The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1860-09-06
90 PER AEHUxs
NO. N


Tall Corn. t
We grow 'tall corn" in America. Th6
world in beginning to find It ont. Every
year brings the fact more and more home
to the perceptive and digestive faculties of
all civilized humanityss Like all great !,
truths, it did not gain credi, at once. True.
everybody sees it here with his own eses.
bat not so on tie other side ofthe water. The
first accounts of the produc,iveness Of our
western prairies were read by our Booking.
hamshlre farmers will, about ~ much re-
spect as the fisl, stories ofthe .ailor Sinb.d.
IL took even the highest disnitaries Of the
land a long while to get faiily mp 10 level
with the actual fact. Even nj this day
there is an ear Of corn in tue British kuss.
un which enjoys very distinguished con-
sideraiion as curiosity. II divides sltsn.
ton. we do not say equally, but certninly
fractionally, with the NinevaIl Bull and the
great Kohinoor. 1t ia perfect marvel 10
our cousin John Bull; and set i, has but =
very simple history, and it is not very
extraordinary ear Of corn after all. Il reach.
ed its present. distinction something in this
wise:
In the month Of January, IS47, nj a Ger.
tain dinner party in London, AT which Lord
John Russell. Lord Morpeth and many other
distinguished men were present, tile CONVEX.
sation turned upon the Irish famine; and the
remark Was made by Lord John that he re-
joiced that so good a substitute for the ma
live breadstuf had | cen found as Indian
corn. Turning to Mr. Bates, American
partner IN The house Of Barring Brothers,
his lordship vent on TO say:
Why, Bates, some Of the cobs have
twelve or fourteen rows Of grain on them"
Mr.. Bates coolly replied
4" Yes, my lord, have seen from twenty
10 twenty -four rows on a cob"
That is rare Yankeei.m," was the
pleasant re,ort of the Premier; and the
whole company shouted in approval.
The burst of merriment over, Mr.. Baets
bought his peace by wager Of n diuuer
for the company all round that he could
produce such an ear.
"Done!" exclaimed Lord John; aid the
bet WAS clnched.
The dinner passed of. Mr.. Bates return
ed home, but not entirely at ease. He had
done strange thing; for the 6rst time in
his life he had made an engagement he Was
not absolutely certain of his ability TO fulfil.
lie had misgivings that he had rashiy
pledged the honor Of his. country. Il had
been long since he lookedupon an American
crib; and however patiently he winnowed
the corn-ucopia Of his memory, he found
that the cobs Of his early days had gone
glimmering through lhe lapse Of time
among the things that were now so far of
that he could moi count t,le rows. He wss
AS Plautus would say, reelactIs ad iavitas--
in Yankee parlance, hard up" But Fortune
isvors the brave. l, happened that friend
Of ours dropped in next day at the counting
house of the Barings. Mr.. Bates, witk
frightening face, hailed him, and made
known his difficulty.
You are safe" was the response; IL I
live TO get home you shall have even a big
ger ear than you have promised"
Our friend G- soon returned. and
straIghtway wrote to Messrs. Rogers and
Reynolds, of Lafayette. Indiana, telling
the story, and begging them. for the honor
Of the country, TO come 10 tie rescure, su.l
turn the tables on Lord John, showing them
what Yankees could do.
In July following Mr.. O. rece;vel
hy express from Lafayette nicely arranged
box, containing six ears of horse Tooth corn.
TWO OF which had twenty-nine rows, two
MTty-one and two THIRTY TWO The box
was forthwith add,essed 10 -. Bates, Esa.:
care of Mcssrs. Barring, Brothers & Co. ship
ped by Black Ball Line care of the Liverpool
HOUSE. IL reached It's destination, and
Lord John Russell. first Lord of The Treasu
~, third son Of the late Duke Of Bedford by
the second daughter of George Viscouns
Torrington, and lineal descendant of Lord
" illian Russell. the martyr Of Liberty,
"oclno'oiedged the corn"
The dinner was won. Joshua Bates did
not perpelra,e q "fankeeisIn, anil the Brit.
ish Museum holds the trophy. Fisc Ia Re
puLiiquc!