The Abbeville press and banner. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, August 27, 1890, Image 2
Loiromo.
BT ;ms FBAHZXISIRT1
Share1! an unforgotteo story
Of the daj* -who* we ware young,
Blare's a aweet and blissful story
1 Of the days when wo were young;
Of 1J5.0 times we went a-wooing,
Went a-billing and a-ooolng,
V?>7 sad heart-mischief doing
In the days Trhen we were young.
Ah, those seasons filled with glamour?
Ah, those days when we were young I
All nnvoxed with worldly clamor
Were the days when we ware young.
Bine eyes beaooned us to tender,
Lttrod us on to glad surrender.
Under skies of vernal splendor
In the days when we were young.
Sang the birds their blithest meaauroa
i In the davs when w? were young,
Bloomed the earth with greenest treasurav
In the davs when we were young;
Hand in hand wo walked together
All the lengths of ycang love's tether,
Kever nueiying us whether
We should ever thus be young.
Bleat for aye the recolleotion
Of the days when we were young I
flrnvrmfnl fhn r?>-mKrmation
On the days when we were youn?.
as we an older,
Btronser-Drataod, and haply bolder?
Vet, 2* 3k 1?our hearts are colder
Than In days when we wore young.
And the wearied Bonis that ponder
On the days when they were young,
Onward look with rapturous wonder
Prom tlio days when they were young.
To th? time of joy^as greeting,
To the place of happy meeting,
With the voice of faith repeating )
We shall evermore be young.
Lost Lina;
-OB,.
THE BITTER AND THE SWEET.
A Tale of Two Continents.
BY MBS. fflBA LAWSO*.
CHAPTER XXV.
All night long, after that of the tragf dy,
Jeannette had been haunted by
(he vision of her two poor victims, and
the next morning she was nnable to go I
to the citv. She did not leave hex '
loom for three or four days, and of t 1
course could not go to the city, as she i
tad expected, nor as yet carry out her 11
plans to have her Little tramp sent
Away. Lenora grew rapidly better, and 1
pi a few days was able to go down to
gie conservatory, supported by Mra. j |
ristoL
1 She would sit as long as she could in ! !
fiie little recess in the conservatory, j '
irhere she had fainted on the night of;
Ihe party. j '
Monday night was that ever to be re- j j
i nembered night to the inmates of the j '
Jristol mansion, and on the Monday. ! !
I uorning following Mrs. Bristol re-? j 1
loved a strange-looking letter; thti '
BVndwriting was new to her, and aq !
i km tore open the letter her handa *
;rembled so thai she could scarcely 1
, lold the paper. J
Aa she read on down the page he* '
lace became as that of the dead, and it
eemed difficult for her to breathe.
She was in Lenora's room, and they 1
had been sitting by the grate talking
when the letter was handed to her. | 3
.Lenoja jjotice^ how pale she was 1
when she finished the letter. j '
"I hope you have no bad news, Mrs. !
Bristol; no death, I hope."
"No. no death, but worse. Here is '
the letter; read for yourself. I do not! j
and can not understand how it can ba !'
true, but here it is on paper before me.' j (
would give half of all I possess to i
know it is false, for Bay's sake alone;.3
Cut what oan I do or think? Hera is j'
the letter, Lina; read for yours ell" i j I
The poor innocent girl took the letH i 3
ter, and her great beautifol eyes fell. j
upon these lines: M
Madam Bbibtol: L as a friend, think it) ' i
my duty to warn you in time of the danger '
fou are In at present. ]
You have had for some time past a very j
fceautlful young lady staying at your house j
tt is rumored that you have treated her as |
four own child; that certainly Is a great j I
mistake you have made, for you had no |
proof as to who she really is.
That fair, deoeptlve creature there is
charged with the murder of hor husband,
and at present the officers of the city are in I
search of her.
Borne one has told them that you are try- '
tag to protect her from the law. and I fear
Chat unless you send her away immediately ,
pou Till be placed in a very unpleasant position.
Of course it is not my duty to advise. 11,
only wisn to miorm yon 01 uut augur you <
?re'in in time. I
A Much Intzemted Fbiesd.
Lenora read on to the end of that |
terrible letter, while every word j
pierced her poor aching heart like so j
many daggere.
She knew, and knew that God knew, :
that it was false, and as the letter i
dropped from her cold, trembling;
fingers she raised her beautiful, dark,
troubled eyes to Mrs. Bristol's faoe. i
"Do you believe that, Mrs. Bristol ?* |
Her lips were pale and parched, and |
"her voice was low and husky.
"I hardly know what to believe, |
^.{Jnaj Ypu know of the manner in (
-which you came, and everything connected
with you seems very strange, j
Very strange things have occurred |
?inc*o you came here that I am utterly t
unable to account for, and to " i (
But Lenora stopped her before she ',
?ould finish her rebuke. I j
She sprang to her feet, while her
proud, handsome face was now flushed
scarlet with anger.
