THE YOUNG SCIENTIST. 
103 
trouble, and that we should become the 
best of friends in the future. 
He pressed me hard to take money, but 
I refused it, telling him that I felt already 
paid in anticipating the enjoyment I 
should derive from seeing the plants 
in the tanks. Then came the offer of com- 
plimentary tickets ; these I also declined, 
as they were of no use to me, (my opinion 
of Barnum's was not of the highest.) 
Wasn't there anything he could do for 
me ? I replied that at present not a thing, 
but, perhaps, in the future, I'd give him 
a chance to pay me off. He asked me for 
my address, and when I gave it to him, 
the same odd puzzled look came over his 
face, as he again took a look at my ward- 
robe, and I said to myself, "He's wonder- 
ing if I live on the fifth floor of a tene- 
ment, or in a brown stone front." When 
I reached home, and went over my adven- 
ture to my mother, we had a hearty laugh 
over it. 
Next day, when, arraying myself in 
broadcloth, new hat and "party" boots, 
vest and kids, a telegram came, request- 
ing me to come to the Museum immedi- 
ately. This message puzzled me greatly, 
but at last I concluded that*'Ali," the 
keeper of the hippopotamus, had stolen 
all my plants and fed them to " Hippo," 
and that either by money or coaxing, a 
new lot was to be obtained. Over I hur- 
ried, and when I reached the Museum, 
great was the astonishment my Eastern 
friend showed over my changed appear- 
ance, but greater was mine when he 
suddenly asked, with the greatest con- 
cern: "Did I know anything about 
whales ?" 
' ' Wait one moment, ' ' I replied, ' ' till I sit 
down and get my breath, for I've run 
nearly all the way ;" and I said to myself, 
" I must contemplate this thing." 
Presently, he repeated the question, 
"Did I know anything about whales?" 
and showing more anxiety than before. 
"Oh yes," I replied, just as though I 
was a second Jonah. 
" That's all right," said he, "come with 
me ; there ain't a moment to be lost, and 
I'll show you the * old man.' " Said I to 
myself, " Be on your guard ; the Wild Man 
from Borneo has lost his only son, and 
they are going to snake you into the old 
man's cage to be adopted." I didn't fol- 
low my new friend too closely, and felt 
that I'd feel much better if I was once 
more on Broadway. Presently, we arrived 
at a door that fitted into a tall box-like 
compartment, which reached to the ceil- 
ing, with one small window near the top. 
Taking out a key he whisked in, the door 
closing after him with a snap. The stairs 
from the entrance led up near this room, 
and I was about to take them, when my 
friend suddenly opened the door and smil- 
ing all over said, " Come in, come in, and 
I'll introduce you," In I went, and there 
sat a rather oldish looking man, with a 
bald head, busy writing. As soon as he 
paused, my friend remarked: "Mr. Bar- 
num, this is the person I've been speaking 
about." I was so mixed up that I forgot to 
say, "How are you, sir," but stood half up- 
right without saying a word. " Well," he 
remarked, " so you are posted on whales ?" 
I scarcely knew what reply I made, but 
supiiose I said, "Yes, sir." Then he in- 
formed me that I must have at least 200 
pounds of live fish in the whale tank by 
ten o'clock next morning. I was going to 
reply that I couldn't do it, when my East- 
ern friend winked and nodded to me to 
say yes, so I replied, "All right, sir." I be- 
gan to take in the situation. It was evident 
that I was engaged to obtain a breakfast 
for a whale that was on the way. I was 
sorely perplexed, but didn't show it, and 
was too proud to ask any questions. I had 
never collected any salt water fish, didn't 
know where to obtain them, or what kind 
were fitting for a hungry whale, the size 
of the whale, nor how large the fish ought 
to be. 
Before starting I was furnished with 
$50 to pay expenses, and a large amount 
of passes. How I went to work, and what 
my success was, I will tell in my next. 
— An eccentric individual thinks the 
government should at once put a stop to 
boring and pumping for oil. He fears 
that the oil is drawn from the bearing 
of the earth's axis, and that the earth 
will cease to revolve when the lubrication 
ceases. 
