Samantha at the St. Louis Exposition Part 24

And I'd say, "'Tain't so, Sam, but if it wuz, centuries have been spent by the white race in teachin' this people to be dependent and helpless, to not think for themselves, to lean entirely on the judgment and justice of the white people (weak reeds to lean on anon or oftener)."

And then I'd say, "Samuel, you did a foolish thing after the Civil war, you did it with the best of motives, and you needn't be skairt, I hain't goin' to scold you for it, but it wuz jest like turnin' a company of babies out into the world and tellin' 'em they wuz jest as tall and inteligent as their pas and mas and they must go on and take care of themselves, and with their utter lack of all knowledge and strength take an equal part in public affairs. How could these babies do it, Samuel, I would say. But you wuz gropin' along most blind in them dark days, and you did the best you knowed how to then. But when you see you've made a mis-step you must draw your foot back and start off agin jest like a elephant crossin' a weak bridge, I've seen 'em go down into the water and wade ruther than resk it. You may have to wade through deep waters to fix it all right, but that would be better than to fall through a weak bridge and break your neck.

"It is because I think so much on you, Samuel, that I talk so plain to you, for I don't want you to git the name Miss Eben Simmons got. She jest spent her hull mind and income on foreign missions and let her own children go so dirty and ragged they wuz a disgrace to Jonesville. I want you and Miss Simmons to not scrimp in your foreign charities but begin to home and make your own dependent ones comfortable."

I presume I could convince him if I had time enough, but we are busy creeters, Samuel and I, both on us, and Id'no as he'd have time to argy back and forth with me, but it would be well for him if he did, men must have wimmen advise 'em if they ever expect to amount to anything.

But to resoom forwards. These thoughts wuz runnin' through my head as we wended our way around, it did my soul good, as I said, to see the progress these Filipinos are makin', and to meditate on the fact how enterprisin' Uncle Samuel is when he sets out. Why jest think on't, he's taught them Filipinos more English in four years than the Spaniards taught 'em their language in the four hundred years they took care on 'em.

I wuz so proud and happy as I thought on't that I stepped considerable high as I walked along, and I hearn a profane bystander say (wicked creeter to think on't),

"That woman has took too much stimulant."

And Josiah sez, "What ails you, Samantha? You walk as if you wuz follerin' a band of music."

And I wuz, it wuz the music of the Future that sounds out in my ears anon or oftener, sweet inspirin' strains that even Josiah can't hear if his head lays on the same piller.

It sings of an ignorant, oppressed race changed into an enlightened prosperous one, this great work done by our own country, this song comes floatin' into my ears over the wide Pacific. And another louder strain comes from nigher by made tender and pathetic by years of oppression and suppressed suffering that could find expression in no other way than this heart searching pathos. And blending with it, ringing over and above it, triumphant happy echoes telling of real freedom of mind and conscience, the true liberty.

CHAPTER XV.

Well, Blandina wanted to go to the Anthropological Buildin'. She said Professor Todd had recommended it. I should knowed he would choose that spot in preference to any other. I hadn't a idee what it meant, but didn't feel obleeged to tell her so, but spozed it wuz sunthin' hard to tackle, judgin' from the name, but told her I wuz willin' to go to see it or her or him, not knowin' which it would turn out to be. But come to find out it wuz everything relatin' to the history of man, and spozed that wuz one reason why Blandina wuz interested in it.

It wuz a monstrous big buildin', and in it and outside on't wuz exhibits from all the different countries of the world, showin' the difference in the races of mankind, their difference through all the ages, anatomy, industries, customs, education, different religious rites, games, books and pictures, maps ill.u.s.trating mankind and his works, etc., and I could fill a dozen pages with etcs., and not half exhaust the contents of the immense buildin'.

Blandina wuz in her glory here, she wuz studyin' in full magesty the history of her idol, man. But as I told her, I spozed the term, man, included woman also. But she looked dubersome, she didn't like the idee I could see, and Josiah didn't. But I knowed I wuz right, and I guess Molly thought so too.

