North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1867-10-30
Correspondent
EDS. Norm Iowa TINES.


! Gentlemen: ~ can't help it I really
can't; it's no use in cussing me, and call
ing me inquisitive. l can't help it! My
faculties have been SO tortured lately with
the desire to conceal my ignorance, while
l am burning with curiosity, that endure
it longer l cannot, and am constrained
to spread myself before you in the san.
guine hope that you will relieve my thirst
ing soul with knowledge. ,.L
The great and momentous question which
now lay before you, is one which involve.
in it many minor queries, that call for the
light Of History, Science, and Metaphys
les, to elucidate them. .....-.'
/ Not to delay any longer than, I beg
with all the solemnity that the subject re.
quires, to ask - s.% FL.
Who ,ras Gilroy ?'' "Where did he
fly his Kite p and ''How high did he
fly it p a3.& ~ '.l 'a'
In the investigation of this subject, beg
leave to make a few remarks, showing in
what direction enquiries should be made,
and how much is involved in it. ''lih =
In the first place, we have the enquiry,
!" Who was Gilroy p That he was Man
we take for granted, (still the ladies might
not improperly direct their attention to
the sex of this person. and as Names of.
ten throw great light upon the character
and occupation of men of ancient times, it
may be instructive here to enquire how
the name should be written. Is it Gill
Roy? This would indicate that the first
name had been originally Gilbert, but that
this person was SO intimately known and
beloved, as to be Familiarity known as
"GM."g "a .11aaFF -&l) sai fa@ sT
Roy, is probably corruption Of "Roi,''
the King-leaving an open question here,
whether he did or did not come of royal
race. Or it may be that Gil, is a contrac-
ton of "gillie," Scotch for boy, or an at.
tendant; so this man may have been a
body-servant to a King, hence called Gill
Roi. 3f'i7 sszsss -..s>a "az "@E
Or he may been country pumpkin,
and so "Raw That his name has been
handed down t, us, indicating that he was
a paragon of greenness. 2'. .'.'' god
! These are all points of great interest,
and worthy the attention of every we'll
informed mind. a,s',sr,-."-
Not to make this too lengthy, l will
briefly indicate further, that there is a
beautiful question as to Gilroy's Kite
Was it related to that other Kite of histor-
ic fame, with whom Franklin is associat.
ed? Was it square, heart-shaped, or pen
tagonal made of paper, cloth or skin p
What sort of tail had it, and how long was
that tail, and of what substance was it
composed ? But in the investi CATION OF
the question: how "hish' did it fly? the
mind is lost in contemplating the variety
of wonderful subjects that unfold them
selves for elucidation and mark YOU
this, after all, is the most important point,
for it is on the height that this Kite reach
ed, that the whole matter rests. 1t may
be, however, that it wasnot a Kite of this
character at all, but bird called the
"kite,' which is sometimes tanned, and
may have got out of its cage one day in
Gilroy's house, and flown to great alti-
tude. If 80, it is matter of interest to
know whether it was ever caught again |!
I leave the subject here satisfied that 1
have laid before you an exhaustless field
Of Inquiry, which will assist to drive away
the ennui of an Editors leisure, and which
may one day become plank in the politi-
cal platform of our country. iot
Yours fraternally, a IoSoRAMus.
The above is from quid nunc fss What
''o'c p') for whom we have big regards
He is in trouble about the meaning Of
"Knocked higher than Gill (de) -roy's Kite. -
We do not blame him for being inquisitive
and hence his article goes into our col
umns. The ''Yours fraternally," and the
signature, '1gnoramus,' might imply that
we are his brothe, in ignorance-a terrible
Bile assumption-but his article is SO learn
ed, SO historic, SO good -natured, so seekful
Of knowledge, that we waive complaint
Of imputation Of want of sense Our his
torico-biographico reading leads us to the
opinion that ''Gill'' was Scotch ''gillie !"
Ros was King Of the French persuasion;
deis OF. Normandy ruled England and
its additions, and for two hundred years
forced Great Britain to print laws in French
only-hence ouf Franco law terms. ''Gil-
lie'' was boy'' he was 4 Scotch Kings
pet-he had "Kite' in the days Of fall
conry, when that sharp-bcakcd, Swiftly
ing bird was, cultivated for the radical bu-
siness Of killing other birds; and as has
bird flew higher after game than "any 9TH
er man" the expression became common
that & Gil-de-Roy's Kite" was high
flyer! Please think of this seriously. A
boy for. the KinsSa King-boy-a juve-
nile King. Kite, Or anything else that
may suit you our taste is easily satisfied.
We think, however, that this commons. en-
phatic' and sensible quotation from old
" authors" can now well be applied to tie
Radicals in Ohio and Pennsylvania. How
much '.higher" they will 60 when, New
York, Wisconsin and Minnesota speak on
Tuesday next, We cannot guess. May the
Lord keep them going, is the sincere nray-