delighted were three baby ones, two born on the way
over to this country, and one shortly after they reached Chicago, and
which was named Columbia.

"Now where shall we go next?" asked Rosie.

"Suppose we try the diving exhibit," said Walter. "It is something I
should like to see." They found it on the south side of Midway Plaisance
in a small building surrounding a huge tank of water. On the balcony of
its second story stood a man turning a force-pump, which seemed to attract
a good deal of attention from the passers-by.

Each visitor paid ten cents at the door, then passed up a rude stairway by
which he reached the surface of the water. There a lecturer was seated,
who explained how the air was made to enter the diver's armor, and how to
leave it. Then people were invited to throw small coins into the water.
Captain Raymond put a bright dime into the hand of each of his younger
children and they gleefully tossed them in. The diver was in the bubbling
water, they could not see him, but presently, through a telephone, he gave
the dates on the coins. Then he came up to the surface of the water
carrying a dummy that looked like a drowned man and let the visitors see
him in his armor.

"He looks just like that picture of him that we saw outside," remarked
little Elsie. "Ugh! I don't think I should ever be willing to wear such
clothes."

"Armor!" corrected her mother in a mirthful tone. "No, dear, I should not
want to see you dressed in that style, unless to save you from drowning."

But just then Mr. Dinsmore rose and led the way down another rough pine
staircase, the others following.

Reaching the lower story they found a great many peep-holes through which
they could look in upon the water of the tank. To each of these holes the
diver came in turn, holding up a card on which was printed a farewell
compliment. His hands looked shrivelled and soaked, and Grace and the
other young girls afterward expressed sincere pity for him, saying they
thought his life must be a hard one.

On leaving the diving exhibit they went to the Fisheries Building, which
they found very beautiful. In its east pavilion was a double row of
grottoed and illuminated aquaria containing the strangest inhabitants of
the deep. Here they saw bluefish, sharks, catfish, bill-fish, goldfish,
rays, trout, eels, sturgeon, anemones, the king-crab, burr-fish,
flounders, toad-fish, and many other beautiful or remarkable inhabitants
of the great deep; and the illuminated and decorated aquaria showed them
to great advantage. It was said that nothing so beautiful had hitherto
been seen west of London.

The surface of the water in the aquaria was many feet above the heads of
even the gentlemen of the party, but there were nearly six hundred feet of
glass front, so that everybody could have a good view of the strange and
beautiful creatures within. They all watched them for some time with
curiosity and interest, the little folks questioning their papa about one
and another variety, new to them, but old acquaintances to one who had
spent many years upon the sea.

"Papa," said Elsie, "there is one that looks a good deal like a flower. Is
it a live thing? What is its name?"

"That is what is called the sea anemone," he replied. "It is not a flower
though, but an animal. It is said to have been called by the name of that
flower about a hundred years ago, by a celebrated investigator in the
department of natural history, named Ellis. He thought it a suitable name
because their tentacles are in regular circles and tinged with bright,
lively colors, nearly representing some of our elegantly fringed flowers,
such as the carnation, marigold, and anemone. And so they do while in the
water, and undisturbed. But when a receding tide leaves them on the shore
they contract into a jelly-like mass with a puckered hole in the top.
There"--pointing it out--"is the most common of the British species of sea
anemone. It attaches itself to rocks and stones from low-water almost to
high-water mark. The tentacula--these feelers that look like the fringe of
a flower--you see are nearly as long as the body is high, and nearly of
the same color. See, there is an azure line around the base, and on the
base are dark green lines converging toward the centre; and around the
edge of the mouth is a circle of azure tubercles, like turquoise beads of
the greatest beauty. I wish I could show them to you, but the mouth must
be expanded in order to make them visible. Ah, that is just the thing!" as
someone standing near threw in a bit of meat which had the desired effect,
the mouth of the anemone opening wide to receive it.

"Oh, they are very beautiful!" exclaimed Rosie, watching the appearance of
the beadlike tubercles of which the captain had just spoken.

"Don't they eat anything but meat, papa?" asked Neddie.

"Yes; crabs, sea-worms, and fish; the tentacula are furnished with minute
spears with which they wound their prey and probably convey poison into
the wounds."

"I suppose this is salt water they are all in?" Walter said enquiringly,
and was told that he was correct in his conjecture.

On leaving the building they spent some time in examining its outside,
finding its columns and arches wrought with calamus, fishes, frogs,
serpents, and tortoises, making them very appropriate and beautiful.

CHAPTER XVI.

"Papa, I wish we might go back to the Fair directly after supper and spend
the evening there," Lucilla said, as again they stood on the _Dolphin's_
deck. "I want so much to see the lighting up of the Court of Honor, then
go to the wooded island to see it with the lamps lighted; after that to
the Ferris Wheel again, to have the view from it by moonlight."

