CHAPTER XI.
Monday morning found all on board the _Dolphin_ feeling well, bright, andready to enjoy a further examination of the wonders and beauties of theWhite City beside the lake. As usual the question which of them all shouldclaim attention first, came up for discussion at the breakfast table.
"I for one would like extremely to pay a visit to Buffalo Bill's Wild WestShow," said Walter. "I think my little nephew and niece would enjoy ittoo, and possibly older folks might find some amusement there also."
"Oh, what is it, Uncle Walter?" asked Ned eagerly. "I'd like to see somebuffaloes."
"Well, so you will if we go," replied Walter, "for there's a herd of themto be seen there. It is outside the Exposition grounds, but worth going tosee, I should think. There are rifle experts, bucking ponies, dancingdervishes, athletes, female riders, besides American, German, French,English, Cossack, Mexican, and Arabian cavalry, to say nothing of cowboys,and other attractions too many to mention."
"Oh!" cried Ned, "I want to go. Can't I, papa?"
"All alone?" asked his father laughingly. "No, my son, I fear you arerather young for that."
"Oh, no, papa; I didn't mean all alone. But won't you take mamma and Elsieand all the rest, and me too?"
"Yes, if mamma and all the rest want to go."
"There are two hundred Indians there, Ned. Won't you be afraid of them?"asked Lucilla.
"No, Lu; not with our papa along to take care of us. If you're afraid, Is'pose you can stay on the _Dolphin_ here till we come back."
"Thank you, Ned," she said laughing; "but I believe I feel quite as safewhere papa is as you do. And I think I should like to see that showmyself, though I'm neither a baby boy like you, nor a sixteen year oldladdie like Walter."
"No, not a boy at all; only a girl. I'm glad I was made a boy so I cangrow up into a man like papa."
"I'd rather be a woman like mamma and Grandma Elsie," said his littlesister. "But I'd like to see the buffaloes and all the rest of it. Can'twe go, papa?"
"I will go and take my little girl and boy," replied her father, "and willbe glad of the company of anyone else who feels inclined to go with us."
No one seemed disinclined, and finally all decided to go.
They were well entertained, and, when the exhibition was over, passed outupon the elevated platform at the entrance.
The crowd moved slowly, and as they stood awaiting an opportunity todescend to the street below, there arose a sudden cry of "Fire!" and atthe same instant they perceived a flame creeping up within the centretower of the Cold Storage Building near at hand.
Scarcely was the cry raised before twenty-five brave and experiencedfiremen were on the scene, and ascending to the platform of observationthat had been built near the summit. The tower was built of pine wood andplaster, which had been dried by the sun without and hot sheet-ironchimneys within, so that it burned fiercely. The firemen saw that it was avery dangerous place for anyone to venture into, therefore they hesitatedand drew back; but their leader swore at them, calling them cowards, andat once they climbed to the perilous place; but scarcely had they reachedit when there was an explosion of gases; the roof heaved and fell in,carrying with it sixteen men down into a pit of gaseous flame, and ashriek of horror went up from the fifty thousand people who stood lookingon, unable to give the least assistance to the poor perishing men.
The party from the _Dolphin_ saw it all and were sick with horror. Gracefainted, and but for the support of her father's arm, quickly thrown abouther, would have fallen to the floor of the platform where they stood. Heheld her up, and with the help of Harold and Herbert, hastily pushed hisway through the crowd.
"Lay her down as quickly as you can, captain!" exclaimed Harold; "it isimportant."
"Yes, I know," returned Captain Raymond, glancing down at the white,unconscious face of his precious burden.
But at that instant Grace's eyes opened, and looking up in a bewilderedway into her father's eyes, "Papa, I'm too heavy for you to carry," shesaid faintly.
"No, my darling, not at all," he replied. "There, Uncle Harold hassummoned a boat and we will take you back at once to our floating home."
"Am I sick? did I faint, papa?" she asked. "Oh,"--with a burst of tearsand sobs--"I remember now! Oh, those poor, poor men! Papa, were they allkilled?"
"Don't be so distressed, dear child," he said with emotion. "I think theymust have been almost instantly suffocated by the gas, and did not feelanything that followed."
"Your father is right," said Harold, close at her side; "and though it wasa very dreadful thing for them to be sacrificed in that way, and hurriedinto eternity without a moment's warning, they are not suffering pain ofbody now, and we can only hope that with their last breath they cried tothe God of all grace for pardon and salvation." As he concluded hissentence the boat he had signalled was close at hands the rest of theirparty came up at that moment, all embarked, and they were soon on boardthe _Dolphin_, where they remained for the rest of that day, feeling toomuch shocked over the dreadful catastrophe at the Storage Building to careto go anywhere else.