"Very well, Mrs. Bristol, yon may ;
believe it If you choose, but God and ,
I know it is all false. Yon have been j
Yery kind to me, indeed, and I have j
nothing to offer yon in return but my j
Vi onlra nn/1 laofinnr rrr i f i Hi fir* I
"7""? """""" o |
I have not a penny, not one Bingle |
garment, nor have I a friend in all j
this wide world, and all I ever told i
yon concerning myself was but the
simple truth. I would not stoop so j
low as to lie, and the only reason I j
liave for not revealing every action of j
my past life to yon was that there are j
* few things connected with it that it !
almost breaks my heart to think ol
"I once had a happy, <^uiet home, but
was stolen away from it all, and oar- 1
Tied off against my will; my enemies j
aeem to still persecute me; why I am ;
the victim of bo much misery I cannot j
understand.
"But yon need worry no more about j
me, for I shall leave as soon as poa- I
aible."
She had stood there, in that proud, {
M An Inn rr a a Kav from. :
WttUttUl# HiBUUWt ?n MW* MV4M
bling limbs would hold her. The lost
few words were scaroely audible, hex
Toice was so weak and her lips bo dry.
"Oh, my Father in Heavon, why have j
yon forsaken me, and what have I done j
that my life should be so dark and j
miserable ?" j
She sent np this prayer to the God oi '
Heaven, as she sank down in the j
chair, and buried her face in hex !
bands.
She conld not weep, for her sorrow !
was too deep, but her eyes burned j
like great coals of fire, and it seemed !
to her that her heart would burst with
jrain. j
Mrs. Bristol got know what to
do, Tor she had loved the poor tcmely
girl bo much, and the blow eatae so j.
madden and unexpected. As she heard |
Lenora utter that wild prayer od'.
agony, and saw the look of utter de- ,
spair on her pale face, her kind, moble '
heart went out to the poor little suf- j
ferer, and her eyes filled with tears.
"Lina, my child, I pity you, ^nd it;,
hurts me to see you suser bo I Do not
feel so bad, and I will think over what j
is best for me to do."
"No, no! Don't pity me, for I cannot
thank any one for her pity, if such it j
be, who does not believe in ma I
will notjremain here to see another
dawn.
"What if your son should return and
find me, an accused murderess, under
his roof? Ah I He would curse me,
and that would kill me, indeed 1
"No, I don't want you to pity me,
for you don't believe in my innocence."
Mrs. Bristol joss end left the room,
too full of Borrow to say anything.
Just as she left Lenora's room, Jean
nette's room door was closed; that vile |
murderess had again been listening at |
the keyhole, and heard every word that
was said in the blue rooms.
"Oh, I am so happy?so happy I All
is over now, and all is mine I Blessed
be the moment in which I thought
of that letter, for it sends her awav in
disgrace. "When Ray returns I sliall
have the satisfaction of seeing his love
crushed, and, surely, he will be
ashamed of ever having loved so vile a
woman!"
While she paced up and down faor i
room, she saemed to be treading on
air, and already she was planning in
her mind just how she would have her
trousseau made, and just who should be
invited to her wedding.
nrTnTi'nnq thft
V/ui wvu m aw ltv
victory is so " but she did not finish
the sentence, for the horrible vision of
the dead nurse aud Simple Tim appeared,
whispering in her ear, "No I" in
it* ice-cold breath. Jeannette reeled 1
and staggered around the room, and in
tome "way reached a sofa.
It had grown quite dark out of I
doors; the moon shone only at inter- I
tola, for occasionally its face was cov- 1
Bred with a passing cloud. I
A number of the rooms in the mansion
were brightly lighted, but in the '
blue rooms the gas had been turned
almost out about nine o'clock. I
At that time a tall, handsome young I
man, with a sad, haggard face, might
have been seen emerging from undeii I
the. tall trees by the side of the drive '
that led to the city, I
He had seen the bright light in thd
blue room, and then saw when it was I
turned low. He hastened his steps, :
but was some little distance from the :
manninn -nrhfln hfl saw the CTTeat hall I
loor open, a flash of light, and then it i
mddenly olosed.
"What can that mean? No one :
lame out. Perhaps they are looking
for me; but no one knows that I am :
soming, for I did not send them word, J
but intended to surprise them.
"Makes no difference; I must hurry, t
for I can't wait any longer, but must S
see my little love! E
"Oh, heaven3, has sho thought of
me half as much as I of her, and will t
jhe be my wife or not ? I must know I
to-night 1"
Bv this time he had reached the peb- I
bled drive in front of the mansion, j
Just then the moon seemed to dart i
from under a dark cloud that had been 1
biding its face for some time, and every t
object could plainly be seen. (
A fn.'nt ninVt Pnv'o OOT" a n rl [
^ 015a A CMVUV\4 ? -?1 ?- it
seemed to oome from the lake.
As he looked toward the partially f
frozen bodv of water he saw a little figi 1
are, clad ia a long white robe, with
bright golden curia loosely tossing |
about in the wind.
