Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1869-09-17
Christopher Colombo.


Twain's "New Pilgrims Progress" just
out. The party amused themselves, and
nearly drove the guide crazy, at Genoa,
by pretending utter stupidity and indif-
ference to any wonders he had to show
After this style:
The guides in Genoa are delighted 10
secure an American party, because
Americans so much wonder, and deal so
much in sentiment and emotion, before
any relic of Columbus. Our guide there
fidgetted about as if he had swallowed a
spring mattress. He was full Of ANNA
tion--full of impotence. He said:
"'Come wis me genteelmen come
| show you re letter written by Christie
pher Colombo write it himself!--write
it wis his own hand i-come!
3" He took us to the municipal palace.
After much impressive fumblng of keys
and opening Of locks, the stained and
aged document was laid before US. The
guides eyes sparkled. He danced about
us and touched the document with his
finger.
"' what l tell you genteelmen Is it
not so? See! handwriting Christopher
Colombo! write it himself!
We looked ndilferent-uuconcer
The doctor examined the document very
deliberately, during painful pause
Then he said without any show of inter-
est:
"s Ah-Ferguson-what-what did
you say was the name of the party who
wrote this?
Christopher Colombo! re great
Christopher Colombor
Another deliberate examination.
"s Ah-did he write it himself, Or
or how?'
/" He wrlto it himself ! he's own
handwriting. write by bimself!"
"Then the doctor laid the document
down, and said
"' Why l have seen boys in America,
only IL years OIL that could write better
than that
g. But zis is re great Christie
"'I don't care who it isl It's the
worst writing | ever saw. Now you
must not think you can impose upon us
because we are strangers. We are no
fools by a good deal. If you have got
any specimens of penmanship of real
merit, trot them out land if you haven't
drive onr
We drove on, the guide was consid-
erably shaken up, but he made one more
venture. He had something that he
thought would overcome us. He said +:
90 All, genteelmen, you come wis mo
bust sh"U hfEsaa0pEE sr"'G}G
grand, magnificent
/" He brought us before the beautiful
bust-for it was beautful-and sprang
back and struck an attitude:
60 All, look, gentlemen l-beautiful,
grand bust Christopher Colombo =
beautiful bust, beautiful pedestalp
Z" The doctor put up his eye-glass-
procured for such occasions:
"'Ah, what did you say this gentle
mans name wasa
"s Christopher Colombo !-ze great
Christopher Colombor
GO Christopher Colombo-the great
Christopher Colombo. Wei! what did
lie dog
60 Discover America discovered
America. Oh, re devilr
"' Discovered America. No-that
statement will hardly wash. Weare just
from America ourselves. We heard
nothing about it. Christopher Colombo
pleasant name-is-is he deadp
"sOh. Corpo di Baccho 800 years
"' What did he die of?'
"sI do not know II cannot tell |!
"s Smallpox, think?
as do not know, genteelmen IL do
not know what he died Off
g Measles, likelyP
90 May be-may bel do not know
i think be died of something!
Sc. Parents living!
"' Im-posseebleT
&c Ah--which is the bust and which
is the pedestalP
"s Santa Maria !-zis is ze bust!-ziS
is 70 pedestalp
'Ah, I see, 1 see-happy combina'
nation-happy combination, indeed. l.
this the first time this gentleman was ev'
er on bustg"