The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1879-11-27
A Struggle Between q Pigeon and a
s+..y Kite.

SIrOng-HYlnS pfgooil, UotH WHitc ao
snow. A 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 yes
terday afternoon pitted them against
each other in a test of strength. Ar
irving at the common near by, with the
pigeon in basket and the kite in his
hands, he soon sailed the latter before a
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 contest began.
The pigeon, feeling half free, flew
towards home, which was directly
against the wind. The resistance of
the kite caused his flight to tend up
ward, and, in turn, the efforts of his
wings, caused the kite to sail upward in
the air. For awhile the bird seemed to
have the best of the, struggle, making
slow progress for at least square,
but, in spite of all efforts to make
direct course, flying higher and higher.
After the bird had reached an altitude
of perhaps four hundred feet, the kite
being about one hundred feet higher
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
L., T. ff>,. kx,r
string being hauled taut, the kite rose
rapidly to its former level. These
movements were repeated again and
again, the bird and kite in the mean
time drifting before the breeze more
and more rapidly to the southwest.
THE boy watched it all with intense ca
gerness. .....+..-.--...o=..., .f-,..
When the snowy contestants were
above the Eclipse Park, where the shoot
ing tournament was in progress, gem
tleman who looked up after a 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 atten-
ton of several persons3 was drawn to
the curious spectacle, and some doubt
was expressed as to whether q kite could
be flown SO high. 'sThe other end OF
the string" suggested an observer,
ls'' must be two miles off :" But the
wonder grew as the kite gradually
rose higher and higher. and sailed
/ further and further to the southwest,
until it finally vanished into the sky over
the lower bend of the 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 nothing. It was after sundown be-
fore he fully realized not only that his
! kite and favorite pigeon had carried each
/ other away forever, but that the mo-
i mentous question that he put them to-
/ gether to settle would reach a solution
I far beyond his observation. Only half
satisfied with his experiment he started
home. AS he entered the house he
turned his eyes sadly toward his pigeon
boxes, when what should he behold but
1 that same strong-fying he-pigeon, qui-
! etly resting in front of his hole, with a
piece of the string still hanging to his
| leg Louisville Post.
--------> . >-------------. f.tl ass
/ In regard to saving seed corn, awlitel
j in the Chicago Times says: The poor.
4 est way, though one that is practiced
T quite extensively, is to allow it to re
& main on the stalks till near midwinter
to husk it, and throw it in a crib witt
the corn that is intended for the market
{ or for feeding. A good way, if not th'
best, is to select the ears before th'
stalks are removed from the hill, thu
Is preference being given to those that arr
of large size and thoroughly ripe. Th'
ears should be broken from the stalk
with the h,isks attached. In this shap'
I they may be taken to the house or barr
in basket. All the husks should be re
/ moved except three or four of the inne
! ones, that should be used for braiding
J sufficient number of ears together t
form a string five or six feet in length
If the weather is fine, these .braids ma,
be hung over a rail where the sun ant
wind will have free access to them
[ During the winter they may be hung /
, a garret or unfinished room in the house
: or in d dry place in some out-buildine
MIR. y. II. NEWbEkN, Liblie nVSn
Ark, read, with incredulity, the state
, ment that peppermint plants thrust !
their, holes or scattered literally in place
frequented by them would drive, ava
! : rats. Willing, however, to give the sin
l pie plan fair trial, he was happily SUI
: prised, as he tells ColepaGn's Rural, I
!, find it really effective, to such an exter
! in fact that the pests entirely dlsal
2 peared, III which were all over the plac'
. and would run out from under the hou:
and barn, and kill young chickens in da
time, and crawl up on. the beds and bi
: the children in the night ff s
h CHARLES AR SHOVE, Chinama
O became a. tea merchant in Boston
+ years ago, married an American wit
If grew wealthy, and mixed in cultivat'
v society. Lately he visited his natl
is land, and, on returning. says to the BE
.e ton Herald: Every thing in Chi
d seemed almost as strange to me as It d
(. Ito me when / first came to- Boston
ii He found few social changes, howevt
Il "a Ind;vidt,al taste If Ii leads to a dew