"Anything more, my child?" returned the captain, with his pleasant smile.

"I think it likely that may do for one evening, sir," she replied; "unless
my father wants to take me somewhere else."

"I think we will then come back through the Court of Honor and go to our
beds," he said; "that is, should we make the visits proposed, which will
depend at least somewhat upon the wishes of others. Violet, my dear, how
does that programme suit you?"

"I really do not know of any way of spending the evening that I should
enjoy more," answered Violet. "Indeed Lu and I were talking together of
our desire to see those sights, not longer ago than yesterday. And you,
mother, would like it, would you not?" she asked, turning to Grandma
Elsie.

"Very much!" was the reply. "The tired little ones will be left in their
bed of course?"

"Yes, indeed! they will be ready for that as soon as they have had their
supper," Violet replied, with a loving look into each weary little face.
"Come, dears, we will go to our state-room, wash hands and faces, and
smooth your hair, and by that time supper will be on the table."

Every one of the company approved of Lucilla's plan for the spending of
the evening, and before the sun had quite set they were again in the Court
of Honor. They were in season to secure seats from which they could get a
good view of the lighting up.

They found there were thousands of people who seemed as anxious as
themselves to witness the sudden change from deepening twilight to the
grand illumination that made fairyland of the Court of Honor. But they
were there for some minutes, sitting silently in the growing darkness,
finding the buildings taking on a new beauty by the dim, uncertain light,
and feeling it pleasant just to rest, listen to the subdued hum of the
thousands of voices of the multitude thronging about the white railing
guarding the fountains, the doorways, the stone steps leading down to the
water, and every place where a human creature could find room to sit down
and rest while waiting for a sight of the expected lighting up.

There seemed no ill-humor among the great throng, no loud, angry talk, but
a subdued buzz like many telephone messages coming over the wire at the
same time.

Our friends sat where they could see both the Administration Dome and the
Golden Statue at the other end of the lagoon. They had sat in silence
there for some minutes, the darkness deepening, when suddenly there was a
blare of music, the fountains threw up a few thin columns of spray, the
front of a dark building was instantly illumined with a thousand
jewel-like lights, then another and another blazed out in the same manner
till all were alight with tiny jets of flame; three rows, the first or
highest following the cornices all round the court: these were of a golden
hue; while some distance lower down was a second silver-colored row, then
the last, ranged just under the parapet of the lagoon, were golden like
the first. The mingled light of all three shone on the dark waters of the
lagoon, the gondolas skimming silently to and fro, and the electric
launches gliding swiftly onward.

And the great dome of the Administration Building looked grandly beautiful
with its line of flaming torches about its base, its triumphal arches of
glittering fire above, and the golden crown sparkling on its summit. Great
search-lights were flaming out from the ends of the Main Building, making
visible the lovely seated Liberty in the MacMonnie's fountain which was
foaming and rustling; and suddenly the two electric fountains sent up tall
columns of water which changed from white to yellow, from that to purple,
then to crimson, and from that to emerald green.

"Oh, it is just too beautiful!" exclaimed Rosie, "too lovely for anything.
I feel as if I could never weary of gazing upon it."

"No, nor I," murmured Evelyn in low, moved tones. "I never imagined
anything so grandly beautiful!"

"No, nor did I; and yet it cannot be anything to compare to heaven," said
Grandma Elsie; "'for eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered
into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that
love him!'"

They sat for some time gazing upon the enchanting scene, then rose, and
still keeping together, wandered on till they reached the wooded island.

The scene there was lovelier than in the daylight. Little glass cups of
various colors held tiny lights of wick in oil, giving a charming
appearance to the scene, and there were thousands of visitors moving here
and there among them.

So did our party from the _Dolphin_, for a half hour or more; then they
returned to Midway Plaisance, and finding that the moon had risen, sought
the Ferris Wheel, and ascending in it had a beautiful view of the White
City, the lake beyond, and the surrounding country. They made the circuit
several times, then leaving the wheel, wandered slowly through the
fairylike scene that lay between them and the Peristyle, where the young
men who lodged on shore bade good-night and the others entered their
waiting boat and returned for the night to their floating home. All were
weary with the day's sight-seeing and soon retired to their state-rooms;
but Lucilla, noticing that her father had remained on deck, hastened back
again for the bit of private chat with him of which she was so fond, yet
in these days could so seldom get. He welcomed her with a smile, and
drawing her into his arms added a tender caress.

"And what has my little girl, my dear eldest daughter, to say to her
father to-night?" he asked.

