“Are they heathen folks, papa?” asked Elsie.

“Most of them are Lutherans,” he answered.  “Now let us go to the reindeer park.”  They did so, found nine of the gentle creatures there, saw them get a bath of Lake Michigan water from a hose-pipe, which they were told was given them three times daily.  Then they were harnessed to their sledges and driven around the park, just as they are driven in their own country.  After that they ran races, then they were fed and milked.

The children had been deeply interested in the gentle reindeer and seemed almost loath to leave them when the performance was over.  But those with which they were most delighted were three baby ones, two born on the way over to this country, and one shortly after they reached Chicago, and which was named Columbia.

“Now where shall we go next?” asked Rosie.

“Suppose we try the diving exhibit,” said Walter.  “It is something I should like to see.”  They found it on the south side of Midway Plaisance in a small building surrounding a huge tank of water.  On the balcony of its second story stood a man turning a force-pump, which seemed to attract a good deal of attention from the passers-by.

Each visitor paid ten cents at the door, then passed up a rude stairway by which he reached the surface of the water.  There a lecturer was seated, who explained how the air was made to enter the diver’s armor, and how to leave it.  Then people were invited to throw small coins into the water.  Captain Raymond put a bright dime into the hand of each of his younger children and they gleefully tossed them in.  The diver was in the bubbling water, they could not see him, but presently, through a telephone, he gave the dates on the coins.  Then he came up to the surface of the water carrying a dummy that looked like a drowned man and let the visitors see him in his armor.

“He looks just like that picture of him that we saw outside,” remarked little Elsie.  “Ugh!  I don’t think I should ever be willing to wear such clothes.”

“Armor!” corrected her mother in a mirthful tone.  “No, dear, I should not want to see you dressed in that style, unless to save you from drowning.”

But just then Mr. Dinsmore rose and led the way down another rough pine staircase, the others following.

Reaching the lower story they found a great many peep-holes through which they could look in upon the water of the tank.  To each of these holes the diver came in turn, holding up a card on which was printed a farewell compliment.  His hands looked shrivelled and soaked, and Grace and the other young girls afterward expressed sincere pity for him, saying they thought his life must be a hard one.

On leaving the diving exhibit they went to the Fisheries Building, which they found very beautiful.  In its east pavilion was a double row of grottoed and illuminated aquaria containing the strangest inhabitants of the deep.  Here they saw bluefish, sharks, catfish, bill-fish, goldfish, rays, trout, eels, sturgeon, anemones, the king-crab, burr-fish, flounders, toad-fish, and many other beautiful or remarkable inhabitants of the great deep; and the illuminated and decorated aquaria showed them to great advantage.  It was said that nothing so beautiful had hitherto been seen west of London.