The Great Exhibition

The great Art Loan which opened its doors to tlie public last Saturday even int; preseuts all these and more too. TJpon passing the lions that guard tlie outer doors and demand of you a ticke or its equivalent- twenty-five cents - and entering the corriders, a visión o beauty bursts upon you. Look where you wil! and the scène is a fairy one. I hardly seema possible that the ladies could take the bare walla of that grea building and make it aach a bower o beauty. You liardly know which way to turn as you enter, for any way you look an inviting scène presenta itself, so you at once give up any systematic method, and gradually move - you don't walk - along through the various corridors and rooms, and drink in the beauty of the place, as tlie thirsty plants drinks the dew in a summer evening. Ladies who have been working unceasingly for weeks, and who must be that tired that they can scarcely move, greet you with a smile, answer pleasantly all your questions - (every railroad employé in the state ought to attend this exhibition and be taught a lesson in politeness) - and frequently explain to you why the object you are looking at is one of very great interest. A person needs time to go through this Loan and appreciate all there is in it. You can not get even an Mea by aitnply going once, and looking at wliat things you may happen to see. The best .way to fully enjoy it is to go in the forenoon before the crowd gets started, buy a catalogue, and deliberately go to work, with both your eyes and your ears wide open. Once get sucli a start, it will be good-bye to you for hours, and you will never dream of the dinner hour uutil it lias long been past. A great attraction to rnany will be the Colonial Room. It is ülled to overflowing with thinga that are valuable, not so mach for their intrinsic worth, perhaps, but because of their antiquity, their quaintness and their associations. It would require columns to draw even an imperfect pen picture of this room. And what is quite wonderful is the fact that tliis portiou of the Loan is all the property of Aim Arlior people. ïhere are dislies that came over in the Mayflower; spinning wheels that-spun the yarn to make dresses and clothes that were worn by great-great-great-graii'lparents; a -pewter bean bowl out of which the blull'old Gen. Israel Putnam, of revolutionary f ame, was wont to eat lus frugal meal. Then there is the first piano tliat came west of Detroit and the second one in Michigan, which is an excellent instrument yet, and the toes of the young begin to tingle as some lady occasionally manipulates its keys and a waltz greets the ears; and man y a time liave the Indiaas gathered about thia old instrument, here in Ann Arbor, and listenedin wonder at its marvelous musical qualities and then broke into a wild dance, keeping time to its charming noti s. Tlien there is a shawl tliat once covered the aristocratie sboulders of the original Mrs. Jolm Jacob Astor, and many quaint and curious garments worn a century or perhaps two centuries since. There are mirrors that date back some two centuries - what a panorama it would be, could these reproduce the faces and scènes they have refleeted iu all these years ! Just give it a thought ! Then one can sit in a chair that Daniel Webster once osed in liis home ; or if preferable, can rest in one of the first cañe seat chaira that was ever bronght to Michigan, with the original cañe still doing duty, looking almost as good as new. A queer looking instrument is a wlieezy oíd hand-organ that woold make a dago look exclamation points for a week ! ! There are bed spreads woven by people over a century sinee ; silk einbroidery that our greatand perhaps our great-great-grand-pareuts doted apon, ftnd hand-made linen, etc., that antelate any of our college widows, nt least. The silk tile that once graced the head ■i. ('ass. and the military hat that adorned President Fillmore's classi brows. So, we could go on and on an on, but no pen can give a description These tliings must be seen to be appre ciated. In the bric-a-brac room one is lost in wonder and admiration, wliile the Ger man room again carries yon away bad to past centimes, to revel in the thing tliat our ancestors were familiar with. The art room requires