"Oh, not very much of anything, papa," she replied, "but I'm hungry for a
little petting and a chance to hug and kiss my dear father; without
anybody by to criticise," she concluded, with a low, happy laugh.

"Very well, my darling, you have my full permission to do all you care to
in that line," he said, patting her cheek and pressing his lips to it
again and again. "I haven't lost the first place in my little girl's heart
yet?"

"No, indeed, papa; and you need not have the least bit of fear that you
ever will."

"That is good news; if something I have heard so many times can be
properly called news."

"Are you tired hearing it, father, dear?" she asked half entreatingly,
half incredulously.

"Indeed no, my darling," he returned, holding her close. "I can hardly
bear to think there will ever be a time when I shall have to relinquish
the very first place in your heart; though I do not believe the time will
ever come when your love for me will fail entirely or even be very small."

"I can't believe there is the very least danger of that, my own dear, dear
father," she returned earnestly, "and oh, it would break my heart to think
that you would ever love me any less than you do now."

"It would take a great deal to lessen my love for you, dear one," he
replied, repeating his caresses. "Has this been a happy and enjoyable day
to you, daughter?"

"Oh, very, papa! what a delightful time we are having!"

"You will be almost sorry when the time comes for returning home?"

"Oh, no, indeed, sir! we have such a sweet home that I am always glad to
be back to it when we have been away for a few weeks."

"But then playtime will be over and studies must be renewed."

"And that, with such a cross, cross teacher whom nobody loves," she
returned sportively, and laying her head on his shoulder, for he had sat
down, drawing her to his side and putting an arm about her waist.

"Ah, indeed! I had thought it was your father who was to teach you."

"And you didn't know how cross and tyrannical he was?" she laughed.

"So cross and tyrannical that he says now that it is time his eldest
daughter was in her bed."

"Oh, please don't say I must go just yet, papa!" she begged. "There are so
many of us here that I can hardly ever get a word with you in private, and
it is so--so pleasant to get you all to myself for a few minutes."

"Well," he said, taking out his watch, "you may have five----"

"Oh, papa," she interrupted eagerly, "say ten, please do! and I'll try to
be ever so good to-morrow," she concluded, with a merry look and smile.

"Ten then, but not another one unless you want me to say you must stay
here and rest all day to-morrow."

"Oh, no, sir, please don't! That would be worse than being sent to bed
immediately. I'll go without a word of objection, whenever you tell me to.
But oh, papa, wasn't it lovely to see the Court of Honor light up
to-night? and what could have been more beautiful than the view from the
Ferris Wheel?"

"They were fine sights, and I am glad you enjoyed them," he returned.
"To-morrow we will, I think, go into the Manufactures Building, and
perhaps make some purchases. Would you like to do so?"

"Oh, yes, sir! yes, indeed! I want to get some gifts for Christine and
Alma, and the servants at home."

"I highly approve of that," he said, "and have no doubt we will be able to
find something for each which will be acceptable. Now the ten minutes are
up, daughter; so bid me good-night and go to your room and get to bed as
quickly as you can."

"Good-night and pleasant dreams to you, my own dear, dear father," she
returned, hugging him tightly for an instant, then hastened to do his
bidding.

"I presume you will all be ready to start out early, as usual?" the
captain said at the breakfast table the next morning, adding with a quick
glance about from one to another, "I am happy to see that everyone is
looking well and bright."

"As we are feeling," said Mr. Dinsmore, "and it is certainly a cause for
gratitude to the Giver of all good. What have you to propose in regard to
our movements for the day, captain?"

"It makes but little difference to me where we go, so that all are
content," replied Captain Raymond; "but if no one else cares to decide the
question, I propose that our first visit be to the Manufactures Building.
We have been there before, but there are thousands of things well worth
our attention which we have not yet looked at."

"Oh, yes; let us go there first," responded several voices, and so it was
decided.

They set out, as usual, shortly after leaving the table; found their young
gentlemen friends waiting for them in the Peristyle, and all proceeded at
once to the Manufactures Building.

It was easy to spend a long time there, and they did; visiting one section
after another, admiring all that was worthy of admiration in the
architecture and exhibits--the German pavilion with its towers, domes, and
arches, its Ionic pillars upholding golden eagles, the fountains at the
base, the Germania group in hammered copper surmounting the highest
pedestal, and, most beautiful and impressive of all, the great
wrought-iron gates that form its main entrance, and were considered the
finest and most remarkable specimens of that kind of work ever yet seen in
our country.

The pavilion of France next challenged their attention, being close at
hand. In front of its arched entrance stood two blue and green vases which
they learned were from the national porcelain factories of Sevres, both
very handsome. That factory had sent about two thousand pieces of its
beautiful and costly china. Most of them had been already sold, but the
captain and his party secured a few.

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