THE ORPHANS’ FRIEND. Wuliii^sd:ty, Jun«; 21, IST6. OOING WEST. '4- $h Ir I'l" f-kJ / ^1:: lif On tlie train is our estimable friend Mrs Cobb of Elizabeth City. She is on her way to Asheville, to visit her sons, and she eTijoys the trip. About 'lalf way between Salis bury and Statesville we saw an old clay-colored horse plowing- corn. Pie looked as if he had been swindled out of his share of the corn he made last year. Plow unkind ! Give every horse his due proportion of the corn he helps to make. PPo not let Iiim die for want of what his own labor has produced. Noah’s ship-wrights built him an ark, and the's'- themselves were drowned. PVe have often wondered if Ins workmen ever asked permission to enter the ark. l^erhaps he paid them off and they went to seek some other job. At Hick ory we had an elegant dinner at the Central Hotel, now conduct ed by Messrs Smith & Neville. Just think of a lump of pure mountain snow floating in a gob let of rich milk. At our table sat Drs. Burkhead and Cuninggim. 'Phey were attending District Conference. The expected Bishop had not come ; but Dr. McP’errin Dr. S. S. Bryant and other able men were present, and the meet ing was verv largely attended. Capt. Avery is' on the train and he informs us that Kutherford Col lege has just closed a very pros- ])erous session, and that 921 beneficiaries have received free tuition there. At Plenry, we find a new driver, and a heavy load. Mrs Cobb thinks of Pas quotank and wishes for a couple of nice herrings. Two gentlemen on the opposite seat inform her tliat they are herrings in name, and so an acquaintance begins, and tP.e journey is made more pleasant. We all enjoy a hearty supper at Mr Alexander’s, a good name for good eating. On Sunday morn ing at 2 o’clock we fall asleep in the Orphan House, and know nothing more till the organ pre sented by kind citizens of Grees- boro fills the house with sacred inelody, and then the song of the children reminds us of old brother Hill, who rose at the close of our entertainment in Shelby and said; “Brethren, I have a great mind to shout! P am so glad the I^ord is carrying on the orphan work in our state !” Mr. Moore (the Steward) is away giving entertainments, but the work is going on, and is managed well, though manned by women. Wo attend the Methodist Sunday school and try to be quiet, but the Superintendent Rev. L. M. Please, is too sharp for us and so a “talk” is in order; but as every road in England leads to London, so any text car ries us to the orphans. IPev. Mr. PIoss, the pastor, then mistakes us for a proaohor and invites us into pulpit. But in this he was as much mistaken as he was when he B. H. S. Plev. Mr. l^rioe of Tennessee preaches an excellent Sermon. In the afternoon Rev. John Mitchell preaches to the or phans The sermon includes the conversion of Ruth, her afflictions and her devotion crowned with prosperity and dignity. Every seat is occupied and breathless attention is given to the word. AVe are glad to have the orphans attend the ministry of such able, faithful and affectionate preach ers. On Monday morning th(> first work is to visit the ue.v Eojiu Rooms. AVe are glad to compare the work with tne written con tract and to fiitd it better than we had any right to require or ex pect. Capt. M. E. Carter the (contractor) made improvements on the conti-act and then gave one hundred dollars to help the or phan work. A worthy son of his noble father ! These Eorm Rooms were not oonqtleted as soon as we expected, because the rain and snow made work impossible; but they are now finished und paid for and will be occupied in a few days. Then the comfort of the children will be greatly increased and our accommodations will be enlarged. But we still go AVest, and are off for Mars Plill, with a load of supplies. Old Kit (bought of Mr. Stronach), the first mule ever owned by the Orphan Asy lum, seems to be made for the mountains and she climbs them faithfully. The peaks around us are capped with clouds. We mean that clouds cover the mountain tops around us ; but “cap” is a curious word. AVe “cap” guns when we put on caps. We “cap” strawberries when we take off caps. But the clouds hang on the moun tains and sometimes ride across our road, and drop down water enough to take the romance out of our ride. But we ford the two forks ot Ivy and follow the new road down the river and up a long ravine, over the side of a mountain till Mars Hill stands before us with “Old Bailey ’ looming up behind. Here is our Orphan Infirmary. The sickly children, in need of a quiet and healthful retreat (who seemed likely to die if they re mained at Oxford oj- Asheville where noise is inevitable) have been sent here, and we are glad to find them all improved, be yond our most sanguine expecta tions. Dr. Williams gives them directions in regard to diet and habits, and mountain water and breezes take the place of medi cine. There goes a rosy girl, lively and happy, who got out of bed and tottered to the door when she started here. Now she has just eaten a hearty supper and is doing heavy housework. AVhile we write on the 12th of June we have the windows let down, because the breeze is too cool. A more healthful place than Mars Hill we have never seen. 0 that Mr. Shaw or Dr. Cowell could come from Curri tuck and see these