Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-11-14
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A STRUGGLE In THE SKIES.
How Kentucky Boy W ltched Pigeon
and u Kite
louisville Posi-

Little Johnny Green was the happy
young owner ola very strong flying kite
made by his father, and q very strong
flying pigeon, both white as snow. 4
few days ago Johnny began to speculate
as to which of the two was the stronger
flyer and being unable to decide the
question in his mind, he yesterday
afternoon, pitted then against each 9TH
er IN test of strength. Arriving ut the
common near by, with the pigeon in
basket and the kite in his hands he soon
sailed the latt er before north. easterly
breeze. to the limit of his two hundred
yards of cord. He then tied the end
of the string to one of the legs of the
bird, and turning him loose, the con-
test began.
The pigeon, feeling half free, flew to-
ward home, which was directly against
the wind. The resistance Of the kite
caused his flight to tend upward, and,
in turn, the efforts of his wings caused
the kite to sail upward in the air. For
while the bird seemed to have the best
of the struggle, making slow progress
for at least a square, but in spite of all
efforts to make direct course, flying
higher and higher.
After the bird had reached an alti-
tude of perhaps four hundred feet, the
kite being about one hundred feet high
er still it was plain that the latter had
greatly the advantage. 1t was flesh,
blood and feathers against the untiring
winds. Unable to continue the strain
the pigeon changed his course to one
side, thus Stacking the string, and caus-
ing the kite to fall slanting from side to
side in a helpless sort of way. But
feeling free again, the pigeon once more
made u break for home, when the string
being hauled taunt, the kite rose rapidly
to its former level. These movements
were repeated again and again, the bird
and the kite in the meantime drifting
before the breeze more and more rap
idly to the southwest. The boy watch
ed it all with intense eagerness.
When the snowy contestants were
above Eclipse park, where the shooting
tournament was in progress, a gentle
man VINO looked up after wild pigeon
that had escaped the gun, espied the
kite, which, as such was barely dis
cernible. The pigeon had then quite
vanished into the blue. The attention
of several persons was drawn to this
curious spectacle, and some doubt was
expressed whether kite could be flown
so high. "The other end of the string"
suggested an observer Unjust be two
miles off," But the wonder grew as the
kite gradually rose higher and sailed
further and further to the southwest,
until II finally vanished into the sky
over the lower bend ofthe Ohio, or high
above the blue line Of Indiana hills.
In the meantime little Johnny Green
stood gazing after his vanishing prop
erty. He stared at the'empty skies long
after both bird and kite had darkened
into specks and then into nothing. 1t
was after shutdown before he fully re-
allied not only that his kite and favor
lite pigeon had carried each other away
forever but that the momentous ques-
ton that he put them together to set
tie would reach solution far beyond
his observation. Only half-satlshed
As he entered the house he turned his
eyes sadly toward the pigeon-boxes,
when what should he behold but that
same strong lying he-plgeon, quletiy
resting in front Of his hole with piece
of string still hanging to his leg.
THE Com tie de PARIS had narrow
escape from violent death few days
ago, strange to say, not far from the
spot where the Due d'Orleans, his father,
was killed by similar accident. The
horses OF his carriage took fright,
smashed the vehicle and threw the
Count upon the stones.
Two students at the Washington and
Lee university, in Lexington, Va, got
into a dispute while playing croquet
on Sunday. One Of them, T. ). Koiner,
II Augusta county, Va, struck the
other, Lewis +. Johnson, Of Mckinney,
Texas, on the head With mallet, frac-
turing the skull and causing death a
few hours later.
PRAwSs, Il fish OF the shrimp species,
resembling the latter III size and taste,
III v.nrg aas.g.fYN 1900, ~