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 worshipped when first discovered as the Red Flower God, 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 cushion 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, attitudes 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'-glass, 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.