, 1879-07-29

lilo most important economical claim that
can bo mntao for Him Ia TINT Of eubs!stonce.
Ills powers of digestion ars something won
storful. Ho can assin,ilate anything. II will
not 10 necessary 10 tako any fodder, y ho Is
a free liver and can eubsiat Upon tho coun.
Try. A paper Of taoks is as rnroh a luxury
to him rs q reed bird to an epiouso. If grass
gives ont, ho can 1.-Two On graypl-stones md
GROW fat. An orderly course Of life, his
habit Of rcfraIniug from sxcossea Of any
description, his active outdoor exercise and
exposure 10 sun and mir. give him the blosB-
ing Of n strong stomach. He Is nevor billions,
and Is n stranger to heartburn md hoadaoho.
Ills appetite is regular aud nover captions
Anything that he can got into his maw is
good enough for Thin, and he cata with tho
relish of 14.ysar.old boy. The ordinary
rofnao Of tho camp, auch o. pork and beof
barrels, soap-boxes, old nails, hay wire,
empty tin-canB, bits Of rope, cartridges. and
worn-out blankets, would furnish him with
ample subsistence on a campaign, as any ono
Of these articles Of food goes great ways With
m OSTRICH, It Inns boon estimated that an
ordinarily healthy ostrich will do twico %
much work aud travel In day on single
tin can with tho smell of tho boanB hanging
about It as tho strongest horse can on his
regular ration Of hay nnd oats, and II wator
IL 6cnrco ho CON 60 without It aud not nuke
any fuss, There Is always the dangor to be
approhended that in case Of his peculiar
stock of provisions giving out ho might be-
como rory hungry, and when m ostrich ia
hungry ho is worry, very hungry, in which
caao, unless ho was carefully watched, 10
would DO certain to cat up the pots and kot-
tics, and, gradually going from woraa to
worsc, would not atop until he had devoured
his harness, the camp cquipage, and most Of
tho ammunition and material Of war. This
danger might DO avertod. howo7er, by always
having on hand reserve supply Of shing1e-
nails, which ho will masticato for days, OF q
fow railroad spikes, which atay by him
longer than anything else iu bis menu.
Tho third claim mado for tho ostrich is his
bell,gcroncy when in n tight place. It is
aaid TINT whom ho is confronted by Lis
pursuer he will lift ono Of his legs with the
awiftnoss Of mule, aud, delivering blow
with all tho strength and accuracy Of tho
four logged brute, will knock his ebony fiat.
Wo 10 not put much filth In his courage or
kicking power, however. It is we'll known
Tint whon tho ostrich il confronted by q
sudden danger he runs lis head into tho dirt
and closes both eyes, and, because ho can't
800 It, consoles, his simple self with tho re-
noction that it no longer exists. Fanoy q
squadron Of cavalry gayly prnncing along.
They aro suddenly surprised by the whoop
and yell Of band Of Indians, brandishing
their tomalawks aud dasling about On their
ponies. Immediately oyery ostrich, urged
by Instinct, comos to dead halt,
and runs his head Into tho dirt
and closes both Dyes. Every trooper goes
flying over the hoad OF his steed, or, II ho
can hold on, digs his spurs into the lanka Of
the bird, who only anchors himself the more
securely md shuts Ills eyes the tighter.
Everything is in confusion, tho Indians dasll
in, kill cur troops, capture the ally birds,
and laye glorious gaulo suppers There is
another argument TINT can be urged against
their use, for which, howovor, they aro not
responsible, neither tho army. It il q dan-
ger which growz out Of hnman greed and
aYarico. Tho ostrich would at once DO the
victim OF all The contractors and agents west
of tho Mississippi, eyen it 10 reached TINT
point without spoliage. Thoy would pluck
ovcrY ostrich in tho service bald-head-
cd by stealing all his foathers. A
consignment Of them, BY tho time it
reached ita destination, would bo aH bare OF
feathers rs lot Of poultry in tho Thanks
giving market, No amount Of persuasion
could induce trooper to mount ono Of these
fowls covered With pin-fcnthera rs e1asper-
ating to bis rear as tho quilts Of hedgehog
to dogs nose, nor could any amount Of
ingenuity avail to make the denudod mon.
strosity fit for active service.
We do not put much faith IN the ostrich
branch OF tho service. In his prosont ab-
normal condition l.e is no more TT for it than
saudhill crane. uo would dcmora1ize the
soldier, who could never DO heroic on m
ostrich, and bring confusion into tho whole
sorgice. If lo IL to DO used. ho should be
submitted to somo man like EDISON to be
arranged and fitted up With all tho modern
improvements. Until such time, we ara in
clined to tho opinion that S1rT1so Bull will
not bc very seriously alarmed; on tho othe,
Land, being worry hungry, ho will be likely tc
welcome tho Intelligence Of d prospect ol
gamo with delight.
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Some OF tho statemc4ts put forth at eight
hour meetings exhibit crudcncss Of thought
tt>1-.