THE STORY OF COLUMBUS AND THE WORLD’S FAIR. BE iee 
rode slowly past the seething, swaying mass of eager people, 
cheer upon cheer rent the air from thousands of throats. 
Some idea of the great display may be formed when it is 
known that it took three hours to pass a given point. The 
enthusiasm which their fine appearance and good marching 
evoked was unbounded. ae 
Although it was a source of regret that phesident Harrison, 
over whom hung the shadow of the illness of the “first lady in 
the land,” could not be with the happy crowd, still the chair of 
state was worthily represented by Vice-President Morton, whose 
welcome was most cordial. Many very notable personages were 
among the visitors. . 
One of the most beautiful sights of the day was a monster 
living flag, composed of thousands of school children, massed 
‘1 front of the Custom House, in full view of the passing 
parade; and as their young voices pealed out upon the air in 
“The Star Spangled Banner,” “Columbia, the Gem of the 
Ocean,” “America,” and other patriotic airs, the very echoes. 
awoke in the sleepy old eaves of the gray old building, and such 
4 shout went up as told the del ighted listeners that a band of 
young patriots were there, whose future would reflect honor 
upon their beloved land. 
The flag was composed of alternate rows of ee dressed 
in the national colors to simulate the stripes. First a row of - 
girls dressed in red, and then a row clad in white, succeeded 
by a row dressed in blue, and so on till the entire flag was a