no! I guess there's some things ez is harder ter bear than not hevin' the girl you love, an' that 's hevin' the girl you love unhappy." Dawn was streaking the east as he rowed home, his body bent with exhaustion, his face as peaceful as the smoothly flowing river. He walked steadily the two long miles to John Kingsley's house. "Phillenda!" he exclaimed, springing up, "what's happened?" "Nothin', Minnie," she answered, pushing him down, and seating herself beside him. "John Kingsley 's been tellin' me 'bout your loanin' him money. First I thought you did it 'cause you thought so much o' him, an' like enough that was one "John!" he called under the window. reason. Then I says: 'No; he done it ter "John!" "Who's there?" A sleepy face was thrust out. "It 's me, John. I come ter tell you you could hev the money all right. I'll throw in an extra two hundred, jest fer good measure." He was gone before the other could say more than "God bless you!" After the day's work,-and he had taken no rest since the night before, -Captain Minnie sat on his back steps watching twilight deepen into night. The frogs were croaking loudly. Lonely lights glimmered here and there across the river. Away in the distance a mother was calling her children to bed. Her voice was like that of the woman he loved and had lost. Great tears ran down his cheek, and a sob shook his tired body. He did not turn at the rustle of a dress, nor when Phillenda stood beside him; he had seen her that way all day. He gave a great start when a voice said: 66 Ain't you goin' ter greet me when I've come ter make my first call?" make me happy.' When I thought that, I come right over here ter see you." "That was it. I wanted ter make you happy. An' you air, ain't ye?" he asked wistfully. "Oh, yes, I am; at least, I shall be," answered the woman, with a laugh and a sob. "And John 'll be happy, too," said he, wistfully. "I'low John ain't so pleased ez you think. Did you think I loved John Kingsley?" "I-I did n't know; I thought-yes." "Well, I don't, an' never could, nor will there!" "Then-why-what do you mean by- who do you love?" stammered the bewildered man. Minnie Ware!" exclaimed little Miss Phillenda; then she threw her arms around his neck as impulsively as a girl, whispering in a gust of laughter, yet with tears wetting his face: "Do you want folks ter say I did the courtin', an' me not able ter deny it?" Captain Minnie caught her in his arms. "Phillenda," he cried joyously, "air you sure it 's fer yer best happiness?" NOT BUILDING UP A WORLD'S FAIR IN FRANCE. OT long since I read in a French newspaper that the Emperor William, while studying in detail the conduct of the SpanishAmerican war, had been particularly impressed by the excellence of the citizen soldiery of the United States and by the efficient aid which they rendered the regular troops. This, however, was no surprise to me, for I have long been of the opinion that, even in the art of war, the thousand and one complications with which the Old World is saddled are in no wise indispensable, and that, although it may not be possible to improvise soldiers, there should be little difficulty in making good soldiers out of free citizens. In short, we see that though Europe, through all phases of national existence, has remained complicated, America has retained its original simplicity, which, indeed, is the chief characteristic of transatlantic civilization, and gives it just that plasticity, that possibility of progress, that rapidity of realization, which make it a civilization superior in many points to ours. Never, it would seem, las that quality of simplicity-or, better, that talent for simplification-been brought into sharper relief than in the preparations for the exposition at Chicago. This undertaking was a colossal one. It was necessary to raise large sums of money for preliminary expenses, and to establish at once the entire executive machinery, from the highest officials down to the very guards who were to insure the security of the exhibits as well as the personal safety of the visitors; it was necessary to find a suitable site for the exposition, to arrange for proper facilities of transportation, as well as to attract architects and artists; and all this had to be done quickly, not only because time was short, but because other cities equally rich and ambitious were ready to turn to their own account any weakness on the part of Chicago to the extent, even, of supplanting her, if possible. Most of the Europeans who gazed upon the marvels of the World's Fair gave little thought to the energy and perseverance displayed by the citizens who were at the head of that gigantic undertaking. For the government, as is well known, lent but little aid; it was the citizens who banded together and gave the word to create the World's Fair, and who pledged themselves to insure its successa very simple and straightforward method, and one which differs widely from those employed in Europe, and especially in France. One can almost say that France has a monopoly of the international exhibitions of the Old World, for she has been for nearly fifty years the only nation to arrange and conduct them with any degree of regularity. The first was held in England, the second in Vienna, and the next at Brussels; but in France only have they succeeded one another at regular intervals or been conducted on the grandest scale. In view of these facts, a description of how a world's fair is built up here in CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW PALACES-CHAMPS ÉLYSÉES. France may not be without interest. The government must take the first steps by submitting to parliamentary vote a proposal to the effect that there be held an exposition and that the necessary funds be subscribed. The city of Paris shoulders most of the expenses, in view of the