And then there wuz the original copy of the first books relatin’ to America, over one hundred of ’em, obtained from the Vatican at Rome, and museums, and libraries, in London, and Paris, and Madrid, and Washington, D.C.  They are writ by Lords, and Cardinals, and Bishops, way back as fur as fourteen hundred and ninety-three.

Then there wuz quaint maps and charts of the newly discovered country, lookin’ some as our first maps would of Mars, if the United States had made up its mind to annex that planet, and Uncle Sam had jest begun to lay it out into countries.

Then there are the portraits of Columbus.  Good creeter! it seemed a pity to see so many of ’em—­his enemies might keep right on abusin’ him, and say that he wuz double-faced, or sixty or eighty faced, when I know, and they all ort to know, that he wuz straightforward and stiddy as the sun.  Poor creeter! it wuz too bad that there should be so many of ’em.

[Illustration (handwritten in the illustration):  These are my authentic portraits!  Ch.  Columbus, Esq. mp]

[Illustration:  Poor creeter! it wuz too bad that there should be so many of ’em.]

Then there are models and photographs of statutes and monuments of him, and the very stun and clay that them tall monuments is made of, mebby they are the very stuns that hurt his bare feet, and the clay the very same his tears had fell on, as he’d throw himself down heart-weary on his lonesome pilgrimages.  I dare presoom to say that he would lay his head down under some wayside tree and cry—­I hain’t a doubt on’t.

When I thought it over, how much had been said about Columbus even durin’ the last year in Jonesville and Chicago, to say nothin’ about the rest of the world, it wuz a treat indeed to see the first printed allusion that wuz ever made to Columbus, about three months after Columbus arrived in Portugal, March fifteenth, fourteen hundred and ninety-three.  It was writ by Mr. Carvugal, Spanish Cardinal.

In it Mr. Carvugal says—­

“And Christ placed under their rule (Ferdinand and Isabella) the Fortunate Islands.”

I sez to Josiah, “I guess if Mr. Carvugal was sot down here to-day, and see what he would see here, he would be apt to think indeed they wuz Fortunate Islands.”

But as I said that I heard a voice a-sayin’—­

“Who is Mr. Carvugal, Samantha?”

I recognized the voice, and I sez, “Why, Irena Flanders, is it you?  I have been to see you; I hearn you wuz sick.”

“Yes,” sez she, “I wuz beat out, and I thought I couldn’t stand it; but I feel better to-day, so we have been to the Forestry Buildin’, and thought we would come in here.”

But I see that she didn’t feel as I did about the immortal relics, but she kinder pretended to, as folks will; and Elam and Josiah went to talkin’ about hayin’, and wondered how the crops wuz a-gittin’ along in Jonesville.  But I kep on a-lookin’ round and listenin’ to Irena’s remarks about her symptoms with one half of my mind, or about half, and examinin’ the relics with the other half.