The west shore., January 01, 1885, Page 3, Image 3

THE WEST SHORE.
3
other dignitaries for collogo graduatos and unsuccessful
preachers, who thought something of going to Oregon
ami regulating things, niul whonever ho stopped from
the train in the numerous cities along the route, received
boisterous and cordial invitations to rido from hncknion
and bus drivers, and had his hand heartily shaken by
bunko stoerors. It was glorious, enough to confuso and
turn the head of the most modest, and yet Mr. Allen
stood it like a major. Ono could not imagine from his
demeanor that ho had not always boon the centre of
admiring throngs; and yet, if ho wero taken aside and
interviewed privately, ho might, perhaps, be coaxed into
the admiHHion that ho had not. With his new high hat
'pushed imposingly back from his classic brow, whose
aspirations in tho direction of the apex of his cranium
have long since boon roalizod, and his shapely hands
resting in the capacious depths of his trowsers pockets,
ho smiled soronoly upon tho onthusiastio throngs that
poured out their spontaneous tributes to Oregon. His
heart boat high with mingled pride and gratification, as
lie disclaimod auy personal morit whatever, and evou de
clared that ho was but a common man, little as they
might think it It is reported that when he smiled uKn
a number of hulios whoso eyes rostod upon him with
admiration, his smile was bereft of all personality,' and
was but tho official smile of a commissioner; but this
roport lacks confirmation. Tho ovation roachod its climax
when ho debarked from tho cars at New Orleans. It was
with the greatest difficulty, and only by asserting tho
urgency of his mission, that ho finally forced his way
through tho cordon of hackmen, bus drivors, porters, men
who desirod to show him to a hotel for a dollar, who
wanted to Ixirrow ten dollars on a hundred-dollar check,
or to exchange now, crisp greenbacks for somo of the
cumbetsomo gold ho was supposed to bo laden' with. At
hist ho reached headquarters, profoundly impressed with
tho greatness of Oregon and its vital importance in the
show alnrnt to bo opened Indeed, ho full did he become
of this idea, that immediately upon entering the room,
and lieforo introducing himself, ho gavo expression t
the deep gratification it afforded him to arrive on lime,
and thus prevent auy delay in the opening of tho Exposl
tion.
" I beg your pardon " said the chairman of the com
mittee, " I did not hear your name.
"Allen is my name, sir."
"Oh, ah, I beg pardon. Why yes, certainly, of
course, Kir 1'orcy Newgate l'ickayiino Allen, of England.
Tako n chair, Sir l'orcy. Certainly we would have been
sorry not to have had you present at the opening cere
monies.
"Sir nothing," sniffed Allen, "I'm the Commissioner
from Oregon, sir."
"Oh, yes, certainly, of courso, excuse mo," stammero;
the chairman.
" Oh, that's all right What kind of a place have you
got for ma I've got a paralyzer, mid 1 want lots of
room to spread myself."
" I think, Mr. AlWu, yon will find that w have ulkilUU
you ample space. It was the desiro of tho committee
that our Wentern Territories o!,onM be mnd" rpit pr"m- '
inont, bo wo have placed Idaho, Oregon, British Colum
bia and tho other Territories iu as conspicuous position
as ixissible."
It was Bovoral seconds before Allen could subduo his
indignation, but as ho gazed upon the bland ami innocent
countenance of the chairman his anger gavo way to pity.
IIo called tho chairman ono side and whispered in his
ear, so gently that tho people in tho next room oamn in to
see what the row was about, the astonishing information
that British Columbia was a Province of Canada and that
Oregon had been a State for lo! these twenty-six years;
furthermore, that he had a display of velvet wheat, moss
backs, etc, that would denude tho bush of every rag
upon it Tho chairman apologized most profusely, and
then said that tho Oregon train had not yet arrived.
Twenty-five cars had just oome iu from Kansas, forty
from Nebraska and thirty from Minnesota, but tho Ore
gon train must be blockaded somewhere, Allen sat down
hastily and wept, and then, excusing his tears, ho told
tho chairman very privately that ho had sent ono car-load
in advance of tho regular train, and it ho would inform
him where to look for it ho would try to hunt it up.
Being directed to tho rear of tho Exposition grounds, ho
found a perfect babel scene. A multitude of side tracks
wero filled with cars which wero being unloaded, while
switch engines whistled and sputtered, trucks rattled and
men shouted and bawled at oach other. With one hand
toying with his silky whiskers, and tho other fondling a
bunch of keys and an nnti-rheumatio pitato, which ho
had carried in his hreochalooiiM xx'ket sineo his fcnee
joints had aw pi i red thermometrio properties on tho tented
field of the "late unpleasantness," Mr. Allen gazed umiii
tho scene, and endeavored to select from tho four or five
hundred cars in the yard tho ono which bore Oregon's
yellow placard. After two hours' diligent searching ho
found it among tho Utah cars, tho sucrinteiidont of tho
yard having Hiippimeil it to bo a car-load of Mormon pro
ducts from Ogdoii. Having rescued it from its polyga
mous surroundings, it was the work of but a few hours to
unload its contents and arrange thorn for display. Allen
is nothing if not Scriptural, and refuting softly to him-
self, "Tho last shall le first, ami the first last," ho thrust
his hands into his pocket and gazed serenely upon tho
Islmrs of other oommissionera who had been thero for a
week. IIo is now studying on tho problem presented by
the slimuess of his "paralyzer" when compared with
other displays, and has nliout concluded, in case any one
should notice it at nil, which is by no means certain, that
lie will assure them it is from Oregon County, Alaska,
Yet this is not the full extent of his perplexity. Ho is
extremely Ixilherod alxuit tho bust use to make of tho
largo space allolUnl to Oregon, of which his display only
fills ono comer. Ho is now halting between two courses,
uncertain whether to fill it with chairs and raiso much
needed revenue by renting them to visitor at ten cents
an hour, or to invest iu firor loswn pairs of roller and
turn it into a skuting rink.