It was Lenora, and her little feet I
were swiftly carrying her far out in the I
lake to the edge of the ice, where she1 (
intended to loose herself forever from t
this wicked, troublesome world in
those deep, cold waters. She stopped I
for breath a minute, and turned to c
bake one last look at the mansion. f
"Oh, beautiful mansion I the home j
of my darling, my heart's one idol, I
must take one last look at you before I (
am lost in these deep, cold waters." 1 i
* * *' * ? ? 1? i--.ii.i- I (
Ana men, clasping uer ninw me-uuiu >
hands as she knelt there, Bhe prayed: 1
"Father, my Father in Heaven, lis- k
ten to me now, for I will soon be with j
you in your beautiful home in Heaven, s
I have no home here, and no one to <
care for me; they are all hunting me
for my life; they call me a murderess,
but Thou knowest I am innocent.
Jesus, the only brother I have in Heaven
or on earth, loves me, and will take
care of me when I am with Him. For[jive
all who have wronged me, and
forgive me if I am doing wrong tonight;
but, oh, Father, I cannot stay
here. I am coming, now, to Thee in
Heaven!" i
As tha moon shone down upon the
little golden head, Ray recognized it, I
anirtlr o a r? flooll flflW flint fill A
?uu v^u4va ao M UUBM UV WMK VUW?
was going to take her life.
He knew that something terrible had
happened, or she w??ld never do such
& wrong, aa he saw he? flitting along
over the sriow-covorcd ice to its very
gage. He dropped his valise and i
Started after her.
"Oh, God, that is my little darling,
my angel, as pur3 as thosa she will
join if she reachcs the edge before I ,
oan get to her. I know she is innocent
Df any wrong, for, thank God, I have
the proof, and I will save her or die
with her."
He ran toward Lenora as fast as he
could, still carrying a bundle under his
arm that he had forgotten to leave on
the bank.
The poor little persecuted girl was
far in advance of her anxious pursuer
when she disappeared from his sigh*
Bay advanced all the more rapidly
toward the spot he lost saw her, and aa
he draw near he saw her as she knelt
there on the snow, with her little handi
tightly clasped, while the moon's
bright rays displayed every feature of
that beautiful, angelic face.
"God of heaven and earth, keep her
there until I can reach her and carry
her back in my arms, to rest there
evermore.
The murmured petition had scarcely
passed his lips when the little
shivering form darted up and ran on
and on nearer the edge of the ice.
Ray increased his speed, but the ice
was so thin that it would scaroely bear
his "weight, while the light, fairy-like
Lenora 'could skip along on the thin
crust.
On she went, rising and falling as
the h,?avy waves rose and fell; still
her slight weight did not break the ice.
"Stop! stopl For God's sake stop!"
rang through the air, out on the deep
blue waters, in a strained, agonized
tone, as if they were the last words of
a desperate, dying man.
Those words had no effect upon
Lenora, and now she was within a few
yards of where she could no longer
remain above wa'.er. It_ seemed to
iisy as if she were walking on the
waves, far out in the lake. He had
gone as for as he could on the thin ice
without breaking through. A deep
moan escaped his lips; there was but
one thing to do?to save her?and
that now would be almost a miracle.
He must use a lasso; the bundle
under his arm was a long rope that he
had bought for a friend and fortunately
hud carried with him on the ice.
Quick as thought the bundle was
opened and the lasso made; he understood
the trick perfectly, and was positive
that if she did not fall through before
he could throw it over her head
she would be saved.
Ray 'threw the loop, but before it
had gone more than half tiie distance
a high wave rose and Lenora disappeared.
CHAPTER XXVL
As that wave arose, it did not affect
the lasso whatever, for Ray had thrown
It high in order to avoid the waves.
The piece of ice that Lenora stood
an at that moment was somewhat
thicker than the rest, and one that
had drifted across from the western
ahore.
As she rose on the next wave, the
lasso fell over her head and down on
her shoulders. Ray's keen eye saw it,
ud. as soon as it had fallen below the
ielicate white throat, he drew it tight;
in a few moments she was saved, closely
pressed to her lover's bosom.
She was partially unconscious, aa
Ray drew her across the ice and snow;
as soon as she was noar, he drew off his
heavy overcoat and wrapped it around
her shivering little form.
"Thank God, sho is saved!" He
juickly ran toward the shore over the
treacherous ice.
The warm overcoat and Ray's tight
^rasp on that frail little form produced
circulation of the chilled blood, and
Lenora soon recovered consciousness,
[lay had not removed hie eyes from her
face, and when she opened those great,
ireazny of her own, they met.
A smile played about her pale, cold
lips, that Ray knew so well; he kissad
;hose eold, quivering lips again and
igain, until they were warm and scarlet
like his own.
Lenora did not know where she was,
autin a few moments Ray said:
"Why were you so cruel as to run
iwav from me in this manner ana to
,ry to take jour own pure life ?"
At the sound of his voice she seemed
? -waken from a sweet dream, and
(tmggled and tried to extricate herself
:rom his close embrace.
