The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-02-20
Under
Difficulties

alton, dissipation, lure and a dis
appointment.
Years ago 1t dawned upon him that
going through the museum was duty
he owed himself and his city. So,
condescendingly one day while out for
a walk he said to himself that he
might as we'll drop in.
McGinnis had also something of the
feeling OF the amateur when he found
a sign up saying that the museum was
closed for repairs. He walked away
with his respect for the institution in
creased as ones respect always in
creases for the unattainable. II he
could have walked right in he prob
ably never would have thought any
thing more about 1t, but his curiosity
was now aroused. Right at hand was
wonderful collection Of instructive
things and he was puzzled to know
why people persisted in talking about
stocks and ocean trips and the cost
OF beefsteak and dairy products in
stead Of holding up their hands and
exclaiming over the marvels at their
gates.
When his cousin John came to town
McGinnis clapped him on the shout
der. And now" he said, well go and
see the Field museumi"
Cousin John was glad to go. Both
of them, however, became so interest
ed in the cases of Pompe1an relics and
Roman bronze as one goes in that
1t was closing time before they knew
1t.
Those bathtubs certainly were
great" Cousin John said that night.
ITO think that those old boys really
took baths the same as We dol"
McGinnis' brother-in-law was better
educated, SO when some months later
McGinnis started out to the museum
with him In tow McGinnis felt he was
going to have a treat. Having seen
the first cases before, McGinnis took
great pride in pointing out to his rel
ative the old frying pans and vases
and pitchers incrusted with lava.
"Over here" he said, ARE a couple
OF bathtubs, too, that they dug up on
Pompeian estate"
Sorry" said the attendant, hours
later, tapping McGinnis on the shout
der, "but it's closing time"
1T does beat ALL" McGinnis said as
they started reluctantly homeward,
how much time one can waste just at
the very start! Didn't you see some
stuffed elephants or something farther
| back? Well have to try again some
dayl"
The brother-in-law, however, had to
leave Unexpectedly and McGinnis
started out alone. B1pps met him on
the way and said he'd like to go, too.
| direction of the huge elephants mile
or SO farther back, but Bipps collared
| him.
Look at those old Roman things!"
he cried enthusiastically. Fancy
| their being actually used thousands OF
! years ago."
There's some elephants back
| there" McGtnnis protested. I'm told
| the collection of stuffed wild animals
| has no equal In the world"
"Jiminy!" chortled Bipps. Look at
! the bronze tables and things! And IL
here aren't couple OF bathtubs! Say,
| those are bigger'n ours today-a fell
| low could take a regular swim"
. And cases of butterflies from India
| and Africa and China" pursued the
| anxious McGinnis. Like enameIs In
| their color"
They must have had coolies OF wa.
ter in those days." said Bipps. Say,
how'd you like bath"
And Egyptian tiles and inscriptions
| and birds from the moon, guess,
| and"
Those bathtubs certainly get me-
| insisted Bipps dreamily. Look at the
| effect of the atmosphere On them! To
| think that maybe Nero took a bath
| in"
Sorry" said an attendant while
| they were still looking at the bath
| tubs, 'but it's closing time!"
| McGinnis stamped out, followed by
Bipps still talking about the tubs.
| There's cuttlefsh back there
somewhere" McGinnis growled, &C
cusingly. "Tweester saw it, SO
know It's there. It has tail like ar
aeroplane propeller and two rudders
that extend back for yards! Yards
I'm telling you! And relief map OF
the moon that"
They never could have got those
bathtubs into one of our dinky mod
ern fats" was Bipps' triumphant com
ment.
McGinnis went absolutely alone the
| next time. He resolved to cut his
| dearest friend II he interfered. He
/ made a straight dash from the en-
| trance past the Roman relics that ht
could see nights In his sleep and tore
| madly for the treasures beyond.
Just as he sighted the African wal
elephants and caught glimpse OF {
whole menagerie of chimpanzees ane
gorillas and snakes and musk oxer
and about a hundred doors leading
into other entertainments Sadie Lin
man grabbed his arm.
"Oh, Mr. McGinnisl" she said. I'm
5000 glad I met you, I've got Il
write paper for our club on Pompei
an days and I'm 5000 stupid! Won
| you come back with me to the en-
trance and tell me what all thOs'
queer old things are that they've dus
up from the ruins and read the in
scriptions and things to me? Their
are a couple OF bathtubs there, too
that are 5000 Interestingly"
Busy Word.
There is no word, long or short, in