Query to MySQL from ASP.net returns System.Byte[]

using System.Collections;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Configuration;
using System.Data.Odbc;
using System.Data;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Web.Security;
using System.Web.SessionState;
using System.Web.UI.HtmlControls;
using System.Web.UI.WebControls.WebParts;
using System.Web.UI.WebControls;
using System.Web.UI;
using System.Web;
using System;
 
public partial class _Default : System.Web.UI.Page
{
 
    private void Page_Load(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
    {
        // Put user code to initialize the page here
        LoadItems();
    }
    private void LoadItems()
    {
        string strConnstring = "DSN=MyODBCName;USER=user;PASSWORD=pass;";
 
        System.Data.Odbc.OdbcConnection conn = new System.Data.Odbc.OdbcConnection(strConnstring);
        try
        {
            conn.Open();
 
            string sql = "select ID, head, ";
            sql += "if(length(item)> 50, concat(substring(item,1,50),' ...'),item) as item, ";
            sql += "concat('<A HREF=\"newsitem.aspx?from=ai&id=',ID,'\">Read item</a>') as ReadItem, ";
            sql += "substring(modified,1,11) as modified, forcetop, forceverytop ";
            sql += "from newsitems where deleted = 0 order by modified desc ";
 
            System.Data.Odbc.OdbcCommand cmd = new OdbcCommand(sql, conn);
            System.Data.Odbc.OdbcDataAdapter da = new OdbcDataAdapter(cmd);
 
            System.Data.DataSet ds = new DataSet();
            da.Fill(ds);
            //this.txtHead1.ScrollBars = ScrollBars.None ;
            this.DataGrid1.DataSource = ds;
            this.DataGrid1.DataBind();
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            this.lblItem1.Text = ex.Message.ToString();
        }
        finally
        {
            conn.Close();
        }
    }
}