The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1885-02-21
tsan Francisco Call

A most decidedly novel exhibition OF a
new mode of progression through the
water was given on the bay yesterday
afternoon. The hero of the exhibition
was a resident of Oakland, who is well
known for his love of aquatic sport, and
the apparatus he used consisted of me-
dium sized shell boat and a huge kite,
fully six feet in height, to which was
attached several hundred yards of hemp
twine. The first seen Of the skinner of
the waves was when he was off Broadway
wharf. He was sitting in his boat busily
engaged in unreeling twine from spin
die, and ''raising his kite by means of
jerks and pulls as naturally as any
schoolboy. There was strong breeze
blowing and it did not take long for the
kite to strike an upper current, which
apparently caused it to pull with ten
horse power, to judge by the way the
boat began to surge through the water,
and leave the wharf behind. The day
being an Exceptionally fine one, and the
marine view beautiful, there were many
promenaders along the front This be-
ing the case it did not take long for an
immense crowd to gather, which blocked
up the wharf, and the cheers and yells
of delight which greeted the mariner as
his boat began to move under the impe-
tus given by the kite were deafening.
Small boys perched upon piles were nu.
merous, and the envious glances which
they cast at the ascending kite between
their yells at the man in the boat were
comical to witness. Hes going to Oak
land soon" cried several of the specta.
tors, as the mariner kept on slowly un-
reeling his twine and the kite kept on
going up. When the boat was half
mile or so from the wharf it struck
rough water and rocked great deal.
One of the Oakland ferry boats was also
approaching, and the kite man, evidently
fearing a collision, began to pull down
the kite fast, despite the yells of "go
on, "keep her goin'," from the wharf.
The kite was 10th to come down and the
man found it hard work controlling it.
About this time, too, some new actors
appeared on the scene. These were
couple of seagulls who had taken um.
bragg at their aerial domain being en-.
croached upon by an unknown monster,
as the kite must have appeared to them.
The gulls were plucky, and with many a
wild shrek they flew at the kite, flap
hing their wings and striking with their
beaks at it, Had it keen made of paper
instead Of muslin it must have been torn
to ribbons. Between the unruly kite
and the fractions seagulls the man in the
boat had pretty hard time in getting it
down, and the spectators were vastly
amused at his struggles. He was at last
victorions, and his muslin propeller soon
dropped into the boat. He then rowed
ashore. He declared his intention, now
that kite time had come, and there was a
prospect of good winds, of cruising the
bay with his kite some Sunday.
-
Representative Cabbage will be remem-
bered in Indiana annals for all time to
come for his Owl bill-a brave but in
effectual attempt to protect the barnyard
bird from the savage bird of night. Years
ago Uncle Jimmy Frazier, of Pike Town
ship, was like Representative Cabbage,
the unrelenting foe of the owl. He both
cred not with statutory amendments.
He pondered, and, as he pondered, his
chickens diminished and the owls in
creased. One day happy thought
came to him. He took down his scythe,
and all one long Summer afternoon played
symphony upon it with an old-fashioned
blue milestone. When he finished it
was Of razor.edge keenness. Placing a
ladder against the chicken.house he nailed
the scythe high aloft, its keen edge sky.
ward-a most inviting resting place.
The old gentleman had calculated rightly
and half hatful of owls toes were found
next morning under the scythe. This
continued for several days, fresh crop
rewarding the early riser each morning.
After awhile some owl, wiser than the
rest, must have discovered the practical
Joke. At any rate their visits ceased
though to this day all the elderly Pike
Township owls are distinguished by theil
stump toes.
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