time. You want to go in the morning, secure a cat alogue, and stay all day, and then you will regret to leave. Thebeautiful pi; tures that surround you on all sides are worthy of study, and the longer yoi gaze upon them the longer you desire to linger and study out thet houghts that inspiredtheartist, who wielded the brusl that produced such magical results upon canvas. Ofcourse the $20,000 painting by Rosa Bonheur is the centre of attraetion, but the lover of the beautiful will find others there quite as attractive. The G. A. R. room is up stairs, and it is by no means an uuinteresting place. In fact it is the room of all others for many of our boys and girls whose father.or úneles or other relatives faced tlic dangers of the battle fields when grim visaged war swept over our fair country. Upon all sides are relies of the great rebellion. Swords that saw three years of service, pieces of shell that came near taking the life-blood of the one who now owns them, the bullet that killed Gen. McPherson and a piece of a flag that was taken out of the wound with the deadly lead. A tree from the field of Chickamauga, bearing wounds innumerable, made with shot and shell ; flaga torn and grimed by the smoke of battle and pierced with bullet holes; the camp chair used by the rebel Gen. iuckner ; letters from rebels and letters rom Generáis of note and letters bearng marks of the hard life that the soldier lead, and the terrible story of the ampaign and battle-field. There are many pictures exhibited vhirh will be of interest, especially photographs taken of people and places during the war. The relies iu this room are bevond nioney value. Probably not person who owns one of them wonld set a price npon it. So you see tliere are things in this world without priee, and which no money can buy. TWO VALUABI.E RELICS. Amongthe other valuable things in the G. A, R. Room are two swords, the property of Mrs. E. E. Baxter of No. 28 E. Jefferson streef. These swords were presented to her husband, Gen. Henry iaxter, during the late rebellion. One vas tlie gift of members of his regiment. tlie other the gift of the ollicers of his brigade, and cost $2,000. It is goldmounted, and apon the shieldof the hilt is a letter "B," with flfteen diamonds set therein. The following taken from li e New York Herald, Jan. 6, 1865, tells ie story better than we can : Headquaetbbs "uii ahmy Corps, i BEFOEE PETEESBUEG, Jan. 2, 1865. t PHESEXTATION' TO BRIG.-OEN. BAXTER. This evening a large convocation of flicers, principally Erom the brigade, ia sx'iiibled at tlie headquarters of Brigaier-General Baxter, commanding we ml brigade. .'!rl división, to witnssa the iresentation to trim of a Bword, sash and elt. It is one of tlie flnest swords ever resented in the army, and was paid for y the officers, exclireively, of tlie ade. I need not describe it at length, pt tliut in addition to the most elabórate gold decorations, tlie liilt is elaboitely Btudded with diamonds and other precious stones. Brevet Brig.-Gen. Couler made the presentation speech in h andsome stvle, to which Gen. Baxter most feelingiy and eloquently responded. Major-Gen. Wanen subsequently ïade a speech, which for felicitousness of sentiment and utterance is rarely equalled. Not to mention the splendid dinner accompanying the presentation, wouldbeto omitan important part of the programme. A band of music was of oourse present to add enli vening interest to the occasion. To this should be added, however, the tact thut en. Baxter was promoted for gallant and meritorious service on tho tipld, from the rank of Lieut.-Col. to Brigadier-General. It was he who led the forlorn hope of less than 1Ü0 men across the pontoon bridge over the Rappahannock, and drove the sharp-ehooters fromtheir hiding places, and saved the day at Fredericksburg. In doing so he was wounded iu the leít shoulder, [rom the effects oí which he lied several years later, thoughhe was wonnded twice more, and had two horses sliot froni ander him. Mis. Baxter lias this letter, which she prizes as among the most valuable in lier possession : Washington, March 12, 1863. General Hsnry Baxter: DearSir: - Yon were this day nominated and unanimously confirmed by the enatc as a Brigadier-General, for gal5 lant and ineritorious service at Fredericksburgh. Truly yours, Z. CHAXDLER. ( P. S.