Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1854-07-29
TALL COR ".

We grow Giall cornu in America. Tho
world is beginning 10 find it out. Every
year brings il more and more home TO The
percep,ive and digestive faculties OF all civ
lized humanity. Like all truths, IL did not
gain credit at once. True, every body sees
il here with his own eyes, bnt not so on The
other siLe of The water. The first accounts
of the productiveness Of our western prairies
were read by the Buckhamshire farmer with
abou, as mnch respect as the fish stories ct
The sailor Snbad. II took even the highest
dgniiaries of the land long while 10 get
fairly mp TO level with the actual fact.
Even at this dav there is an ear Of corn in
The British Museum which enjoys very
distinguished consideration" as a curiosity
1t divides attention, we DO not say equally
but certainty fractionally, with the Nineveh
Bull and The great Koh-i-noor. 1t is per
feet marvel TO our good cousin John Bull
and yei il has bui a veny simple history and
is not a very extraordinary ear OF corn after
all. 1t reached its presen, distinction some
thing in this wise:
III 'uc VI 1919 ut q tO'-
tain dinner party in London, at which Lord
j. Russell, Lord Morpeth and many other
distinguished men were present, the convcr-
sa,on turned upon the Irish famine and the
remark was made by Lord John, that he re-
joiced that so good a substitute for the native
breadstuh had been found a. Indian corn.
Turning TO MIR Bates, the American partner
in the House oi Barring, Brothers, his lord
ship went on TO say, "Why, Bates, some of
the cobs have tlrelre or fourteen rows of
grain on them.' Mr.. Bates coolly replied,
ayes, my lord have seen from t,renty to
t,rcniy- four rows on a cob" "That is rank
Yauseei.m," was the pleasant retort of the
Premier, and the whole company shouted an
approval. The burst incredulons Of merri-
ment over, Mr.. Bates bought his peace by n
wager of dinner fur the company all round,
that be could produce such an ear. "Done,"
exclaimed Lord John, and the bet was
clnched.
The dinner passed of, Mr.. Bates returned
home, bu, not entirely at ease. He had
done strange Thing for the frs, time in
his life he had made an engagement, he was
not absolutely certain Of his ability TO fulfil.
He had misgivings that ne had rashy
pledged the honor Of his country. /, had
been long since he had looked upon an
American crib and however patiently he
winnowed The cornucopia Of his memory, he
found that the cobs of his early days had
gone gimmering through the lapse of time,
among the things that were and were now
so far of that he couldn't count the lows.
He was, as Plutus would say, reddetus 0d
mritds, in Yankee parlance, "hard up
But fortune favors the brave. 1t happened
that friend of his dropped in the mex, day
at the couniing.honse of the Barings. Mr.
Bates, with frightening face, hailed him,
and made known his difficulty. 'You are
safe" was tho response; ''if | live to get
home, you shall have even bigger car than
you have promised"
Our friend C. soon returned, and
s,raightway wrote to Messrs. Rogers s. Rey-
nolds, Of Lafayette, Ind, telling the story,
and begging them, for the honor of the
country to come TO the rescre, and turn The
tables on Lord john showing him what
Yankees could do. In the July following,
Mr. c. received by express from La.
faye,te nicely arranged box containing six
! ears of horse.iooih corn, Two of which had
: iwen,y-nine rows, and two thirty,twO. The
box was forthwith addressed 10 J. Bates
Esq, care Of Messrs. Barring, Bro. & Co.
, ship, by Black Rail line, care of the Liver.
! pool house. 1t reached its destination, and
Lord John Russell, first Lord OF the Treasury,
! third son of the late Duke Of Bedford by the
second daughter OF George ViscOunt Touing-
$ ton, and lineal descendent of Lord William
y Russell, the martyr Of liberty, GeknoTledged
i The eOrn.n The dinner was won. Joshua
y Bates did not perPeiraie "iankeeism," and
e The British museum holds the lrophy I're
n Ia RePubIiq@.-lN. Y. Courier,