If the Lord called me to tackle a whale, I would tackle it, but I hain't had no callin', and I hain't goin' to try to ride out in no whale." "I'm a-callin' you," sez he.
"Wall," sez I dryly, "you hain't the Deity--no, indeed, fur from it." "Wall," sez he, "I'd love to go, Samantha.

What a glorious piece of news to carry back to Jonesville, that we rid out in a whale.

In the old Jonesville meetin'-house now, when Elder Minkley is a-preachin' on Jonah--and you know he trots him out a dozen times a year as a warnin'-- how you and I could lift up our heads and tost 'em, and how the necks of the Jonesvillians would be craned round to look at us--we two, who had rid out in a whale--we had been right there, and knew how it wuz." "I don't want to show off," sez I, "and I don't want any necks craned or tosted on account of my gettin' into a whale and ridin' it;" and then I sez, "Good land! what won't Chicago do next ?" And I added, "It don't surprise me a mite; it hain't no more of a wonder than lots of things I have seen here.

I might a known if Chicago had sot its mind on havin' a whale to transport folks to the World's Fair she'd a done it, but I won't tackle the job." "There it is," sez he gloomily, "I never make arrangements to distinguish myself and make a name, but you must break it up.

I had lotted on this, Samantha," sez he.
He looked sad and deprested, and though I was bound not to give in and go, yet I made some inquiries.
"How many does the whale carry?
What makes you think we could both git into it ?" Sez Josiah, "It carries 5000 at a time." I felt weak as a cat, jest as I had felt time and agin sence I had come to Chicago.
"Wall," sez I in weak axents, and dumbfoundered, "any whale story I could hear about Chicago wouldn't surprise me a mite." And I wiped my brow on my white linen handkerchief, for though the idee didn't surprise me none, it started the sweat.
Sez Josiah, "It is 225 feet long, and has a fountain in it, and a skylight 138 feet long." But jest at that minute, before I could frame a reply, even if I could have found a frame queer-shaped enough to hold my curious--curious feelin's-- Miss Plank knocked at the door and said she wuz ready to go--we had made arrangements to go together that mornin'-- and Josiah tackled her about the whale; and sez she briskly-- "Oh, yes; the whaleback Christopher Columbus! It would be a good idee to go to the grounds in it; you can go down in it in half an hour--it is only seven or eight milds." So we fell in with her idee; and bein' ust to the place, she took the lead, and also the street cars, and we soon found ourselves on board the biggest floatin' ship I ever laid eyes on.