| Show A esc nUant of Columbus Americans who visit Madrid are surprised sur-prised to learn that Christopher Colum bus is still living there in excellent preservation pres-ervation and still enjoys the title of Duke of Yeragua conferred upon tho family bylhe king of Spain 350 years agoThe The first who hare thA tiflo man r > J rauuson or tne oiscoverer from whom it has descended lineally to the present dnke who bears also the identical name of his ancestor Few of us know or care about the imaginary dukedom of Veragua but no American can look with indifference upon a Christopher Columbus descended from the man who made the name illustrious illus-trious and immortal 399 years ago Among other relics he has a very fino portrait of the navigator some features of which reappear in the countenance of his descendant Dr Henry Field of The Evangelist visited this old gentleman gentle-man a year or two ago While looking alternately at the picture the wall and the face of his host he perceived a considerable con-siderable likeness between them Dr Field did not forget to remind him of the approaching four hundredth anniversary anni-versary of the great discoverer nor did he omit to invite the present Christopher Columbus to visit America on that acca sionBut But the Duke of Veragua is an elderly gentleman and a Spaniard Spaniards of the present day are not so fond of roaming the seas as their ancestors were He could get to America much more comfortably than the first Christopher Columbus but he was strongly of opinion opin-ion that the celebration should be held I in Spain the country that sent his ancestor an-cestor forth on the glorious voyage of 1402 It is to be feared therefore that we shall not have the pleasure of seeing him in 1892 Chicago Times I |