"Lot me go?let me go instantly I
Dh, why did you stop me, for I want to |
lie! All the world think me wicked,
ind they call me a murderess. I supwse
you think the same and have
(topped me to have me arrested V
Kay stopped and drew her even
sloser to his bosom.
"No, no, my little darling. I have
:ome to save you, for I know that you
ire as inuocent as a little babe. Thank
3od, my little love, I have the proof;
)ut tell me why did you try to drown
rourself to-night? Has some one
alsely accused you ?"
"Yes, yes; and it is all so terrible
hat I would rather die than live.
Please let me go."
"Let you go ? Never?never while I
ive. Tell me, do you love me ? Can !
" * ? i i
ou love ana win you De mine?ds my
>wn sweet, littlo wife? I love you
jstter than the liglit of day, better
han my own life, and I cannot live
rithout you. Answer me, will you be
nine ?"
Lenora's face was crimson, but in an
nstant it became as white as the snow
it Kay's feet.
"You do not answer me. Why are
rou silent so long ?"
"It would be impossible, Mr. Bristol,
or me to be your wife. You have not
hought of the matter sufficiently to
+/-> o nriao pnnplnainn nr von
lever ask this."
?0h, for heaven's sake, Lina, do not
orture me any more. Have I not enlured
enough of tins suspense since I
irst saw you? You do not love me;
rour heart is elsewhere."
"Can you not understand me, sir?
Uan you not realize who you are wastng
your life, your affections, upon?
2 an you not realize that I am a penniess,
friendless, homeless, and someimes,
I fancy, nameless girl? Can't
rou see that I am merely an outcast,
tnd that you are wronging vourself by
vishing me to be your wife ?"
-fTO BE CONTTTTURD.l
WORDS OF WISDOM.
The truest joy we have in life is ia
making others glad.
Laughing helps us through the world;
crying keeps us back.
Our memories ere the echoes of joys
and griefs forever gone.
Life is not so short but there is always
time enough for courtesy.
About the most difficult effort we can
make is to realize our own ideals.
The flower that opens first to the sunshine
keenest suffers from the frost.
To give praise sincerely is only a just
expression of our recoguition of true
worth.
We love ourselves notwithstanding our
raults, and we ought to love our friends
in a like manner.
That is a brave little soul, indeed, that
has the power to turn its "double-pains
to double-praise.'1
It would seem to be preferable to wear
out, rather than to be saved from rust
bv an annlied polish.
Character docs not usually sustain sudden
changes: age is most generally the
development ot ycruti.
Getting into a passion is a good deal
like getting into a briar bush. The bush
comes out nil right, but you don't.
'Tis not always what we have accomplished,
but what we had hoped to, that
has afforded us the most satisfaction.
Happiness lies concealed in ourduties,
which, when fulfilled, give it forth as
the opening rose gives forth fragrance.
Silk Prom Wild Heinp.
Navctaura Sakusaburo, a druggist of
Hikoce, in Omi, Japan, has succeeded in
converting wild hemp (yachyo) into a
substance possessing nil the essential
qualities of silk. Nothing is said about
the process, but it is asserted that trial
of the thread has been made at the first
6ilk-wcaving establishment in Kioto and
other factories with excellent results in
every case. The plant in question grows
on moors and hillsides. Its fiber is said
to be strong aud glossy, in no wise inferior
to silk when properly prepared.
Cultivation on an extended scale would
present no difficulties.?Chicago Herald.
it la not so mucn wnat a man aoes
what he loves that decides his destiny.
' --.v. . k. : ? ; .v. .r.
AX OSTRICH RANGE
*
JJATSING THE QUEER BIRD I?
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
He Fights liikc a Wild Cat tr Hii
i. Home is Invaded?Harmless With
a Stocking Over His Head
?Plucking the Feathers
f jgy ATS a Santa Ani
(Cal.) letter to tb<
M&i New York World
. jSA On the sloping sich
/I [ ;)?f a foothill in th<
/' ?aQ Bernandinc
range of mountains,
fi?S'iQ Southern Califori
rp*a'*s ^e queerest
| little ranch in all the
' Golden State. A
high fencc of hem''
planking, with
.every crack stopped
tip, massive, iron bound gates, of the
? - i?*.1 .1 ^ I'iiU
same neavjT material, uuu u unau mime
house occupied by two sturdy aud determined
looking men, guard the secrets of
that odd looking inclosure on the side of
tbe little mountain.
To the sightseer or casual visitor who
passes the great plank inclosed fields, an
array of moving heada, with bulging
eyes and gaping mouths of immense
size, convey very little idea of what 6ort
of stock is being reared there- These
heads, numbering dozens and even scores
at times, seem to be lifted up out of
nothingness, poked high into the air and
lunged swiftly over the top of the plank
fence in the direction of the visitor. A
sharp hiss emitted just as the glaring
eyes and wide-open mouth come into
sight might prove a very effective object
lesson to a hard drinker.
