The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1869-09-04
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OWU8k> " u uUs
ChristopheS COlenbe.
The following is from Marx Tvair's "Nev
Pilgrim's Progress" The party amused them
selves, and nearly drove the guide craxv. at Go
noa, BY pretending utter stupidity and indiffer
ence to any wonders he had TO show. After THU
style: ="
zine guides in Genoa are delighted to secure
IN American party, because Americans 80 much
wonder, and deal 10 much in sentiment and
emotion, before any relic Of Columbus Our guide
there hdgetsd about as il he had swallowed 9
spring mattress. He was full of animation-full
OF impatienoe. He said:
Come wis me- genteelmeh !-come! l show
yon 70 letter writing BY Christopher Colombo
write 1t himself write it wis his own hand
GOMEZ"
HE took us to the municipal palace. After
much impressive fumbling of KEGS and opening
OF locks, the stained and aged document was
spread before us. The guides eyes sparkled.
He danced about us and touched the parchment
with his finger.
"'What tell you, gentlemen! II it not SO
See handwriting Christopher Colombo write
ave looked ndifferent-unconcerned The
doctor examined the document very deliberately,
during painful pause. Then he said, without
any show Of interest,
"Ah-Ferguson-what-wha did you say was
the name OF the party who wrote thisT
Christopher Colombo re great Christopher
Colombow
"Another deliberate examination.
".Ah-did he write it himself, or-or-how 2
"'He write 1t himself !-Christopher Colon.
DO ! he's own handwriting, write by himseIfw
1.-THE doctor laid the document down, aud
said:
"'Why have seen boys in America, only IA
years old, that could write better than that
".But xis is re great Christie
~ don't care who it is! It's the worst writ
ing ever saw. Now, you must not think you
can impose on us because we are strangers. We
are no fools by good deal. If you have got any
specimens of penmanship of real merit, trot them
out land if you haven't drive on!'
1--WE drove on. The guide was considerably
shaken up. but he made one more venture. He
had something which he thought would over
come us. He said:
"Ah, genteelmen, you come wis me show
you beautiful, 0, magnificent bust Christopher
Colombo splendid, grand, magnificent
HE brought US before the beautiful bust-for
1t Uas beautiful-and sprang back and struck an
attitude:
"'Ah. look, gentlemen beautiful, grand
bust Christopher Colombo beautiful bust,
beautiful pedestal?
Ahc oocVot put up MS eye-Slass-procured
for such occasions:
".Ah, what did you say this gentleman's name
wasr
,"Christopher Colombo !-ze great Christie
pher Colombo
christopher Colombo-the great Christopher
Colombo. Well, what did he do 2
"'Discover America discover America. Oh,
re dsvilr
"'Discover America. No-that statement will
hardly wash. We heard nothing about it. Chris
topher Colombo-pleasant name--is-ishe deadT
"'Oh, corpo di Baccho 300 years.
"'What did he die off,
az do not know Il cannot tell y
Smallpox, think
az do not know, gentlemen II do not know
'r'tat he died of
"'Measles, Gkely9'
"'May be-may bel do no. know-I think
he die of something's
parents living =.
"1m-posseeble =
".Ah-which is the bust and which is the
pedestalF'
"'Santa Maria !-sis is the bust -zis ze pc.
destalr
"'Ah, see, see-happy combination-very
happy combination, indeed. Is this the first
time this gentleman was ever on a bust Z"