This is the most complete gathering of the world's people and races that has ever been got together, and includes different types, from the smallest pigmies from Central Africa to the Patagonian giants. Josiah wuz delighted to learn of the strength of these pigmies, how they kill elephants and rhinocerhorses, and sez he, "I tell you, Samantha, it hain't size that counts, it is most always the smallest men that are the smartest, looked at Napoleon and me."

But I whispered to him to keep still, for he wuz attractin' attention, and I led the way to see the giants. But he looked coldly on 'em, and sez he:

"They hain't thought much on, it speaks about their mean statter in the guide books."

But I thought to myself how handy it would be to have one on 'em in the neighborhood to rent out by the day to whitewash overhead or s.h.i.+ngle the barn; they wouldn't even have to git up in a chair, and Id'no but they could lay a chimbly standin' on the ground; they wuz immense.

And there wuz displays of the works and habits and native surroundin's of the lowest types from the beginnin' of the stun age up to the present finished glory of Jonesville and the world at large. And I wondered what, what would be the glory showed off a hundred years from now, what hites would men stand on, sailin' round through the air and comin' from other planets to the show like as not jest as easy as we come from Jonesville. And where will Josiah and I be then? That wuz another thought that hanted me, and what would we be lookin' on? 'Tennyrate I hope we will be together wherever it is.

But to resoom. There wuz the skin housen of the Indians from Mexico and the display of the Ainu tribes from j.a.pan; red negroes from Central Africa, and all the Indian tribes left in North America, so fast meltin' away like the leaves of the forest before the march of winter. Basket makers from California and Arizonia, bead workers, arrow workers, all carryin' on their work before us and goin' through their ceremonies and playin' their games.

And there wuz the tradin' post, with the agent cheatin' the Injuns jest as nateral as life, so I spoze. Mexico had a wonderful collection, native books on Maguey paper, amulets of gold, sculpture, carved idols, remarkable lookin', though I wouldn't wors.h.i.+p one on 'em not for a dollar bill.

Egypt, where Civilization first started, had to crumple down and send her best treasures to the fur away West. Oh, how fur, how fur Civilization has traveled since she left the Lotus land. And she hadn't better set down yet and fold her hands. She's got a good many jobs before her that I could pint out to her right here in America.

And there wuz a hull Egyptian tomb, mummies, ancient pottery, necklaces and beads took out of old Egyptian tombs. Oh, where wuz the throbbin' hearts that beat agin them with boundin' life and joy? So much stronger and greater than the fragile things, yet gone to dust and ashes centuries ago, while these senseless toys outlive 'em and are brought thousands of milds to be looked on by a strange race. And there wuz scarabes, symbols, strange lookin' things as I ever see and piles on 'em.

And there wuz a display showing how they first started fire, which they wors.h.i.+pped when first discovered as the Red Flower G.o.d, and everything up to its present development. And so with the earliest attempts at makin' weapons, blades of bamboo and wood, hammered copper up to the deadly life destroyers of to-day.

And in one room wuz the priceless treasures of the Vatican, and a exquisite collection of the Jubilee presents of the Widder Albert carved ivory gems, beautifully set jewels, fans, feathers, leather work and wrought gold, carved ebony, sandal-wood, embroidered silk and velvet caskets, silver prayer wheel (though she never used it I'll warrant, no quicker than I would) gold boxes from Africa, Burmah and all her provinces; gold and velvet harnesses and saddle cloths, chains and plumes; a chair of state of carved ivory; kneeling cus.h.i.+on in rich embroidered velvet; elephants' tusks mounted on ebony and on rosewood; there are thirty cases in all, and as I looked on 'em, lent to this Exposition by his Gracious Majesty, King Edward VII, jest as willin' as I'd lend sister Bobbett a drawin' of tea, my feelin's pretty nigh overpowered me and I almost bust into tears, but knowin' Josiah's state of nerves I kep' up and restrained myself in a measure.

