The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1881-12-15
A DESTRUCTIVE BIPED.
AN OSTRICH WHICH MET WITH AN UNTIME-
LY FATE.


Mr.. Whitmarsh has friend in West
ern Texas who is engaged in the business
known as ostrich farming, and this friend
took it into his head to make Mr.. Whit
marsh present. He therefore selected
fine gentleman ostrich and shipped it
TO Mr.. Whitmarsh. He also wrote full
account of the habits of the bird, and the
letter arriving several days ahead of the
ostrich, Mr.. Whitmarsh had time to pre-
pare for the expected guest.
He bought several four horse wagon
loads of sawdust and about half schoon-
er load of sand, and, after mixing them
well together, spread the mixture on part
of vacant lot he had inclosed. He put
on wire netting around the top of the
fence, for fear the bird might jump it,
and, everything being ready, the arrival
of the ostrich WAS anxiously looked for.
The bird arrived in due season and
was lodged in the inclosure provided fox
him. The first thing in order was some
thing to eat for the ostrich, and for the
first time it occurred to Whitmarsh that
he knew nothing about the food of os-
triches. His friend had neglected to in
form him on that point, and none of the
neighbors could furnish any information.
In this emerg gency Mrs. Whitmarsh re
membered that she had Zell's Encyclo-
pedia, presented to her by Mr.. Whit
marsh in his courting days, and the book
was Immediately resorted to, but it failed
to give the desired information, merely
saying that ostriches had been known to
eat nails, ETC., and it was said had eaten
hot bullets fresh from the mold without
apparent inconvenience.
While the encyclopedia was being con-
suited the ostrich had quietly made
meal of a pile of old tin cans that hap
pened to be in one corner of the inclos-
ure, and the matter of that meal was thus
satisfactorily settled. The ostrich had
not thoroughly satisfied his appetite,
however, for he swallowed a couple of
half gallon jugs and broken iron pump
handle that were in the inclosure before
he settled himself for the night. After
seeing the bird lying comfortably in the
shed that had been prepared for him,
and apparently fixed for sleep. Whit
marsh retired to bed with his mind at
ease, knowing that he could, on the sort
Of material on which he had made his
supper, easily supply him with provis
ions for the next six months at trifing
cost.
The next morning Whitmarsh arose at
his usual hour and went to look at his
ostrich. To his surprise he found the
bird in the yard, having eaten the wire
netting that had been placed around the
fence, and somehow managed to sur
mount the fence. The bird was swal-
lowing the last of pair of fre-dogs as
Whitmarsh appeared upon the scene.
An old shed behind the house was used
as a kind of storehouse for rough articles,
and the ostrich entered the shed and
made breakfast before the astonished
Whitmsrsh. A pair of fiat-irons, grind
stone, patent wringer, and an old scythe
disappeared down the throat of the bird
in rapid succession.
Mrs. Whitmarsh made her appearance
about this time and watched this strange
breakfast with the greatest interest;
several of the neighbors appeared also,
but no one seemed to notice anything
but the ostrich, who next entered the
kitchen and leisurely proceeded to clear
the walls of the articles hanging thereon,
futing iron, an egg beater, and pat
ent broiler being quickly and easily dis
posed of.
Whitmar5h became alarmed at this
destruction of valuable property, and at
tempted to drive the bird out, but the os-
trich stretched out his neck and Missed,
at the same time tapping his wings and
betraying other signs of rising temper,
which caused Whitmarsh to become
alarmed and send out for help.
The ostrich swallowed about one and
half dozen eggs that were on the table
intended for the breakfast of the family,
and then seeing small coal oil stove, on
which some food for the baby was cook
ing, bolted that. Some muffin rings
hanging on the wall caught the birds
eye and was sent to join the general
breakfast fund already swallowed by the
bird, and the list was successively in
creased by rolling pin, couple of old
pickle bottles, several fancy cake cutters,
an old shoe, milk strainer, a butcher
knife, a small basket full of clothes pins,
and finally, an elbow of stovepipe belong
ing to small stove.
The ostrich could not swallow the ell
bow of stovepipe, but it stuck in his
throat, with the end about six inches out
of his mouth. b. this time the rolling
pin swallowed by the ostrich had taken
fire from the gas stove, and a stream of
smoke issued from the ostrich 8 mouth,
which so alarmed the bird that he ran
out OF the house and took refuge in the
voodshed. The clothes-pins must have
caught on fire about this time, for the
smoke from the stovepipe elbow increas-
ei to such an extent that an alarm of fire
was given, and, several engines appearing
on the scene, deluged the woodshed with
water, and one pipeman happened to see
The end of the stovepipe, with the smoke
issuing from it, directed stream of water
Immediately into the stovepipe, with such
effect as to not only put out the fire but
also to drown the ostrich.
Whitmarsh don't know whether to
grieve for the loss of his pet or rejoice at