And the female figgers around Columbia’s throne wuz meant for Science, Industry, Commerce, Agriculture, Music, Drama, Paintin’, and Literature, all on ’em a-helpin’ Columbia along in her grand pathway.
And then I see that what I had hearn wuz true, that Columbia had jest discovered Woman. Yes, the boat wuz headed directly towards Woman, who stood up one hundred feet high in front.
And I see plain that Columbia couldn’t help discoverin’ her if she wanted to, when she’s lifted herself up so, and is showin’ plain in 1893 jest how lofty and level-headed, how many-sided and yet how symmetrical she is.
There she stands (Columbia didn’t have to take my word for it), there she wuz a-towerin’ up one hundred feet, lofty, serene, and sweet-faced, her calm, tender eyes a-lookin’ off into the new order of centuries.
And Columbia wuz a-sailin’ right towards her, steered by Time, the invincible.
I see there wuz a great commotion down in the water, a-snortin’, and a-plungin’, and a-actin’ amongst the lower order of intelligences.
But Columbia’s eyes wuz clear, and calm, and determined, and Old Time couldn’t be turned round by any prancin’ from the powers below.
Woman is discovered.
But to resoom. This immense boat wuz in the centre, jest as it should be; and all before it and around wuz the horses of Neptune, and mermaids, and fishes, and all the mystery of the sea.
Some of the snortin’ and prancin’ of the horses of the Ocean, and pullin’ at the bits, so’s the men couldn’t hardly hold ’em, wuz meant, I spoze, to represent how awful tuckerin’ it is for humanity to control the forces of Nater.
Wall, of all the sights I ever see, that fountain wuz the upshot and cap sheaf; and how I would have loved to have told Mr. MacMonnies so! It would have been so encouragin’ to him, and it would have seemed to have relieved that big debt of gratitude that Jonesville and America owed to him; and how I wish I could make a good cup of tea for him, and brile a hen or a hen turkey! I’d do it with a willin’ mind.
I wish he’d come to Jonesville and make a all-day’s visit—stay to dinner and supper, and all night if he will, and travel round through Jonesville the next day. I would enjoy it, and so would Josiah. Of course, we couldn’t show off in fireworks anything to what he does, havin’ nothin’ but a lantern and a torchlight left over from Cleveland’s campain. No; we shouldn’t try to have no such doin’s. I know when I am outdone.
Bime-by we stood in front of that noble statute of the Republic.
And as I gazed clost at it, and took in all its noble and serene beauty, I had emotions of a bigger size, and more on ’em, than I had had in some time.
Havin’ such feelin’s as I have for our own native land—discovered by Christopher Columbus, founded by George Washington, rescued, defended, and saved by Lincoln and Grant (and I could preach hours and hours on each one of these noble male texts, if I had time)—