But I noticed Blandina wuz beginin' to act restless and looked at her watch, and finally she said that Professor Todd had promised to meet her at the Anthropometric Display.

Sez I, "I should know that of all the places in the world that would be his chosen rondevoo."

"Yes," sez she, "he has got such exquisite taste-in dress."

I don't believe she had a idee what it wuz, I believe she thought from what she said that it wuz some kind of men's clothes, or scarf pins mebby. I myself didn't even hazard a inward guess, but made up my mind to be resigned to the sight whatever it wuz and bear up under it the best I could.

But we found out it included all kinds of measures, att.i.tudes and angles, photographs, moulds, casts and rates of pulsation, measurements of respiration, tryin' to measure and estimate as well as they can the different physical values of the different races and people, it wuz a sight to see it.

Sure enough Professor Todd wuz there, and I willin'ly resigned her into his care. He offerin' to see her home after the illumination. I knowed he wuz to be trusted, and they went off, Blandina lookin' up happy and adorin', he happy, patronizin' and lookin' down. Both on 'em contented creeters. He leadin' her a willin' victim to where the biggest named articles wuz and explainin' 'em to her in words more'n two inches long, I'll bet, but if anybody is happy that's enough. And though it is puttin' the wagon considerable ways before the horse, I may as well tell a conversation I overheard between Professor Todd and Blandina later in the day. Molly and Josiah wuz interested in lookin' at a display a little ways off, and I'd sot down for a spell restin' my tired head on my hand, and closed my eyes, for they too wuz so weary I felt I should almost be ashamed to face them two gray orbs in the lookin'-gla.s.s, for I knowed I had worked 'em too hard, and no knowin' when they would git any rest, for it seemed as though the more we see the more there wuz to see.

And I sot there lost in wistful retrospection of the view from our back door where there wuz but one object in front of me, and that wuz a plain barn with no cupolas or minarets, or towers or domes on it. No, jest a plain barn with a slidin' door enriched and bejeweled when open only by the form of my beloved pardner. And the only vista visible the gra.s.sy path that led round the hen house to the ash-barrel, and the only ornamental water, the waterin' trough embellished only by the green moss on its sides.

I felt I'd seen too many ornaments, I most knowed I should never hanker agin for a minaret or a mosque, or a steeple or a crescent, or a wavin' banner, or gildin', I felt that my heart would never more long and pine for water to squirt up in the air or drizzle down three or four hundred feet, nor for statutes or peaks or pillers. No, I almost felt I should have Dave Yerden saw off the top of the whatnot because it riz up in a sort of ornamental fas.h.i.+on, and I almost despised the thought of the M. E. steeple in Jonesville, to such wicked and reckless lengths will over-weariness lead one. But jest as I wuz rebukin' myself to myself, I hearn jest on the other side on me the voices of Blandina and Professor Aspire Todd. He wuz evidently continuing a conversation begun sometime before.

"Oh, that lost companion of mine! oh, that beauchious female so humilitous in her sweet humility, so super-conscious of man's superior attainments, she seemingly only existed to minister to my corporial necessities."

"Well she might, Professor, well she might," sez Blandina. "Any woman of right feelin' would feel only too blest and honored to do the same."

"I experienced from the first moment my eyes rested on you," sez the Professor in solemn axents, "a sensation, or a feeling, as you may say, that you wuz my affinity, that your soul wuz congenial, and every transitory period of time that has progressively advanced since then has but intensified the impression."

Though I couldn't see her, I could feel Blandina simper. But at that minute Josiah interrupted the dialogue by askin' where Samantha wuz, and I come forward and jined 'em. Blandina looked radiantly happy, and I motioned to Molly and Josiah to come on, I knowed they would rather have our room than our company. For I remembered I wuz onmarried myself once, and though my sperit wuz never incarnated in the personality of a Blandina, yet I had a vivid remembrance of the time when Love first laid holt on me, and I well remembered the feelin's I felt at the ardent attentions of a Josiah.