fact that her budget is sufficiently large to enable her to do so, and that, later, her share of the profits will naturally be considerable. There is, then, an understanding between the government and the municipality, which, however, is never completed without much powwowing, in spite of the fact that questions of time and place never form a part of the discussion. Since 1855, the date of our first exposition, they have always followed one another at intervals, first of twelve, since of eleven, years. Those of 1867 and 1878 recalled no events of particular interest. By a fortunate chance it has happened that not only did the date of the last exposition fall upon an interesting anniversary, but that of the coming one will do so as well. In 1889 the centenary of the States-General was celebrated, and 1900 will be the closing year of the century. In 1855 Napoleon III ordered the construction of the recently destroyed Palais de l'Industrie, which, unfortunately, was badly placed on the Champs Élysées; but beginning with 1867 the expositions have always been held in the Champ de Mars. As is well known, the Champ de Mars is an historic place. There, at the outset of the Revolution, was held the famous Fête de la Fédération, over which Louis XVI presided, and during which he solemnly swore fidelity to the constitution which the States-General had just adopted. It was there also that Napoleon I, after his return from Elba and on the eve of his departure for Waterloo, distributed among his army the standards capped with imperial eagles, and proclaimed l'Acte additionnel, which established a sort of constitutional empire. The Champ de Mars, although fortunately situated near the center of Paris, has, however, become too small for the requirements of an exposition, thus creating the necessity for annexes along the Seine, which, connected as they are by numerous tramways, naturally impede the movements of carriages and pedestrians in that quarter of the city. Once the parliamentary decree is passed, a commissaire-général is appointed, the architectural competitions are opened, and official invitations are sent out to the various foreign powers. This commissaire-général is a functionary the necessity of whose existence is not at first sight apparent. He is, in short, a veritable minister, who quickly surrounds himself with as many various functionaries and as many different bureaus as he deems necessary. He holds office not only during the exposition, but before, during the period of preparation, and afterward, during the period of liquidation. Although we know from the example of the United States that all this is not necessary in order to succeed, we do not seem to have profited by the lesson taught by Chicago, for never before have functionaries and complications of every description flourished to such a degree as now. The fault is due in part to the methods employed by the present commissaire-général, M. Picard, a former pupil of the École Polytechnique, who is anything but practical, and in part to the fact that the exposition of 1900 has been planned so far ahead that actually too much time has been given in which to prepare for it. The exposition of 1867 had at its head the celebrated economist and sociologist Frédéric Le Play, whom Napoleon III made a senator, and who developed plans for the most part along simple lines. In the center of the Champ de Mars he constructed an enormous ellipse, in which each country occupied a section, while each variety of product was shown in one of the elliptical galleries. Following around in this manner the gallery of agriculture, one was enabled to examine in succession the agricultural products of the entire world-as, for instance, in passing through the Russian or Austro-Hungarian section, one found collected together all the various exhibits of those countries. In the development of his plans Le Play had very little time at his disposal. This was also the case in 1878; for the disaster of 1870, followed by the difficulties and uncertainties encountered during the early years of the republic, left little time for the consideration of a similar artistic and historical manifestation. RUINS OF "LA COUR DES COMPTES," WHERE THE NEW RAILROAD STATION WILL BE ERECTED. it might not fall upon 1889. This time, however, no such obstacle has arisen, for a long period of peace and a feeling of quasi-certitude that this peace will not be disturbed before the end of the century have made it possible to begin the preparations early. The commissaire-général already has been in office for nearly five years, and it is almost two years since the Czar Nicholas II laid the first stone of the splendid bridge which is to connect the two sections of the exposition. On the ground formerly occupied by the Palais de l'Industrie, and on that adjoining it, may already be seen the silhouettes of two new palaces, one of which is to be known as the Salons de Peinture, the other being designed to accommodate the horse-show and the agricultural and industrial departments. Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, and, though not so long, it will be thickly shaded. These two palaces, which are being built of stone and marble, are, of course, intended for permanent structures; whereas others, already completed, are of a more ephemeral nature, some being designed not for the exposition proper, but merely to be utilized during the period of preparation. Among these is the Bureau de l'Exposition, a long two-story building placed at the angle on the corner of the Avenue Rapp and the quay adjoining the Pont de l'Alma. Painted a light green, ornamented with friezes and balconies of carved wood, with both façades decorated by frescos of multicolored arabesques, this building has been made very attractive. This beautifying of temporary buildings, |