I didn't tell him the heft or the size of my emotions as I mentally tackled the job he proposed to me--there wuzn't no use on't. I only sez, as I looked up at him over my specs-- "Josiah, We will write the book." SAMANTHA AT THE WORLD'S FAIR. CHAPTER I. [Illustration: Drop Capital] Christopher Columbus has always been a object of extreme interest and admiration to me ever sence I first read about him in my old Olney's Gography, up to the time when I hearn he wuz a-goin' to be celebrated in Chicago. I always looked up to Christopher, I always admired him, and in a modest and meetin'-house sense, I will say boldly and with no fear of Josiah before my eyes that I loved him. Havin' such feelin's for Christopher Columbus, as I had, and havin' such feelin's for New Discoverers, do you spoze I wuz a-goin' to have a celebration gin for him, and also for us as bein' discovered by him, without attendin' to it? No, indeed! I made calculations ahead from the very first minute it wuz spoke on, to attend to it. And feelin' as I did--all wrought up on the subject of Christopher Columbus--it wuz a coincerdence singular enough to skair anybody almost to death--to think that right on the very day Christopher discovered America, and us (only 400 years later), and on the very day that I commenced the fine shirt that Josiah wuz a-goin' to wear to Chicago to celebrate him in-- That very Friday, if you'll believe me, Christopher Columbus walked right into our kitchen at Jonesville--and discovered me. [Illustration: If you'll believe me, Christopher Columbus Allen walked right into our kitchen--and discovered me.] Yes, Christopher Columbus Allen, a relative I never had seen, come to Jonesville and our house on his way to the World's Fair. Jest to think on't--Christopher Columbus Allen, who had passed his hull life up in Maine, and then descended down onto us at such a time as this, when all the relations in Jonesville wuz jest riz up about the doin's of that great namesake of hisen--And the gussets wuz even then a-bein' cut out and sewed on to the shirt that wuz a-goin' to encompass Josiah Allen about as he went to Chicago to celebrate him-- That then, on that Friday, P.M., about the time of day that the Injuns wuz a-kneelin' to the first Christopher, to think that Josiah Allen should walk in the new Columbus into our kitchen--why, I don't spoze a more singular and coincidin' circumstance ever happened before durin' the hull course of time. The only incident that mellered it down any and made it a little less miracalous wuz the fact that he never had been called by his full name. He always has been, is now, and I spoze always will be called Krit--Krit Allen. But still it wuz--in spite of this mellerin' and amelioratin' circumstance--strikin' and skairful enough to fill me with or. He wuz a double and twisted relation, as you may say, bein' related to us on both our own sides, Josiah's and mine.