Our Show: A Humorous Account of the International Exposition in Honor of the Centennial Anniversary of American Independence, from Inception to Completion, Including Description of Buildings, Biographies of Managers, Receptions of Foreign Dignitaries, Opening Ceremonies, Poem, Oration, Amusing Survey of All Departments, Incidents, Etc., Etc.Cohen, David Solis
History
Our Show: A Humorous Account of the International Exposition in Honor of the Centennial Anniversary of American Independence, from Inception to Completion, Including Description of Buildings, Biographies of Managers, Receptions of Foreign Dignitaries, Opening Ceremonies, Poem, Oration, Amusing Survey of All Departments, Incidents, Etc., Etc.
But we do not succeed in completing our trip through the Union this day.
Our country cousin brings us to a stoppage by his absurd conduct.
[MISTAKEN HOSPITALITY.]
One exhibitor offered him half a pound of mince meat: he devoured it. A
Connecticut woman presented him with a small cheese, her own
manufacture: it followed the footsteps of the meat. In Massachusetts he
received a package of corn starch: he put it serenely where he kept his
cheese. We looked upon him in amaze, but said nothing. A New York
merchant handed him a small cake of transparent shaving soap. “My
golly!” he remarked, “this beats a lunch route,” and he swallowed it
whole. A New Jersey farmer offered him a string of dried apples: they
went the way of his preceding receipts. A Pennsylvania matron begged him
to try a draught of her buttermilk: he complied, and we saw him swell
visibly before our eyes. Two ounces of Virginia Baking Powder was the
next tribute: he winced a little at this, but--down it went. We tried to
stop him, but too late--he just chewed a small stick of South Carolina
stove polish, and then the baking powder accomplished its fatal mission.
He mentioned that he did not feel very well. We expressed surprise and
sympathy. He said he felt worse, and then he tried to smile, but alas,
the apples lay heavy on his soul--he couldn’t. He asked if it wasn’t
time to go home--he said it was a splendid show, but he thought he’d
seen enough of it.
“Come home,” said he, “its dinner time.”
“Why,” we replied, “you’re not hungry, are you?”
He didn’t answer; he turned a reproachful glance upon us. We were now in
Georgia, and a colored man held out to him a sweet potato pudding.
Savagely he turned upon that negro, his eyes rolled wildly, he labored
under intense emotions, mingled emotions of cheese, soap, and baking
powder, he uttered one long despairing yell and sank down upon the
floor. A crowd gathered about him in a second; two or three officials
pushed their way through the assemblage and grabbed hold of him. “The
first case,” they cried triumphantly; “carry him to the Hospital.” They
bore our poor cousin to the
GRAND INTERNATIONAL HOSPITAL,
east of the Main Building, and we followed in tears.
A Turkish physician ran to meet us as we approached the structure. The
Turks believe in radical cures--this one wanted to smother our relative
between two feather beds. We objected. Two Chinese doctors stopped us at
the doorway. One wanted our cousin to swallow three green lizards, the
other recommended the immediate extraction of all his front teeth. An
Indian medicine man here commenced dancing around us, yelling at the top
of his voice, and banging an old tambourine with the shin-bone of an
ass.
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