The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-07-05
ANECDOTES,

81" 1HE BOYS n EST. wears ago
farmer in the State of New York sent his
son Rollin to drag newly -plowed field
He was to drive young ox-team and the
father in quite pompous manner said
"Now, boy, to drive this team you must be
man to-day, and keep out of all boyish
scrapes, then you'll get along well enough.
Now, remember, no boys play with this
team" Rollin said he would do as we'll as
he could, and started for his work. After
the farmer had looked to other matters or
the farm, and assured himself that all was
moving along properly, ne started for the
field to look afteytht team. Now Rollir
had done well, and Everything had gone oil
nicely until just as the farmer reached the
corner of the field, when the drag caught ii
an old stump, tearing part of it of, anc
bringing out an active nest Of yellow jack
cts. When the farmer came in sight, what
was his establishment and vexation, to see
the oxen kicking, and jumping, and plungine
ahead, and Roln apparently initiating theil
movements. Here, boy, what are you do
ing there p screamed the farmer, in nc
very gentle manner. . | guess we're in g
hornets nest" answered the frantic Rollin
In boys nest, guess Here, give me
that whip, said the enraged father, "and
will see what this hornets nest amounts to. ,
So away he started after the frightened
team, intent upon hastily bringing order out
of confusion. He had gone but few steps
however, when the hornets met him, and he
evidently forgot the team, and all former in
tentions, threw away the whip, and to all
appearance became absorbed in the one idea
of dancing a jig, at the same time slapping
his unoffending trousers, and now and then
his ears, in most frantic and shocking
manner. Rolln, who had found peaceful
quarters over the fence, now shouted back
How do you like boys nest father?
Rollin is now man, and the farmer is bow
ed down with the weight of over four score
years, yet he laughs in very quiet, but
amused way, when Rolin refers him to
g the boys nest" -Christidn Union.
GoTL1EB SCHEERER's LITTLE JOKE
There is an anecdote of Gotlieb Scheerer
who, twenty years ago, was an active Phil
adelphia politician, and Vice-President
Dallas. Some thirty years ago Mr.. Dallas
was counsel in case in Philadelphia, and
Mr.. Scheerer was called as witness. The
following questions were put by Mr.. Dallas;
Mr.. Scheerer, were you in Harrisburg
last June?"
Last June, did you say, Mr.. Dalas?"
Yes; last June; don't repeat my ques-
ton, but answer it."
After some moments of study the answer
came mo, Mr.. Dallas, was not in Har-
risburg last june"
"Were you in Harrisburg in July?"
He reflected again, and slowly said )" No
Mr.. Dallas, l was not in Harrisburg in
July"
"Were you there in August, Mr.. Scheer-
err"
The witness again meditated, and said
No, Mr.. Dallas, l was not there in Aug
ust."
Were you there in September
Here Mr.. Scheerer reflected longer than
before, and replied :: " No, Mr.. Dallas, was
not in Harrisburg in September"
Mr.. Dallas became tired of this barren re-
suit, and raising his voice, said:
Mr.. Scheerer, will you tell the court at
what time you were in Harrisburg?"
Mr.. Dallas said Scheerer, % l never
was in Harrisburg in my life"
The Court, the audience and Gotlieb
Scheerer enjoyed the joke, but Mr.. Dallas
did not heartily partake of the merriment
created.
One of our citizens was passing through
New Street on Saturday evening on his way
home. Just behind him was boy Juggling
something that was rather heavy. At the
street-lamp he recognized the boy as the
brother of very sick friend, and inquired
of his health. " He is very bad to night,
said the boy. 1.-THE doctor said, this noon
that he was dying" The man passed on
some distance in silence, and then suddenly
realizing the boy was laboring under a dis
advantage i'll locomot:on, and feeling that
the load on his heart was Of itself heavy
enough, he turned around and said, What
have you got there, johnny Homer
Peters barber-pole," painted the boy
Homer Peters barber-pole!" said the
man; why what on earth are you doing
with that?" I'm taking it up home till
gets later" explained the brother of the dy
ing man, land then me and some other fel
lers are going to put it up in front of thu
First Church" The citizen retired to medi
tate.-Danbury Nsps.
SOME VARIETIES OF EYEs.--Birds of loft,
flight, as the condor, eagles, vultures anc
carrion-seeking providers of the featherec
race, have telescope vision, and thus they
are enabled to look down and discover the
unsuspecting victims. As they approach
noiselessly from above, the axis of vision
changes so that they see JUS
as distinctly within one foot of the grounC
as when at an elevation of one mile in tn,
air. This fact explains the balancing of {
| fish hawk on its pinions half a mile above &
still pond, watching for fish. When one il
| selected, down the savage hunter plunges
| the focal axis varying as the square of the
distance, giving the hawk distinct view o.
its intended prey always. As they ascend
then the axis is elongated by a curious mus
cular arrangement so as to see far again
SpaiIs have their keen eyes at the extremity
of flexible horns, which they can protrude Oh
draw in at pleasure By winding the in
strument round the edge of a leaf or small
stalk they can see how matters stand on the
opposite side The hammer headed shark
has its wicked looking eyes nearly two feet
apart. 1t can bend the thin 'edgings of the
head on which the organs are located go a:
to examine the two sides of an object the
size of a fully grown Goldfish. Flies have
immovable eyes They stand ont from the
head like half an apple, exceedingly prom
nent. Instead of being smooth hemisphere;
they have an immense number of facets, re
sembling old-fashioned glass watch seals
each one directing the light directly to the
| optic retina That explains why they car
| ro+ ha apnrnached in any direction without