magnificent mountains. If Indian Ridge could be put down here, people would come from Tennessee to gaze on land perfectly level. If “ Old Bailey ” could be put down on Indian Town, his head would soon be crowned with a splendid hotel, and all the East would summer in sight of the loudl}-- roaring ocean. Here, then, is our orj)han work ; twelve times ten in school at Oxford, four times ten in school at Asheville, and not quite a dozen in the Infirmary at Mars Hill. For the support of this work, we rely upon the spon taneous contributions of the peo ple. So far they have carried it on. AVill they ever let it lan guish? Reader, will you? AVe pause that you may answer. Pigeon River, N. C., June 8th, 1876, I had but one day after my trip to ATancey and Mitchell, to make preparation for the trip to Ha\'- wood, arid consequently had no time to write any account of the former, while at home. AVrith a singing band of eight I started on the excursion above nientionod on Alonday, May 29tlr. AVe reached Big Ivev Church and gave a concert at night. The at tendance was good and people attentive. A collection was taken up at the close of the concert, not large, but as good as could be ex pected, considering the extreme hardness of the times and unpre cedented scarcity of money. AVo lodged that night at the house of Mr. Zimrl Carter ; had a pleasant home and kind treatment. From Big Ivey we wont to Mars Hill, gave a concert at night, but did not attempt to “ lift a col lection,” believing that the good people of that locality will do a liberal part by the orphan work in looking after the seven or eight half invalids domiciled there. AVe reached Burnsville on AVed- nesday, June 1st, and gave a con cert to a large ciowd in the Court House. Capt. Carter, of Asheville, Mr. J. S. Adams, of Bakersville, and M-aj. Malone, of Marion, made appeals in behalf of the orphans, and a pretty good collection was the result. The children found good homes and received several presents. Here we met Miss Sallie Greene, formerly a teacher in the Asylum at A tars Hill, and the joy of meeting her exhibited by her old pupils must have been highly gratifying to her. They never speak of her but in the most af fectionate terms, and indeed, she deserves this affectionate remem brance on their part for the unre mitting care and kindness she showed them while under her charge. AA'e left Burnsville Thursday morning and reached Bakersville that night. AVo were comforta bly quartered and the concert at night was well attended. The collection for the orphans was a pretty fair one, but not quite so good as we had expected in this region of mica. But hard times ! hard times! is the cry ever)'- where. From Bakersville we turned the horses’ heads homeward again, as there was no where else to go to, in that direction, unless we had turned into McDowell, where we had been a few weeks ago, or crossed over into Tennessee, on the people ot which we liad no special claim. AVe got to Cane River and gave a concert at night. The attendance large for a coun try neighborhood, and the collec tion liberal for the times and cir cumstances. AVe all stayed at the house of Mr. Sams, brother of the former Steward at Mars Flill, whose house and heart were both large enough to give us ample ac commodation. AA^e reached and staid at Alars Hill Saturday night. On Sunday we started with a view of reach ing a church on the way and at tending the Sabbath services, but owing to a broken ivagon wheel, failed, and slowly made our wav homeward. AVe don’t like to travel on Sunday, but in this in stance we felt justified in doing so. The trip was jileasani. I have no doubt that a favorable impres sion for the orphan work was made which will result in good to the cause hereafter. The roads were rough, but the scenery along them, in many places, grand and beautiful. The children ran up the mountain slopes, gathered wild flowers, and plashed their hands in the spai’kling streamlets that came leaping and laughing down the rocky hillsides. The boys killed eight snakes and one ground hog ; a feat they ceased not to brag on for several days, and even yet they allude to inci dents that occurred “ the day we killed the ground hog.” AA”e found all well at homo on our return; provisions getting scarce, but these the result of the trip enabled us to supply for a limited time. AVe took Monday to wash up and to repair dama ges, and, on Tuesday morning started again; this time for a somewhat extended tour through Haywood county. AVe have given two concerts and are now resting between two appointments, they being only five miles apart; but we must reserve an account of this trip to a future letter. James H. AIooee, Steward. s.S CEIVTEiVNtAl. EETTEK. Philadelphia, June 13th, 1876 Bear Children : Our kind friend, Mr. Mills, ask ed me to write you something about the Centennial, and I am glad to tell you something of this great Exhibition, of which you have heard so much. These states were colonies, and the people were subjects of the King of Great Britian, but the blue Atlantic rolled between the government and the people gov erned, and perhaps that loosened the bond of affection—at any rate, the government wished to oppress us by heavy taxation and exorbi tant duty upon the articles sent over the water. V^ou ha\m read