Professor Todd might not be an object of admiration to me, indeed he wuz not, fur from it! But one of the last things we learn in life is not to judge other folks attachments and desires by our own liking, and not to condemn other people for having fur different ideals than our own. I had found out that Professor Todd wuz likely and respectable and well off, and if Blandina had got to git along through life without knowin' much, she had better git along with a protector and under comfortable circ.u.mstances. So I stood ready to give away the bride at any time, for to tell the truth I had worried about her future, not knowin' but I had her on my hands for life. But true to my principles I felt that I would make no matches nor break none, but would only smooth the path for True Love to trundle along in.

Josiah wuz blind as a bat to what I see, and wanted to know, "What Blandina wuz pokin' round with that fool for?"

Truly men can't see through a stun wall or a matrimonial movement with anything like the clearness of a woman. As I wended my way onwards I felt jest as sure in my mind how it would end as I did two months afterwards when I see 'em at the altar.

But to resoom backwards. Josiah, Molly and I wended our way off to another department of the immense buildin', goin' from one display to another, and could have stayed a week and seen sunthin' new every minute.

I took sights of comfort at the Indian schools. Seein' on one side the old poor oncivilized way of living, habits and customs; and then to see what education and culture had done and wuz doing for 'em, what swift strides they wuz makin' along the road that leads upwards. And to see 'em workin' away right before us at all the industrial trades, to see inteligence in the eyes that had held savagery, to hear the inteligent conversation in place of gutteral axents, I wuz highly tickled.

And I sez to Josiah and Molly, "I hope Uncle Sam will do well by all the folks he's gardeen over, the Indians, Negroes, Philippinos and all, I believe he means well by the hull on 'em, but he has so much on his hands he don't know which way to turn, and I spoze it will be some time before he gits 'round to do what he wants to for all on 'em, and," sez I, "they had better in the mean time try to git along and do all they can for themselves, it will be best for 'em anyway."

I wuz walkin' along with my Josiah in a quiet part of the grounds, if any of 'em can be called so, 'tennyrate there wuzn't many round when I hearn some workmen pa.s.sin' along say, "There is the President."

And lookin' round eagerly and anxiously I see a good-lookin' man with eye gla.s.ses settin' on a bench readin' a paper. And I knowed to once that it wuz our Teddy, so dear to the heart of them that set store by manliness, fearlessness, bravery, bright badges from Heaven's mint s.h.i.+nin' on the breast of a man faithful to wife, children and country. He didn't look exactly like his pictures, but I knowed pictures didn't always favor their originals, specially in newspapers. I wuz highly tickled to see him, for I had some errents for him, and wanted to advise him for his good, and I advanced with outstretched hand and sez "Mr. President, I am delighted to see you!"

He shook hands and said polite, "You have the advantage of me, mom."

"Yes," sez I, "folks see your face in the papers." I mentioned my name and then went right on to say, "I wanted to tell you the first thing, I hadn't nothin' to do with that slightin' piece about you you probable read in the Jonesville Auger. The Nation knew I had writ for it, and for the Gimlet, and I wuz awful afraid you'd think it wuz me, and be mad at me, but I'm as innocent as a infant babe. Keturah Snyder writ it, and she's been through with trials enough to make her bitter but bein' so mad she sez things she can't prove. Now she thinks you could kep' her from bein' turned out of the Jonesville post-office and you could keep the price of meat down. No use arguin' with her, she sez you had it in your power to squelch some of the Trusts, and didn't do nothin' but talk.

"And that Post-Office scandal, she said she spozed you wuz goin' to make public samples of them stealers, but it all squizzled out, nothin' done about it, only jest talk. And you remember she said in her piece, 'she wuz turned out of the post-office for borryin' five cents from the Government, and bein' backward with another five, ten cents in all, and them post-office clerks in Was.h.i.+ngton stealin' hundreds of thousands and nothin' done.'" Here Theodore tried to say sunthin', and knowin' he wuz such a fluent talker I wuz bound to git my explanation in before he begun, for I wouldn't interrupted him for the world after he got to goin'.