Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-05-27
SIM VEDDER'S KITE.


Yesterday there had been three kites
up at one time in the main street, and
Squire Jones' pony had been scared
into canter. The Squire and Mrs.
Jones, and the three Misses Jones, and
carry-all at the time, and they had all
screamed when the pony began to can
ter. So the Squire had told the boys
he "could not have any more of that
dangerous nonsense in the Streets"
and they had all come out to DR.. Gays
pasture, on the side-hill, to-day, and
they had eight kites among them.
Sim Vedder's coming, boys" said
Farley Hooker. "He's been making a
kite"
Hep exclaimed Joe Myers. "He's
grown-up man. What does he know
about kites?'
''There he comes now, anyway"
They all turned toward the bars and
looked, for not one of them had sent up
his kite yet.
"Oh, what a kiter'
''It's as tall as he is"
"No, it isn't. He's carrying it on
his shoulder"
.'It's just an awful kite"
Sim Vedder was the man who work.
ed for DIR. Gay, and he was as thin as a
fence rail. So was his face, and his
hooked nose had II queer twist in it half
way to the point.
He was coming with what looked like
an enormous kite trying all the while to
get away from him.
All the boys wanted to ask questions,
but they didn't know exactly what to
ask, SO they kept still.
Exiting, are your Well, just you
let me look at your kites, and then you
may look at mine. One at time, now.
Keep back. Make that kite yourself,
ParleyP"
Eyes, l made it."
Had plenty of wood around your
house, 1 guess. Your sticks are bigger
than mine, and your kite is only two
feet high, and mines five. Look at it."
He turned the back of his kite toward
them as he spoke, and they saw that
the frame work of it was made of a
number of very slender slips of what
looked like ash or hickory wood.
g Mines made of pine" said Farley.
'.And yours'll break, too"
"NO, it won't. Well, maybe yours'll
fly. Set it agoing. There's plenty of
wind"
Farley obeyed, and, mainly because
there was, indeed, a good deal of wind,
his heavy-made kite began to go up.
"Joe," said Sim Vedder, .'hand me
that kite of yours"
mines drmond. 1 don't know
how to make any other"
do you suppose it'll stand steady,
with those forebands so close togetherp
No, it won't. Up with it, and see how
it'll wiggle. Bob Jones. is that
yoursP''
The third kite was meekly handed to
him, for the more the boys stared at
Sims big kite, the more they believed
he knew what he was talking about.
1T isn't bad kite, but those fore
bands are crossed too low. Itn dive
all over"
"There's plenty of tail, Sim. Itcan't
dive"
FALKLAND a bunch of May-weed
at the end of it! How's kite of that
size to lift it ALI? I'll show you," re-
piled Sim.
He was christening the forebands as
he spoke, and now he crossed them
again over his little finger, and moved
them along till the kite swung under
them, almost level.
.sThat'll do. Now I'll tie 'em hard,
and you can cut off your May-weed.
There'll be tail enough without it.
When was in China ="
"Was you ever in Chinap"
"Yes, 1 was. That was when was
sailor. / saw kites enough there.
They spend money on 'em, just as we do
ON horses; make 'em of all shapes and
sizes. Don't need any tails"
kites without tailsp"
"Well, some of 'em have, and some
of 'em haven't. It's a knack in the
making of 'em. I've seen one like a
dragon, and another like big snake,
and they floated perfectly. Only thin
silk string, either"
"String's got to be strong enough to
hold a Kite" said Farley Hooker.
'.Look at yours"
"Yes, mines strong; it's made of
fine hemp. But it isn't any heavier
than yours. What do you want of q
rope with kite of that sizeP"
'.It isn't rope"
"It's too heavy, though. Besides,
you've tied pieces together with big
knots in them. You can't send up any
Travellers"
Whats thatp"
"rll show you. Some call 'em mes
sengers."
just then Farley exclaimed. Sim!
Sim! mines broke! it's coming down"
"Broke right in the middle, where
you notched your big sticks together"
Just where it needs to be stron-
gest," said Joe, knowingly.
mo, it doesn't look at mine"
1t was the biggest kite they had ever
seen, and it came down square at the
bottom; but it was not a great deal
wider than Parley's. The curious part
of it was the cross-sticks and fore
bands What did he need of so many?
$50 manyP' said Sim. "Why, the
bands take the strain of the wind. II