The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1892-07-09
The Duck and the Clam.

Along asstretch of sloping beach that
marks the northern boundary of q
certain township on the ashore Of Long
Island Sound, q sportsman, while
leisurely strolling in quest Of whatever
game might present itself, noticed, at
some little distance ahead, and but q
short way from the waters edge, a
wild duck swimming along with it's
head partly immersed. Az the man
quickened his pace, the duck at the
same time ~instinctively endeavored to
escape from it's pursuer, but with all
ats efforts, it's progress seemed to be
impeded by some unseen cause.
Levelling his gun, the hunter quick
~ despatched the wildfowl, and then
sent his well-trained retriever" to
fetch IN the game.
As soon as the dog had returned
and laid his burden at his masters
feet, the man saw Immediately the
cause of the ducks peculiar actions.
It seems that a large hard clam had
fastened itself upon the entire length
of the lower bill, thus weighing it's
head down into the water. How it
came there is perhaps a matter ofcon-
lecture, although it is not unreason-
able to conclude that while searching
for food in the muddy bottom of the
Sound, it ran its luckless bill straight
into the open mouth Of this peace
loving bivalye, which Immediately re-
sented such an unceremonious intru-
sion by closing its shell, thus holding
him a prisoner, until, after many Yio-
lent tugs and jerks for dear life, the
duck at last succeeded in disloging the
clam from its muddy bed.
Upon examination, the duck was
found to be in q very. ,emaciated con-
dition, and vas doubtless starving to
death. H..
Now here, perhaps, is the only case
upon record where q living creature
has been known to be slowly dying of
starvation with its mouth we'll filled
with nutritious. food.
Another Enemy Of the Poor Burglar,
'The newest thing on the MARKET"
said Q Fourth avenue manufacturer
Of electrical novelties recently, is a
burglar alarm despised for the special
benefit OF those who wander up and
down upon the face of the land and
spend their fleeting days in hotels.
The battle between protective science
and the burglar has resulted in raising
the intellectual 8 standard of the latter
to q hitherto unequaled height and
there art few devices that he can't
overcome. This little arrangement
however, will effectually settle that
brand OF him that goes in for hotel
thieving. Experience has shown that
Watchmen in the corridors and locked
doors and transoms avail .naught
against him. II he intends to spoil
you he'd do it despite these little OBJ
stacles, and under the circumstances
you'd save time and trouble by pre-.
senting him with your watch and wal
let. You see the little wedge? Well,
in company with this dry battery,
gong, and pair of wires, it folds up in
q box that yon carry in . your
back pocket. Before retiring slip the
point ofthe wedge into the crack be-
meath the door, hitch the wires on to
the battery, and you can slumber in
perfect safety. The tiniest inward
pressure on the door will set the gong
ringing like mad, and if it doesn't
Wake you it will have the effect of
soaring the burglar into sew, nteen fits.
There's no way OF getting ahead of
them and we've already got ordersfor
50,OOO."-New York Commercial Ad-
v~ertiser. -