Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-01-18
A Destructive Biped.

MIR. WhItmarsh has TREND IN Western
Texas who is engaged in the business
known as ostrich farming, and his friend
| took it into his head to make Dir. White
marsh present lie therefore. selected fine
gentleman ostrich and shipped it to MIR.
Whitemarsh. He also wrote a full &C.
count of the habits of the bird, and the
letter arriving several days ahead of the
ostrich, Mr. Whitemarsh had time TO pre-
pare for the expected guest.
He bought several four-horse wagon
leads of sawdust and about schooner
load of sand, and after mixing them to-
gether, spread the mixture on part of a
vacant lot he had enclosed. He put on
wire netting ar r)und the top of the fence.
for fear the hIrd might jump 1t, and every
thing being ready, the arrival of the ostrich
was anxiously looked for. The bird ar
rived in due sc ison and was lodged IN the
enclosure provided for him. The first
thing in order was something to eat for
the ostrich and for the first time il occur
red to Whitmarsh that he knew nothing
about the food of ostnctes. HIS friend
had neglected to inform him on that point
and none of the Deighbors could furnish
any information. In this emergency Mrs.
Whitmarsn remembered that she had Il
Zel's Encyclopedia, presented 10 her by
Mr.. Whitemarsh IN his counting days, and
the book was Immediately resorted 10, but
but it failed 10 give the desired information.
merely saying that Ostrlches had been
known to eat nails, etc. and it was said
had eaten hot bullets fresh from the mould
without apparent inconvenience.
While the encyclopedias was being con-
suited the ostrich had quietly made meal
of pile of old TIN cans that happened to
be in one corner of the enclosure, and the
matter of that meal was thus satisfactorily
settled The ostrich had not thoroughly
satisfied his appetite, however, for he
swallowed couple OF half gallon jugs
and broken iron pump handle that were
IN the enclosure before he set led himself
for the night. After seeing the bird lying
comfortably in the shed that had been pre-
pared for him, and apparently fixed for
sleep, Wbitmarsh retired to bed with hls
mind at ease knowing that ne could on the
sort of material on which he nd made his
supper. easily supply him with provisions
for The next SIX months a. a tritilng 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, sud somehow managed to surmouut
the fence. The bird was swallowing the
last of a fire-dog as Whitemarsh appeared
upon the scene. An old shed behind the
house was used as kind of store house
for rough articles, and the ostrich entered
the shed and made breakfast before the
astonished Whitemarsh. A pair Of flat
irons, grlndstone, patent wrlnger, and
an old scythe disappeared down the throat
OF the ostrich In rapid succession.
Mrs. Whiten.arsh made her appearDce
about this time and watched this strange
breakfast with the greatest interest; sew
eral of the neighbors appeared also, but no
one seemed to notice anything but the os-
trich, who next entered the kitchen and
leisurely proceeded to clear the walls of
the articles hanging thereon, tiuting-iron,
an egg -beater, and patent broiler being
quickly and easily disposed of.
WhItemsrsh becare alarmed ut this de-
struction of valuable property, ana at
tempted to drive the bird out, but the
ostrich stretched out his neck and Kissed,
at the same time Tapping his wings and
showing other signs of bad temper, caus-
| ing Whitemarsh 10 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
| II. IL,
oil stove, on which some food for the ha-
by was cooking, bolted that. some NUT
fin risgs hanging on the wall caught the
birds eye and was sen. to join the gen.
eral breakfast fund already swallowed by
the bird, and .he list was successively in
creased by a rolling pin, a couple of old
pickle bottles, several fancy cake cutters,
an old sh c, milk strainer, butcher
knife, a small basket full of clothes pins
and finally an elbow of stove pipe belong
ing TO a small stove.
The ostrich could not swallow the ell
how of stovepipe, but it stuck In hi
throat, with the end about SIX inches ou
of his mouth. BY this time the rolling
pin swallowed by the ostrich had takeI
ire rom the oil stove, anG stream o
smoke issued from the ostrich mouth
which so alarmed the bird that he ran Gu
of the house and took refuge in the wood
shed. The clothes pins must have caush
fire about this time, for the smoke iron
the stovepipe increased to such an exten
that an alarm OF fire was gwen, and sew
eral engines appearing on the scene, del
uged the wsodshed with water, and on
pipeman happening to see tine end OF tn
stovepipe, with the smoke issuing iron
it, directed a stream of water immediatel
into the stovepipe, with such an effect a
to not only put out the fire but also
drown the ostrich.
Whitemarsh don't know whether t
grieve for the loss of his pet or rejoice q
being relieved OF such a destructive bird
and, until he makes up his mind about il
he does not intend TO say anything TO hi
Texas friend about his loss, for fear b
might send another.