But the heads are not those of monster
serpents. The eyes which glare and
never blink or move are not the eyes of
antediluvian reptiles, but belong to an
inoffensive bird. The gaping mouth is
the mouth of an ostrich, and -within that
planked inclosure are more than a hundred
of them fully grown. But the array
of heads and bare uecks, twisting and
writhing to and fro, cannot fail to conjure
up before the mind of a visitor a
nest of gigantic serpents, wriggling and
hissiug in their endeavors to get over the
high fence to devour him.
Once within these iron-bound gates the
sightseer will witness sights which cannot
be seen elsewhere on this continent
and nowhere else on the globe save in
the vicinity of Cape Town, South Africa.
The ostrich industry was begun in this
country eight years ago, but the birds
then brought from Abyssinia did not
thrive, and after a year or more, this attempt
to raise them for their plumes was
abandoned. But other persons were
quick to see that if birds of a sufficiently
hardy nature could be imported
to stand the climate of Southern California,
there would be a large revenue of
profit in the businet3. The gentlemen
who own this farm determined to try the
South African ostrich and young birds
were imported under the skillful management
of the foreman, who still has thq
farm la charge. There were twenty of j
these ostriches and they first saw the
farm near Fullerton, a little more than
six years ago. Of the original birds im->
ported, sixteen still survive and of thd
four dead, only one died from sickness,
the others having injured thcmsclvej
fatally, by falling into ditchc3 in thd
night time. From the flock of twenty
birds, 140 have been reared, but owinjj
to death from accider*, unly 124 of them
I were on the farm when the Wwld party
visited it lust week.
A COVEY OF TOUXG OSTRICHES.
"If you will walk this way," said tho
Buptnntencleot, "1 will show you the
j youngest ostriches ever exhibited in
Amcrica, here or anywhere else. I have
a number in a little inclosure down here,
which were hatched only day before yesterday,
and they are well worth seeing."
We walked toward a little brook on
the bank of which stood a framework of
boards which looked something like a
hot-bed in a vegetable garden. It had a
roof partly of boards and partly of glass,
and underneath the panes were several
birds about the size of half-grown goslings.
They were as lively as sparrows,
jumping hither and thither, pecking at
the gravel in one corner of their cage or
nibWiug at the tender shoots of alfalfa
/>1/iTrnr rrrntvincr in another. TllC sash
was lifted off and the Superintendent
went into their cage to catch one of the
covey. He Lad a prettly lively chasc of
it around the narrow limits of the inclosure,
but finally succeeded in catching
one of the largest. The young ostrich
was covered with down soft as satin and
as glossy as if it had been oiled. There
was a slight moulting of white-tipped,
fluffy feathers all over its body, and down
the back of its neck was a broad stripe
of jet-black color, merging into shaded
brown und very pretty. There were ten
in all, ranging in age from three days tc
three weeks. The Superintended
dropped the one he had caught and
picked up another and a smaller one a
moment later. The rapid growth of the
ostrich can be imagined from the Superintendent's
assertion that in sixteen
months the bird will have reached a
stature of eight or nine feet when standing
erect.
"What is the value of a young ostrich?"
I asked.
"We value them at $100 each when
they are hatched, anil their value increases
with their age. They yield their
first crop of feathers when they are sixteen
months old. After that wc get at
least two crops of feathers every year
from them."
"And for how many years will a bird
continue to jield a paying amount of
plumes?"
"Oh, they live to a good age, and so
long as they live yield first-class feathers.
The male birds?all those big black fellows
you see up there on the hillside are
males?of course pay the best, for it is
from them that we get the finest plumes.
From the female birds we get the brown
and gray feathers. These have to be
"* v ' - v". TiT"
dyed before they can be marketed, and
then they are shorter and lighherin body
than the plumes from the males. The
feathers from the female birds are made
into tips and 6hort plumes, and bring
much less, comparatively, than the long,
heavy plumes of the males."
4'How do you pluck the feathers?" I
asked, deijous of seeing the operation,
if possible.
| "I cannot pluck a bird for you now,
because wc are through with that work
for this month, but if you will walk up
into the main corrals I'll show you how
it is done."
i Up on the side of the sloping hill are
sixteen small squares within the main inclosure.
These little squares arc about
forty feet each way and accommodate a
male and female bird. In them the
young arc raised, and into them it is very
dangerous for the keepers to go during
the breeding season. In ons corner of
the inclosure was a triangular pen of
boards, just large enough to admit the
body of an ostrich. A stout bar standing
by the fence could be used to drop
into place as soon as the bird had been
/ lm'tron infA fUo non Tlton a cfnnlrinrr
slipped over his head shut of! his sight
and he was as effectually a prisoner as if
he had been thrown upon the ground
and tied. "When an ostrich is thus imprisoned
one of the keepers reaches
through the bars of the pen, lifts up his
wings, and with a pair of keen-edged
nippers clips off the plume quills just
above the skin, allowing the stumps to
| remain in tho flesh. These are subsequently
shed by the bird, and immediately
thereafter a new plume continues
to grow. From six to ten plumes of the
finest quality are obtained from each side
of the bird twice a year, to say nothing
of the smaller plumes and tip3 from the
back and tail.