- I believe this is the only unsolicited appointment. Gen. Baxter went to the war as the captain of Co. C, 7th regiment of Michigan infantry, from Jonesville, in Hillsdale Co. He was soon after promoted to Lieut.-Colonel of the regiment, then to Brigadier-General, and left the service as Brevet General. During Gen. Grant's first administration lie was appointed Minister to Honduras. He was a brother of the late Whitter J. Bixter, of Jonesville, and also of Benj. L. Baxter, of Tecumseh, a former regent of the University. There are two G. A. R. posts in Michigan named alter the General ; one, the Henry Baxter Post at Jonesville, anti the other, the Baxter Poet, at Charlevoix. ART LOAN PBOQRAM. May 19. Reading, Prof. Trueblood. " 20. Concert, Prof. Pease and Sappho Club (Ypsilanti). " 22. Concert, Prof. Stanley, assisted by tjie Amphions and the Westminster Quartette. " 23. Ci.A.K.Kvening, Gettysburg, (Stereoptican) Mrs. Stevens. " 25. Athletic Leeture (illustrated) Prof. Ehler, assisted by eiglit or ten pupils (f rom Detroit). " 26. Promenade Concert, Scliremser's Orchestra, Detroit. ' '27. Ventriloquism, Mr. Park ; aleo readings, by three young ladies. " I'S. Concert, Prof. Kempf, Chorus. " 29. Concert, Glee and Bauiö Clubs. LOAN NOTES. Not loan notes in a commercial sense. There are some rare coins in the Gernan room. "Mrs Noah's churn" is an antiquated ooking atlair. Rtv. L. R. Gault wül occupy the pnlpit of the Disciples' Church, on S. Unirersity ave., next Snnday. A solid gold snufl' box, the property f Mr. P. (t. Sufekey, attracts mach ifention in tlie Germán room. The portraits and pictures loannd hv Mr. G. Josenhans, in the Germán room, attract a great deal of attention. Xot the least interesting is the display of woi-k by the pupilsinthe primary grades, to be found iu the corridors uiiBtairs. The ladies ought to olear $3,000 instead of $i,000 by the Lo.in, they have worked laitiifully enough for such a result. T.ie piece of China ware that came to tlns country in the Mayflower, is the property of II. Randall, and is a familv heir loom. A large number of the members of the Congrégate íal convention attended the Art Loan, last evening, after the business session. To-night will be a good time to attend the Art Loan. Prof. Pease, of Ypsilanti, and the Sappho Club, of Ypsilanti, will furnish the entertainment. Xext Tuesday a large excursión party will visit the Loan froin the nortii on. the T. & A. A. B. R.,bringing the people ïrom üwosso, Howell, etc. There ought to be a collection of the fractional currency of war times in the G. A. H. room, hut so far only one little 1"M,. ten cent "shin-plaster" has shown itself. The AnnArbor BicycleClub will take a run to Ypsilanti Friday evening, starting from th? court hoase ut 7 o'clock, and return by moonlight. AH bicyclera invited. .M.C. LeBeau was at the Art i Saturday evening, and offered to be one of ten to pay for the putting down of a concrete walk in front of the s. C. A. building. In the (i. A. R. room is a collection of 200 or more union envelopes, whieli were almost universally used during the war, each one containing Bome patriotic motto or picture. Some of them are quite amusing and interesting. l hesword that accompanied Colonel Dean through the war is in the (.;. A. R. room, also u round shell that carne plunging through a cracker box, on which the Colonel was writing, lut which by sorue good fortune did nol explode. The ancient piano referred to above is the property of Mra. Chas. A. Chapín, of tliis city, and was brought here by her mother, Mrs Judge Kingsley, long before slie had married or even niet tl.eamiable judge, whose memory is sueh a pleasant one to older inhabitants. Ia the Germán room s au ancient ïnedal bearing date of 1535, which is a curiosity. Upon the obverse side is a represeiitation of Cain and Abel offering a sacriflce, and upon the reverse si a representation of Cain killiiiL' Abel. It is the property of Eugene K. Frueauff. Since it ia now a well established tact that catarrh is a blood disease, medical rnen are quite eenerally prescribing A-yer's Sarsaparilla for that most loathsome complaint, and the result, in aearly every instance, proves tin dom of their advice.