El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-09-16
TRAVELS OF A MEDAL.
It Goes All Over Europe to Find
the Winner.
Failure of a bright Committee OF
Awards to Locate the Young Lady
Entitled to Worlds
Fair Prize.


The committee on awards of the
worlds fair, of which John Boyd Thach-
er was chairman, would be particularly
delighted to learn the present where
abouts of Miss Gyda Sohiberg, formerly
resident of Evanston.
Miss Sohlberg was an exhibitor in the
woman's section of the fair, and in due
time had the pleasure to be informed
by the committee that a medal and di-
ploma had been awarded her. The years
rolled slowly by. Whether hope con-
stantly deferred by the nonappearance
of the awards or the classical quietness
of Evanston brought about the result
10 man knoweth, but when the John
Boyd Thatcher committee on awards in
considerably startled the public by is
suing the interchangeable medals the
one addressed to Miss Sohlberg at Ev-
anston was ruthIessly returned with
the Endorsement Removed" made by
a cold-blooded, unsympa thizing official
of Uncle Sans post office department.
And here is where the greatness and
enterprise of the award committee
comes in. Any other committee would
have permitted the twenty-five-cent
medal and the ten-cent diploma to re-
IDdln dt tHo oiiiSC I'LL ~
called for. But not the John Boyd
Thatcher committee. They were Gre
ated for different purpose, and. given
the opportunity, would astonlsh the
world. They were bound to discover
the Evanston fair maid or perish in the
attempt as a committee, both collect
lively and individually, or at least with
reckless iberality eNpend the COM
mittee's stamps and official stationery.
Investigation was started and it was
discovered that lady of her name and
appearance had started for Europe,
with London as the first stopping place.
Ten days later the medal and diploma
were in London. but ten days still later
they were back in Chicago. New eff
forts were made. The next outgoing
steamer carried a package addressed
to Miss Sohlberg. and again it came
back-and in justice it must be said
the committee met it like a man and q
brother.
Half a dozen times this particular
package penetrated into various parts
of Europe. but always was too patri-
otto to remain. Did the committee final
" acknowledge defeat. Not they. New
Investigations were made, and it was
discovered that Miss Sohfberg, of Ev-
anston, was of Swedish descent. The
medal and diploma were at once dis
patched to the royal Swedish depart
ment of state at Stockholm, with re-
quest that the package would be
handed her with the committees COM
pliments, and now the committee rested
on their laurels. But their JOY at their
relief was premature. One day the com
mittee was surprised to receive bulky
foreign package covered with seals and
tape. Visions of foreign decorations,
knightly honors, etc, foated round the
minds of the committee.
The package was opened with trem-
bling hands and revealed the Evans
ton diploma and medal, together with
letter in which his eXcellency the
minister of state had the profound and
agreeable pleasure to return the etc,
etc, but Miss Sohlberg is not a resi-
dent of the country, but, as far as can
be ascertained, a resident of the city
of Evanston, state OF Illinois. of the
United States of America, and there
fore it is returned, etc, etc, with his eN-
cellency the minister subscribing him
self the committees most ObedieIs and
humble servant. and with the most dis
tinguished consideration, ETC., etc.
\ most serious consultation now took
place. The result of the solemn de-
alterations of the committee was that
the medal and diploma should be re-
turned to the Swedish. state depart
ment. And as it was ordered so it was
done.
Some months later, which was few
days ago, the remaining members of the
John Boyd Thatcher committee were in
formed that the royal department of
state had the honor, etc, to inform the
honorable committee that his excel
lency, etc. had ordered that the medal
and diploma should be deposited in the
commercial museum of curiosities of
the department and subscribed himself
the committees with distinguished etc.
Thus the medal has found resting
place, but the fair Evanston maid re
mains an unknown quantity Chicago
Times-Herald.