Thl- devotion of the male bird to the
female amounts almost to adoration. He
guards her nest day and night and will
fight furiously to protect her from an
imaginary danger. He relieves her on
the nest at 4 o'clock in the afternoon and
remains there until 8 o'clock the next
" , L -
' '
EXPRESSING HIS INDIGNATION,
morning, taking his "watch" with almost
clock-like regularity. He does two
thirds of the duty of setting ana tnerefore
two-thirds of the labor of hatching
a brood of young.
I had an opportunity, in one of the
smaller corrals, of witnessing the building
of a permanent nest. The female
bird trotted around the lot in a peculiar
manner, now and then pecking at the
ground with her bill. Finally she found
a spot to her liking and scratched up the
sandy loam a little with her foot. Then
she walked away, proud and happy in
the knowledge that she had found the
proper place for digging the family nest.
She retired to a further corner of the lot
and sat down. Then the male bird, a
handsome, black-plumed fellow, strutted
over to the spot where the head of the
house had scratched away the turf. He
went to work with a will and soon his
big, two-toed feet, armed with their
heavy claws, had dug out quite a hole in
the soft sand. He did not stop until he
1 n 3 ? ?? k?Ao/1 a a
naa maae an cxcuvauuu iuuj
the body of his beloved mate and about
a foot in depth. Then he spoke to her
in ostrich language and she immediately
came to the nest. There were some
modern improvements which he had
overlooked, perhaps, for she wasn't
pleased with it exactly. She gave him a
few more instructions and sat down to
watch the progress of the work. The j
old fellow went to work like a dutiful 1
AN OSTIUCn TWO WEEKS OLD.
husband, scratched a little more dirt
here and dug a little deeper there, until
he had apparently carried out the orders
oi 111s spouse. Stic then sat down in the
ne3t, ruffled her feathers, kicked and
scratched a little and finally pronounced
the nest a fit. Then they both went gossiping
around by the fence, letting the
?iii
inhabitants oune ostncu viimsfu imutuu
secret that they had the latest-improved
and best-appointed nest in all ostrichdom
and were about to hatch a brood which
should be the envy and wonder of all beholders.
In an adjoining inclosure an ostrich
hen was just going on her nest. She had
told her better half that he might take a
little stroll, and he was cantering toward
the feed-trough at the further side
of the corral as fast as a horse could run.
The female in this particular instance
was a very i^ad hen. The Superintendent
had taken two egrcrs from the nest,
and she had caught him at it. He had
the eggs outside of the fence, but he
couldn't put them back for fear the bird
would kick him. So, as the only alternative,
he laid them down carefully just
inside the inclosure and the hen rolled
them back one by one. using her head
as a lever. Then she fluffed her feathers
a little, uttered a defiant hiss at the impudent
visitors who had caused her nest
to be disturbed, squatted down over her
K ......
' eggs, tucked her head under her wing
and went to sleep.
"Come this way now," said the Superintendent,
"and I'll show you the fullgrown
birds, not yet mated off, over in
the big paddock. They are a bad lot
just now, for they are mating and the
males like to show off. Don't get too
near the fence, for they will kick you if
they can."
As soon as we stopped they came up to
the fence and snapped at our hat3 in a
friendly sort of way. The Superintendent
took up a stick and rattled it between
the boards of the fence. Instantly
there was a crash as of a heavy blow, accompanied
by a shrill hiss. Crash after
crash followed as one of the ostriches
kicked at the stick held in the Superintendent's
hand. He thrust his great foot
forward with lightning-like rapidity and
every time his horn-shod great toe struck
the fence it left an indentation almost an
inch deep. It was an exhibition of kicking
such as I had never seen elsewhere,
and I bad much rather sec that ostrich
practise on the plank fence than on any
part of my anatomy.
The feeding of the giant birds is interesting.
In the evening they eat grain,
principally oats and rolled barley, but for
their other meals thev are fed finelv
chopped crreen alfala. The fields of alfalfa
on the ranch alford an unlimited
supply of nourishing food for the birds
and they thrive upon it perfectly. It is
the food the ostrich gets in South Africa,
and he does as well on it in California a3
there. The alfalfa is brought in from
the fields by the wagon-load,then chopped
in a feed-cutter very finely and thrown
into the feeding-boxes in the various incisures
in unlimited quantities. The
birds eat little at a time, but eat often.
They are not gluttons nor gourmands,
though they will cat and swallow anything.
They drink large quantities of
water and spend their time in chasing one
another around th^paddocks^
Stanley's Dinner Service.
Housewives will be interested in the
following list, which is no other than Mr.
and Mrs. Stanley's silver-dinner service.
It is solid silver.
36 table forks. 18 ice spoons.
24 table spoons. 8 helping spoons.
24 dessert spoons. Pair grapa scissors.
24 dessert forks. Pair sugar tongs.
24 teaspoons. 4 dessert dishes.
1 soup ladle. 1 epargn9.
