The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-10-06
CORRESPONDENCE.
FROM THE "WHITE CITY"
BERWICK, ILL.,, Sept. 18th, 1S9

BERWICK, ILL.,, Sept. 14th, 1898.
To tie Editor Of the BdnHer.-DEAR
SIR: have just now read, in former
copy of the BANNER, letter from Eliza
Archard Conner, in which | was quite
interested. Hel letter was headed IAN
Afternoon with the Cows" The peru
sal of it reminds me of my visit to the
same cows, but | was not 50 fortunate as
she was, for no visitors were allowed eX-
cept by special permission, and thought
that would take more red tape than
could furnish, so dispensed with that
requisite, and seeing the stable door open
| went in, but about the middle of the
barn met an attendant who inquired if
| had pass; | told him no, but that
had seen all cared to and would just as
soon go back as to go on any further.
Thus ended my visit to the Columbian
dairy.
Another place where a lady visitor
found out more than [ did, was in one of
the State buildings, think it was the
Massachusetts, building. A box nearly
as large as an ordinary trunk was COW
cred with a bronze-like metal, which
was raised in images on different parts
l was trying to conjecture some practi-
cal use for it,, and had concluded to call
it a treasure box OF some wealthy
colonial family of Revolutionary times
but just then lady came along and re-
marked: Il wonder what that is: | am
going to see;" she raised the cover and
we discovered that it was only wood
box, for it had shavings and kindlings in
it. That lady will never know that she
spoiled my fancy picture. However, l
hereby acknowledge the debt with
thanks, for truth is always better than
romance, however it may charm the
fancy and beguile the time of leisure.
The Western States buildings exhibited
many mammoth growths of all varieties,
but it remained for Iowa to cap the eli
max of aspiration in vegetable growth.
Her genuine exhibit was fine, but ID. q.
Wills of Shenandoah, in that State, was
not satisfied with that, so he manufac-
tured ears about two feet long, which
he placed in conspicuous place, so as
to show by the contrast how far he could
surpass the puny efforts of Nature. He
labeled his exhibit. Ideal ears to be
raised for the next Columbian EXpOSi-
ton" AS looked at that corn | was re-
minded of an Iowa story of several years
ago, which was in substance that a visI-
tor going by a corn field one morning
luuulibu VI blC VIM oNOON A'SeeA :
"How high is your cOrnY "Well,
friend, don't know, but | have sent my
son up this stalk to measure it, and l
am most scared to death about him, for
fear he can't get down. You see it
grows faster than he can climb down
without falling" Verify, the old fash
ioned fish story has taken a back seat
in Iowa.
Among the side shows of the Midway
Plaisance nothing is more interesting
than the ostrich farm. Piles of eggs
were on exhibition, and at one place
inquired the price of some that were for
sale,-S1. so each. The average weight is
81 pounds. For eating they are said to
be delicate and nutritious. 1t takes 3O
minutes for "soft boil" and one is
equal to p dozens of hens eggs. The
flesh of the young bird is highly es-
teemed. Dried beef (called biltoag in
Africa and jerky in California;, is made
from the thighs of the older birds, and
is much used by African farmers. One
egg that is on exhibition was laid since
they have been in Chicago. 1t is good
average, being about the size of a small
musk mellon. The exhibit is made by
e. j. johnson, manager of the celebrated