Poor, feeble Grace was almost overwhelmed with pity and horror, weepingbitterly much of the time. The others, especially her father, did all intheir power to comfort her with the hope that at least some of the killedwere prepared for heaven, and with plans for giving aid and consolation totheir bereaved wives, children, and other relatives who had been dependentupon their exertions for support.
The next day brought a very pleasant surprise in the arrival among them oftheir cousin, Dr. Conly, with his wife and her brother, Sandy McAlpin.The sight of her old physician, and Marian, of whom she was very fond, didmuch to restore Grace to her usual spirits, and all went together to viewvarious interesting exhibits.
The first to which they gave their attention was that of the relics of theCliff Dwellers. It was in the southeastern part of the grounds, and was areproduction of Battle Rock Mountain, Colorado. As you neared it youseemed to see before you a cliff, for though built of timbers, iron,stone, staff, and boards, it wore the appearance of rock and earth. Therewas a cavernous opening which had the effect of a canyon, and in nicheshigh up were the dwellings, in miniature, of the ancient people who oncelived among the tablelands of our southwestern territories; but portionsof the real houses were shown in order to give a perfectly truthfulimpression to visitors; also there were relics of the old cliff dwellersshown, such as weapons wrought from bones, stone, and wood; pottery, andcloths and mattings woven from blades of the alfalfa plant.
There were to be seen also ledges of fallen rock with houses crushedbeneath and other houses built over them. Also winding paths led up thecliffs and through to the outer air, and up these our friends climbed tothe summit, where they stood for a little enjoying the prospect now onthis side, now on that.
"Papa," asked little Elsie, "how long ago did people live in those housesso high up among the rocks?"
"Nobody knows just how long ago, my child," he replied, "but probablyhundreds of years before Columbus discovered America."
The rest of the day was spent in the Midway Plaisance, a street threehundred feet wide, beginning at the rear of the Woman's Building,extending about a mile in length, and so full of interesting sights thatone might tarry there many hours, and go again day after day, withoutwearying of them, but always finding something by which to be greatlyentertained.
"A good and most entertaining place for the study of mankind," as Mr.Dinsmore remarked.
As they entered it the sound of the sweetly piercing music of a bagpipesmote upon their ears. "Ah," exclaimed Mr. Lilburn, "that sound is sweetlyhomelike to my ear. Let us see, my friends, to what sight it summons us."
"The Beauty Show, sir," said Herbert. "Probably you have all heard ofit--some thirty or forty belles collected from different parts of theworld and dressed in their national costumes."
They went in, passing the handsome Highlander playing the bagpipes at thedoor. They found the women who were on exhibition r
anged in pens around alarge room.
"Beauties!" sniffed Rosie as she glanced about upon them, "there isscarcely one who I should have selected as such."
"Hush, hush, Rosie!" said her mother warningly; "we do not know but someof them may understand English, and surely you would be sorry to hurttheir feelings."
"Yes, I should indeed, mamma," she returned in a regretful tone, and theypassed out.
"That countryman of yours has much the handsomest face about thatestablishment. Cousin Ronald," remarked Lucilla, with a smile, as theyproceeded on their way.
"I agree with you in that opinion, lassie," laughed the old gentleman,"and I have no doubt that he would also, had he heard you express it."
"How very much there is to see here!" remarked Dr. Conly--"men, women, andchildren from all parts of the world, clad in their own odd, nativeattire; Chinese, Japanese, Dahomeyans, Nubians, wild Arabs, Persians,Soudanese, Algerians, Javanese, and Cingalese."
"And some of the buildings are as singular in appearance as the people whooccupy them," added his wife.
"Let us visit the village and castle of Blarney," said Rosie.
"You want to kiss the Blarney Stone, do you?" asked Herbert laughingly.
"No need of that," said Walter; "she can blarney fast enough if she wantsto, and that without ever having seen the stone."
"What is blarney, papa?" asked little Elsie.
"Coaxing, wheedling, and flattering," he replied. "The village we aregoing to see is said to be a fair representation of one of that name inIreland, about four miles from the city of Cork, in which there is acastle called Blarney Castle, which has stood there for more than fourhundred years. The castle has a tower, as you will see, and on the top ofit is a stone the kissing of which is said to confer the gift of abilityto wheedle and flatter. But the true stone is said to be another in a wallwhere it can be kissed only by a person held over the parapet."
"Oh, I shouldn't like that at all, papa!" Elsie exclaimed. "I'd be afraidof falling, and I shouldn't like to kiss a dirty stone."
"Well, daughter, I shall never ask you to do so," he answered, with akindly smile down into the bright, rosy little face.
They were entering the village as he spoke. Some little time was spentthere very agreeably, after which they returned to the _Dolphin_ for thenight.