2 gravy spoons. 4 entree dishes.
4 sauce ladles. 2 candelabra.
18 dessert knives. 2 chased beakers.
18 dessert spoons. 2 sauce boats.
10 dessert ior&s.
These desirable articles are presented
by the Emin Pasha Relief Committee to
"Henry M. Stanley, on his wedding day,
July 12, 1S90, in commemoration of
duty nobly done and a great enterprise
splendidly achieved in Darkest Africa."
?Pall Mall Budget.
A Telegraph-Pole Bore.
The -woodpecker and portion of telegraph-post
here represented were recently
exhibited to the Cardiff Naturalists'
Society by the President, John
Gavey. In the course of his official duLin
$M\
i V ?
- Jw
THE WOODPECKER AT "WORK.
ties as district engineer of postal telegraphs,
several instances of injury to
poles ia the neighborhood or &nipton-onStour,
caused by large holes being
driven into and almost through them,
were brought under his notice. A watch
was set and the depredator discovered
in the form of what the watchman described
as a "stock-eagle," which, when
shot, turned out to be a poor little woodpecker.
The bird is thought to have been misled
by the humming noise conducted
through the wood from the wires, into
the belief that a store of insect delicacies
awaited extraction from the interior, and
with energy worthy of a better result it
"slogged" away until it had arrived
within half an iuch of the opposite side.
Then the fatal shot terminated the work.
The Fastest Animal on Earth.
The fastest thing on earth for a mile is
r. crack thoroughbred horse?remember
nriTIT cr>0!l lfl fl <T rtf birds Of tllC
wu mu uuv uuM
air, but only of beasts of the field, and
the thoroughbred race horse in his best
state can outrun any antelope, deer or
wild creature tbat puts its feet to the
trrouad.?New York Tribune.
An Indefinite Term.
**' **-- "TT__ a to rrnn in tnr
Visitor? 'xiurt wujj ?.v j? ? ?
my poor man?"
Prisoner?"Dunno, Ma'am."
Visitor?"How can that be?"
Prisoner?' 'It's a life sentence. "?Pud.
In some wheat-planting experiments,
when the seed wa3 covered but half an
inch it came up in about eleven days,
while tha*- covered three inches was over
twenty days in coining up.
One car Dlnlding company in Pennsylvania
has on hand orders for 29,000
freight cars. The largest order is for
lO.OOO. ______
A limited liability company has been
formed in London to build a new crematory.
H
TEMPERANCE.
WHAT HAVE TOC DONE TO-DAY?
I saw a farmer when the day was done;
The setting sun had sought its crimson bed.
And the mild stars came forward one bygone;
S
I saw the sturdy farmer, and I said: /?
"What have you done to-day?
0, farmer, say?"
"0, I've sown the wheat in yonder field,
And pruned my orchard to increase the
yield.
And turned the furrow for a patch of corn?
This have I done since morn."
I saw a blacksmith in his smithy door,
When the day had vanished and the west?
grew red,
And all the weary noise and strife were o'er*
I saw the kindly blacksmith, and I said:
"What have you done to-day?
0, blacksmith, say?"
"0, I have made two plow shares all complete,
And nailed the shoes on many a horse's feet.
And, 0, my friend, I cannot tell you half P'
The manor muscle answered with a laugh.
I saw a miller when the day had cone,
And all the sunshine from the hills had fled*
fonHor chn^nwo nronf o/>r/v;c thn rxm
I saw a dusty miller, and I said:
"What have you done to-day?
O, miller grey?"
"0, I have watched my mill from morn tilt
night,
Did ever you see flour so snowy white?
And many are the mouths to-day I've feed.'"
The merry miller laughed as this he said.
I saw another when the night drew nigh.
And turned each daily toiler from his task,
When j|oId and crimson cloudlets decked the
"What have you done to-day?
Drink-seller, say?"
But the drink seller turned with drooping;
head,
And not a single word in answer said.
What had he done? His work, he knew full*
well.
Was plunging souls in deepest hell!
' Alas, drink-seller, on that awful day
"When death shall call you, and your race
is run,
How can you answer? What can you sayfr to
When God shall question you, 'What havf-*^
you 'done?
How can you meet the eye
Of the Most High?
When night approaches and the day growslate,
Think you to find your way to Heaven's*
gate?
Think you to dwell with the souls of righteous
men ?
Think you to enter in? If not, what then?""
?Ella Wheeler Wilcox.
ELEVTS TEARS WITHOUT A SALOON.
Rev. Dr. J. L. Hurlbut, widely known in'
connection with Sunday-school and Chautauqua
work was lately in Ottawa, Kansas, conducting
a session of the Chautauqua Assem- bly,
and in a letter to the Central New Jersey
Times writes: "I am at present in a city of
8(w0 inhabitants ? Ottawa, in Franklin.
County, Kansas?where no liquor saloon has
been open in' eleven years. A young man,
twenty-one years old, told mo last evening
that he did not remember ever seeing a bar
or saloon in the city, and that be had never
seen a drunken man in the streets of Ottawa..
