Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1892-03-24

| 4ulS camp was only aOOuC Two hun
dred yards from our settlement, and it
was my daily custom to walk over to
the mooring, as they called it, and
study the habits of the blackfellows,
as the original natives of Australia
are called.
was naturally more interested in
the boomerang than in any other. Of
their weapons, and with a little prIc-
tice soon learned to throw it. In the
language Of this tribe, the Wong-ei-
bong, which is situated in the Began
River region, the boomerang is called
a womera.
shall therefore call it a womera.
The womera is made from what is
technically known as an "elbow"
from the kurrawung tree, and some
times from the yarran and myall trees.
All of these trees belong to the acacia
tribe, and have sweet-scented woods.
The blackfellow, having found
suitable elbow, chops it out of the
tree, and, as it is generally too heavy
to carry home, trims it on the spot in
to the rough outline OF the forthcom-
ing weapon.
After two hours labor the womera
will be reduced to three or four pounds
weight, but it is still long way from
being u finished weapon. As it now
appears it is a fiat, heavy club, longer
and thinner at one arm than at the
other. The black is q decidedly
lazy specimen of the human species,
and he will as often as not lay
aside his uncompleted weapon for q
week or perhaps q longer period.
When he resumes work the wood will
have become hard and dry, and con-
sequently difficult to work upon, but
it never occurs to him that he is now
paying for his Incidence. Time,
however, is of little or no consequence
to the black.
After some pairing down the weapon
is charred all over, and this part OF
the work is quite skllfully done, no
one part being more burned than an
other. The charcoal is Clipped off,
and the blackfellow then ticks the
weapon all over with his tongue, and
places 1t in Il smoky fire OF green
boughs, which warns it and makes it
quite pliable. Arthur Hewlett Coates,
in March St. Nicholas.
Lottie's Turtle.
Lottie kept a turtle in tub of
water at the foot of the yard. She en-
loyed that turtle very much. Frank
carried it home from the country for
her. He made a little bridge OF stones
in the middle OF the tub for the turtle
to climb up on. He showed Lottie
just how to feed it, and warned her
not to let it get out.
Lottie had little neighbor named
Dan. Dan sat on the fence which sep
arated his home from Lotties, and
watched the turtle every day. Lottie
grew jealous.
II just wish you'd get down and go
away, Dan," said she.
Let me have the turtle in my yard
little while to play with me?" entreat-
ed Dan.
mo, indeed! He sha'n't go any
where, but stay in his pretty house."
declared Lottie.
But Dan waited his chance. One
day Lottie came out to feed the tur-
tie, but the turtle was nowhere to be
seen.
Then there was terrible outcry.
"Oh! oh! My turtle! Has any one
seen my turtle? Oh, where has he
gomez"
"Have you looked all over the yard
for him?" asked Frank.
'Yes-everywhere" cried Lottie, in
tears.
"Well, I'll look" said Frank. So
he ran out into the yard.
On the fence sat Dan, q broad grin
on his face, and a long rake in his
hand.
Il just wanted to play with him a
little WHILE" he said, $50 l raked him
up here. But Lottie can have him
back, just's we'll as not. And-and-
l did put him into the tub again"
But Dams repentance would not
have been so sincere had not his bit
ten finger hurt him so.-Harper
Young People.