]

The announcement that the Director of the Mint has decided upon the
Madrid portrait of Columbus for the obverse side of the souvenir coin,
with this hemisphere on the reverse, was a surprise to many interested
in the designs. When the design was first presented, C. F. Gunther's
portrait, by Moro, and James W. Ellsworth's, by Lotto, were also
presented. Then a controversy opened between the owners of the two
last-named portraits, and, rather than extend this, Mr. Ellsworth
withdrew his portrait, with the suggestion that whatever design was
decided upon should first be submitted to the artists at the World's
Fair grounds. This was done, and they severely criticised the Madrid
picture. Notwithstanding this, the design was approved and sent to
Washington to be engraved. While Mr. Ellsworth, who is a director of the
Fair, will not push his portrait to the front in this matter, he regrets
that the Madrid portrait was selected. He said, "I think that the
opinion of the World's Fair artists should have had some weight in this
matter and that a portrait of authenticity should have been selected."

THE DARKNESS BEFORE DISCOVERY.

CHARLES SUMNER, an American lawyer and senator. Born in Boston,
Mass., January 6, 1811; died, March 11, 1874. From his "Prophetic
Voices Concerning America." By permission of Messrs. Lee & Shepard,
Publishers, Boston.

Before the voyage of Columbus in 1492, nothing of America was really
known. Scanty scraps from antiquity, vague rumors from the resounding
ocean, and the hesitating speculations of science were all that the
inspired navigator found to guide him.

GREATEST EVENT.

The discovery of America by Christopher Columbus is the greatest event
of secular history. Besides the potato, the turkey, and maize, which it
introduced at once for the nourishment and comfort of the Old World, and
also tobacco--which only blind passion for the weed could place in the
beneficent group--this discovery opened the door to influences infinite
in extent and beneficence. Measure them, describe them, picture them,
you can not. While yet unknown, imagination invested this continent with
proverbial magnificence. It was the Orient, and the land of Cathay.
When, afterward, it took a place in geography, imagination found another
field in trying to portray its future history. If the golden age is
before, and not behind, as is now happily the prevailing faith, then
indeed must America share, a