The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-29
ODD INDIANA HAPPENINGS.

Twins and trlpiets, ana other crop items tending
TO show that Indiana soil is remarkable for its
fecundity, have been of daily record this year,
but now comes George Martin, Of Winslow, Pike
county, with tomato weighing ten pounds
eleven ounces.
A Columbus gentleman was the owner OF an
undesirable cat To get rid of it he tied it Sc
curely in sack, put it under his buggy seat, and
then drove thirty or forty miles, where he turned
st loose, hoping that some Shelby county man
might mistake it for lynx and shoot It. AFTER
two weeks of wandering the cat came back and
resumed business at the old stand.
Will Jordan, of Gale, Hendricks county, killed
large water-snake last week, and noticing that
its body in ono spot was enlarged to twice It's
natural SIZE proceeded to dssect it Cutting It
open with his knife he found two-year ola
German carp which the snake had swallowed
tail first, though the fish was much larger Ia
eirth than the reptile. The carp's tail was
partly dgested but the body was still vigorous
In life.
The feathered fowl will soon be thing of the
past. and that bane of the cook, the pin-feather
will no longer trouble her. Mr.. ]. w. Donald
son, of Vincennes, after years of experiment
ing, has succeeded in raising chickens covered
with long white hair instead of feathers. Not a
feather is found on them. except the quilts of the
wings and TAIL and these, probably, are only left
there to make All outward distinguishment be-
tween the bird and the animal.
spoon bill catfish three and half feet long
and weighing twenty pounds was captured by
some boys near Columbus last Tuesday. Its
nose or bill was fourteen inches long, three
inches broad, and its mouth, either way. nine
inches in diameter. The fish is one of species
now rare in this section, and is always source
of wonder and study to the ichthyologst Prof
Brayton some time ago gave good description
of ii TO the readers of the Journal
Notwithstanding the fact that more marriages
take place in the vicinity of Jeffersonville and
New Albany than in any other part of the State,
che population has not Increased in proportion
ate ratio The following local item, however
shows what the old people are doing TO raise the
next census returns: ''Charles Ashton vener-
able citizen of Utica township {Clark county,
became the father Of fine boy last Monday.
This is the first occurrence of the kind in Mr..
Ashton's family for seventeen years
William Wagner, of Union township. Shelby
county, is a respected market gardener, and
tickes the soil much to his own profit and the
edihcation of his customers. His two uppermost
desires, however, are to vote the straight Repub-
gican ticket and raise great ra6ishes. The first
, he never neglects to do, and the latter he has
succeeded In doing beyond all competition. His
champion radish, with which he expects to scoop
ciety, now weighs twenty five pounds, and meas
ures thirty inches in circumference.
The bulldog Is noted for his pluck, but he
sometimes undersizes his antagonist, as was the
case with one at Lafayette last Monday. While
large Monon switch engine was standing across
one of the public streets his dogship became an
noyed at the sound of escaping steam. and. rush
ing to the front of the engine, planted himself
firmly on the track and awaited the advance Of
the enemy Ole round was sufficient TO con-
vince him that he had made the greatest mistake
of his life-at least that would have been his
verdict had he lived to think the matter over
Hog fishermen is the usual name applied to
that class of sportsmen who fish for count-not
pleasure. This does not apply, however, to a
hog owned by Ralph Pickett, of Putnam county.
A few days ago, while repairing pump near his
stock pond, Mr. Pickett saw one of his hogs
swim into the water, dive down, and then bring
TO the shore some large object This aroused the
feFmers curiosity, and coming closer he found
the hog had caught carp over three feet long
end seven inches broad. The next day the same
hog ran into the pond again, and this time
brought fourth fourteen-inch catfish.
Captain Skinner of Lake Manitou, is the
owner Of a tame duck with two ducklings Some
days ago. while they were enjoying themselves
in the water, near the steamboat pier he heard
them "squawking in alarm" He ran to see the
rause of the trouble, and found large bullfrog
endeavorng to swallow one of the youngsters,
which feat it had already partly succeeded in ac-
eomplishing One of the Captains friends grab
bed the frog around the waist and attempted to
make 1t disgorge, but, having liking for young
duck it refused to let go, until 1t was finally
choked and compelled to surrender The little
duck was none the worse for its Jonah-like adj
venture. while the frog served to make meal
for an Indianapolis man, who secured it for 10
cents.
Henry Kemple of Marysyille Clark county, is
q chicken-raiser OF local renown. About a month
ego one of his hens showed desire to assume
the cares and responsibilities of maternity, and,
TO satisfy her ambition he placed under her a
dozen eggs. Among the number was one of Pc
cnliar shape and look. and being of an inqnis-
Tive turn of mind, he determined to watch the
outcome of that particular egg. Early last week
the shells commenced to break and show signs of
life within. and soon Mr.. Kemple was the posses
SCR Of ten healthy chicks, one of which had four
Well-deveioped legs-the product of his freakish-
looking egg. Two of these pedals are in the u.s.
nal place, but the others are half an inch further
back. The chicken is hale and hearty. and uses
either or both pairs of legs with equal facility
Parke county has hitherto been noted for the
many virtues Of its farmers but the one who
bells the following, evidently lacks the greatest
Df all-'truth'-or is trying to rival, in another
line. some of the pleasant stories told by David
Etrousse, the popular attorney at Rockville,
when he returns from his annual duck-hunt at
Baum's bridge, on the Kankakee. The farmer
pays: "A young lady who was watching my
binding harvester at work, fell upon the table
and was carried up with the grain As the girl
was of about the size of bundle the machine
lid not recognize the difference and so she came
through with neat little string around her
waist. One of the harvest hands caught her as
the machine kicked her out, and set her on the
ground right side up when twas found that she
had been more frightened than hurt
Mr. r. j. Weith, of Elkhart, who recently
contributed to the Journal an instructive article
On silkr raising is also an enthusiastic naturalist
Last Wednesday. while looking for strange