collection of amber-like resins known. In case ten, large 
meteorite of iron, weighing three thousand two hundred 
seventy-five pounds, which fell near Tonopah, Nevada; it was 
found in 1908, and ranks tenth in size among known meteor- 
ites. In case eleven, bronze casting and carvings of wood and 
ivory from Benin, Africa. Thus, being within the distance of 
ten paces of the African elephants mounted in fighting attitude, 
we leave the cases and walk closer to them. 
“Oh, are they not enormous elephants!” said Birtha. 
They are,” said I. “They were secured on a museum 
expedition to British East Africa in 1906. The larger of the 
two measures ten feet by ten and a half inches at the shoulders, 
and its tusks weigh ninety-three and ninety-five pounds.” 
“I see you are somewhat familiarized with some interesting 
facts concerning the Museum.” 
“Yes, Miss Polton, somewhat.” 
“Now,” said I, after we had looked at the African elephants 
for some time, “let us have an observation of the Chinese 
honorary gateway that has been carved from teak wood.” 
And, as we reach the beautiful architectural Chinese master- 
iece, I resume: “This honorary gateway is nineteen _ feet 
igh, sixteen feet nine inches wide; it was made by Chinese 
Orphanage of Sikkawei, near Shanghai.” coal 
“It surely is artistic. I would like to have it in my house. 
It would be a pleasure for me to sit down and look at it.” 
“Well, some day, you may have one like that.” 
“Perhaps; who knows?” 
“Ah, nobody knows the inmost secrets of the future; there 
are possibilities and probabilities for us all.” 
“Those two pottery wine-jars of Roman times are excellently 
made, are they not?” said Birtha, as she glanced to one side. 
“They are. Besides, they are expensive jars. Come, now, 
Miss Birtha, let us enter the second hall, which has a collec- 
tion of Egyptian and classical archaeology.” . 
As we are making our departure from the nave of the build- 
ing, the first hall, we are glancing at the different contents in- 
cased in the various cases that we missed when we were at- 
tracted by the African elephants and the Chinese honorary 
gateway. On reaching the first hall we turn to the east and, 
on entering, we are in Edward E. Ayer Hall. Here we are 
amid the antiquities from ancient Egypt, such as notably pot- 
tery, bronze, marble and alabaster vases, figures of deities in 
bronze and stone, portrait statues, tomb tablets, charms, 
jewelry and ushebti figures, and seventeen cases containing 
coffins and mummies ranging from the pre-dynastic to the 
Roman period, and so on, and so on. Here, standing before 
the first case, Birtha says: 
“There are surely many sizes and different shapes of pottery 
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