Think of a boy growing up to manhood without
seeiDg cither a dram-shop or a drunkardf
There arc a thousand such young men in thil
city." "What a boon it would indeed be to- /
the young men, and to the homes of the nation,
if the saloon were as effectively banished '
from every city and town in the land \?Nartional
Advocate. ?
FREE ICE WATER FOR ALL. N
One of the most practical of sumrnar
charities, and one that gives mora relief to
distressed humanity in a moment than almost
any other, is the free ica water system
arranged and provided for by the Business
Men's Aloderation Society of this city, which'
daily gladdens the hearts and assuages thethirst
of thousands of men, women and children.
Several years ago a number of gentleman,
headed by Richard S. Storrs, JohnC. Barnes,
Sylvanus Lyon and the late Clinton B. Fidt,
organized the society, and conducted it OQ<^
such a basis that the contributions?voiun*pw
tary, of course?of friends and membaro^^
have been large enough to supply the tanks and
also operate a traveling ice wagon which
patrols the tenement districts. The tank in*
front of the Postofflca is perhaps best known
to the average man, although the other, oil*
East Thirty-fourth street, has hosts of
friends, and all day long a waiting stream of
people drink the cooling fluid and bless thedonors.
The two attendants, S. C. Hilligan
and Charles Brannigan, handle each day
over 2000 pounds of ice.
The traveling wagon begins its rounds early"
each morning at the Five Points, and goes -
up one crowded street and down the other.
Little children bring tin pails and have them
filled for sick mothers and relatives, while '
thirsty old men and convalescents hobble opto
the cart and get their portion of the welcome
fluid. A coal heaver, whose face is begrimed
with soot and dust, would have ahard
time getting a glass of ice water anywhere
else. The car drivers whose route ends
at the Postoffies rush to the cooling shade of
the "Moderation" fountain and quaff long
draughts of ice water, for there is no limit towhatonemay
take, providing he docs not
want all there is in the tank.
The society proposes next year to establish
two more fountains if the funds will permit.
Four times as much money nas Deen required
this year as in any previous year, on
account of the high price of ice. It is proposed
to put a new fountain at Tomptdns
Square and one at Union Square, both of
which places are passed da..y by thousands
of people. The expense of running tli&
fountains this season amounts to about $35 a.
day.
Over 2000 gallons of water a day are used
in the wagon and 0000 in the two fountains.
Tho number of consumers is enormous. A
recent calculation of the people supplied at
the Postofflce is as follows:
Monday 9,500
Tuesday.. 27,80C
Wednesday 52,500
Friday 33,00(
Saturday 31,75(
Total 134.55CM
Tho manufacture of beer has increased
this country from 206,GAS Larrels in 1SG'3 to
24,(360,219 in 1SS9, but the Moderation Society
hopes to make its converts so numerous
that in twenty years beer will not bo in the
race. Mr. Sylvanus Lyon, tl>e Vice-President
of tho socicty, originated tho i.lea of
giving ice water to thirst 7 men on tlio streei
and preventing iu this way the necessity for
patronizing saloons. Ho thinks that the society
has done more real temperance work
than all the total abstinence societies in tho
country. Cornelius Vander'nilt, H. B.
Claflin, C. I. Tiffany, Drcxel. Morgan & Co.
and others have contributed each year to the
fund.?New York World.
TESIFERA>,"CE NEWS AND NOTES.
Russia is despotic, but sensible in some
thing?. Her saloon keepers are no longer
allowed to sell liquor to working men on
credit. i
A Birmingham man, while under the influence
of driulr, knocked off his great to?
with a hammer, imagiuing that he was cutting
his throat with a carving knife.
The official census at the Madison County
(N. Y.) roorhouse shows that eighty per
ceut. of the inmates were obliged to seek for
admittance there because of intemperance.
Kev. O. C. Brown says: "lean tell you
how to stop pauperism "in this country in
four words 'Stop the drink traffic.' Liquor
is responsible for eight-ninths of the pauper
isai of America." ,
One hundred and fifty times as roach as is I
annually paid to the clergymen of the United I
States, and one hundred and eighty times as I
much as is paid every year by the whole I
world for the cause of missions, is annually I
expended to support the liquor traffic. I
The Ohio State Grange say? -. "Ten dollars I
paid for drinks creates a market for corn to I
the value of a fraction over eleven cento. I
Ten dollars expended for pork, even with I
the present exorbitant profits of butchersL I
creates a market for corn to the value or I
$3.75. Every bushel of corn used by the I
distillery therefore cuts off the market for I
over thirty bushels of corn made into pork.2t-<l
A large truck drove up to the salesrooms I
of a wholesale wine merchant in Beaver I
street, New York, the other dav and un- 9
loaded a couple of cords of brand-new wine fl
cases. The cases were empty and, although I
made here, they bore the name and stamp of H
a French vriue manufacturer. Passers-by fl
who stumbled over tho empty casta won- fl
derod what kind of wine the Beaver street fl
dealer intended to put in them. I