of the Stamp Act, and the duty upon tea, and other oppressive acts of the government. AVe were not a p.eople to submit tamely to these measures, and on the 4th of July, 1776, the celebrated Dec laration of Independence was de clared, and this great Exhibition is in commenuuoration of that ;ict. Tlio Declaration was written b}^ Thomas Jefferson, and I have seen it, and you can see it too, if you ever come to this city,in Inde pendence Hall; and you can see, too, the old bell that pealed forth to the assembled people the joy ful news, that henceforth they were to be independent of an op pressive government. As the century drew to a close, it was decided to celebrate the Centennial Anniversary here, and by an International Exhibition to which all nations should be invi ted ; aye, and the nations have come, and I must toll you of their productions and specimens of art, as well of those of our own coun try. The Centennial grounds en close seventy-five acres, and are surrounded by a high wall. AVe enter by gates thirteen in num ber, stationed at intervals, and only one person can enter at a time. AVe pay to the men at the right fifty cents, which admits us to the entire grounds, ’riiere are five principal buildings, and build ings besides built by the princi pal states, but I cannot tell yo i of this wonderful city, sprung up as if by magic during the last year—but will take you within the main building, and look with you at some of the strange and beautiful things within its walls of glass and iron. AVe will stand and look, before we enter, at this the largest building in the world. Its iron columns rise gracefully to a great height, and its towers with pointed spires give a fine ar- chitectm-al effect. It stretches out from east to west 1880 feet— more than a third ot a mile, and is 464 feet wide, and cost $1,600.- OOO. AVo enter the west main entrance, and to our right are two light pavilions of sixteen arches, devoted to the miner ds of Chili, and on a mound of minei tls is perched a huge stu ed C( ndor, with white tipped wings contrast ing with its jet black body. It has a brown head and breast a ruche of white feathers around its neck, looking like a collar of swans-down. To the left is Italy'. AVe enter this department by an arch of light wood surmounted by flags of the country'—green, white and red. Almost immediately we catch sight of a most beautiful in laid table, representing the cath edral of Milan—clouds are rolling above, and the moon rises to the right, and the reflection of her silvery light on the graceful spires, and massive front of the cathe dral, is made by brilliant mother- of-pearl. The border of the ta ble is gold and pearl—but we pass on to see exquisitely carved cabinets, and jewelry of filigree work in gold and silver. Our at tention is particularly attracted to a bird of paradise, intended as an ornament for the hair. It is made of filigree silver work, and stud ded with diamonds, rubies and emeralds. It is valued at $2000. Farther on is a necklace of rubies and diamonds, valued at $20,000. Here is a mosaic picture and there a mosaic table, and scattered ev erywhere statues of marble and terra cotta. Directly we are sur prised by a small fountain—a pile of rocks surmounted by two figures in terra cotta, of a little boy’, holding on tightly to a rais ed umbrella, and a little girl clinging to his arm. The water jets from the top of the umbrella and runs down the sides and falls into tlie basin of the fountain. Next conics Norway', which is represented by' glass, silver jew- and furs. There are several i^roups of her natives done in j.'lastcr, and these are dressed in the costume of the country'. A peasant bi-ide wears a red skiif, white embroidered apron, black sacque, and a kind of ornamental rod collar around her neck. Farther on is her sister Sweden, which also has specimens of her plaster work, which are very fine. There is a group of Laplanders which is particularly attractive. A Laplander is in his sleigh, drawn by a stuffed reindeer, and is dressed in a full suit of fur, gloves and all. The snow is rep resented by' cotton wadding. AVe turn to the right and view the vases and china and wonderful carving from China and Japan. This carving is done with the chisel, and you may see a real, live Chinaman, with long black cue, dangling behind nearly' to his heels, using the chisel most dexterously. Tlie Japanese wear no cue, but have very black hair, and their complexion is darker than that of the Chinese. To the left are the colonies of Australia, and from Victoria alone are ninety-seven, varieties of ap ples, not to speak of stuffed birds and fao-similes of enormous nug gets of gold. Just opposite Egypt catches our eye, and we hurry to view her silks, and gaze with delight upon the door of the sanctuary of a mosque in Cairo, carved in eb ony and ivory, made in the 14th century. AVe are pleased with the entrance to this department, for over its arched doorway is engraved, “ The oldest people of the world sends its morning greet ing to the youngest nation.” V. P. The first newspaper printed in North America was issued in Bos ton, 1690. Only one copy of it known to be in existence. It was deposited in the State Paper Office in London, and was about f the size of an ordinary sheet o letter paper.