Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1888-08-10
An Ostrich Farm.

| we pdSScu dlOuS WIN cSoANN ~
glance at these side shows, for we
were anxious TO face an ostrich with
a stout fence between. We found as
we approached that this protective
provision was doubly emphasized, for
there were two stout wooden ratings
keeping us at a respectful distance
from his majesty, stalking around in
solitary grandeur, or stopping 10 gaze
at us with a vicious craning of his
long lean neck. There were twenty
! full-grown ostriches, each in a sep
arate pen, or rather open space fenced
in They looked about seven feet
high. even taller when they suddenly
stretched out their necks. But, OH,
the gorgeousness of their wings /!
Great masses of rich, black, velvety
ostrich plumes, dropping of into a
snow-white cluster at their tips. |
wonder that kings do not renounce
the traditional ermine and assume
these more majestic emblems OF
ROYALTY. These birds are perfectly
bare above the neck and legs, and al
though their whole body is covered
with rich plumes. the fullest and
longest and choicest are gathered
from their wings. Twice a year they
are plucked, and the annual revenues
which they bring TO their possessor Is,
according TO all accounts, quite "A lit
tie fortune The finest pair are valued
at $500. They live on alfalfa, n sort
of clover (of which the country pro
duces three and four crops year,
pounded oyster shells and corn, their
prodigious digestive powers rather
snubbed, il seems 70 me, by this mild
diet perhaps, however, it serves To
slacken their depraved propensities,
for | was told that only short time
before one OF the keepers was picked
and bitten TO death by the savage on.
slaught of one of these birds. The
ostrict eggs are huge affairs, as large
around as Il quart measure. They
lay out in the open field, and just as |
was hanging over the fence, wickedly
waving my jacket to make the ostrich
perform all undignified pirouette, one
of the eggs broke open and out
popped little ostrich. immediately
there was a great commotion and
everybody rushed breathlessly in our
direction The keeper was told the
news, and came hurrying on with
CALCULATIONS of surprise. lie vaulted
the two fences at the farthest distance
from the mother ostrich and made in
the direction of the newcomer; but
when the mother bird took long
strides in his direction, and manifested
a lively curiosity as To his purpose,
the keeper vaulted again over the
nearest fence and disappeared from
the scene. 1t was quite comical TO
see the old bird with her born
offspring. At first she disdained TO
notice the little thing, which looked
ateout the size Of two-months-old
chicken, and sought to follow the pa
rental guidance by running n few
steps, and then quite Unexpectedly
toppling over or turning a feeble
somersault. | had quite hateful feel
ings against the mother bird, who by
this time stood prancing before us
with her long, beautiful droopy
plumes. Il think she saw by our ex-
pressions that we did not approve OF
such Spartan motherhood, such un-
natural calming Of the emotions, for
she Immediately turned upon her heel
and bestowed a motherly kiss upon
her solitary scion. There was thrill
Of satisfaction along the whole line Of
spectators when she finally sat herself
down upon her nest and drew the
ugly duckling under the shelter Of
her rarely -plumed wings. Los Angetes
Letter to the Neic Orleans Times.