Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-04-03

ful field for the active mind TO stroll
about in. Perhaps over this beautiful
slab. while yet 10 was in the heart Of
a saDling, some belated pterodactyl
sprawled on his way TO his damp home
Possibly the icthyosaurus crawIed out
OF a hole In this tree on grounding day.
Who can tell what has happened in
the early history Of this petriied forest?
Nobody can. Away back yOnder in the
misty past, long before the climate got
so that the hired girl could bear her
hand in 10, while yet the hot mud boiled
with the mighty heat OF a new laid
world and the air was filed with dis
agreeable OdOrs, and the evening and
the morning indicated that wOrkmen on
the foundation Of the earth had blown
out the gas az night, and the angels
went about over the face OF the earth
flying high and holding their noses, this
tree was sprOutiDg.
Those, fellow citizens, were times
when the country was new. Those were
days when the hot mist from the Seeth-
ing earth came back at once as warm
rain. only 10 be Immediately utilized as
mist again; when mammoth forests, like
gigantic asparagus beds, sprang forth
In a few months and overshadowed the
silent and Shiny home Of the saurian
monster.
It was under those circumstances, we
are told by old settlers whose memory
IS yet good, that these early forests
grew. Then Mature, with long, rainy
day on her hands, one time decided that
she would try preserving forest for
future use. Thus we have here, sur
rounded by electric lights and high liv-
ers 10 society, along with the telephone
and artificial ice, a slab OF wood whose
bark has been abraded here and there
where the icthyoSauruS has scratched
his warty back against IL in the mellow
millions OF years that left no other his
tory.
Becoming somewhat excited over this
great thought, l bought another beauti-
ful $3.50 specimen to pound steak on.
We may not always have steak at our
house, but we propose TO have some
thing 10 pound il on whenever we do
have steak.
The railroad agent az Billings, a. T.,
near where this petritied forest IS stu
ated, gets thirteen 20 siXenteen letters
per week from people who wants specl-
mems OF this petrihed wood. Here IS
one.
Station Agent, Billings, A T.:
DEAR Su-May 1 ask you TO write me
regarding Natural Curiosity the petri-
ned forest Of Arizona! Is 10 a TACT, ana
how large an area does it cover. would
be pleased TO have you send by express
some specimens Of red moss agate, anne
tlyst and smoky topaz. j would love 70
visit this place II the article in St NlcnolaS
IS true. Yours truly, l. ID. CLARK
This name is not the correct one, but
a little conceit Of my own. The agent
has many Of these letters, and wishes
me TO put a piece ia the paper begging
the public not 10 write TO him any more
regarding this matter, as 10 Is breaking
bin down. He says that elderly maiden
ladies', who brought the war TO a speedy
close by making prune pie for the SOL
ciers, now write him for agates, for
getting that he is getting forty dollars
per month from the railroad, not spe-
c.ally for the purpose Of gathering moss
agates or petrifed trees for others.
Sometimes be is not sure that the
freight will be paid or he would be more
prompt % send things. Sometimes az
unknown man who cannot spell, 70 say
nothing Of paying the freight, orders
quart Of Indian arrowheads and l,OOO
feet OF petrifed lumber 70 build a house
o. This bOthers the agent, who IS also
telegraph operator, line repairer, tlcSe1
and baggage agent and the head OF a
family. He wishes to notify the pUoiic
By this means that hereafter 1t Will oe
impossible for him 20 supply petrineo
S,ls Tor those who are building IN Ohlo,
especially as the petrifed forest Is O"neo
By other parties, who threaten to prose-
cute people who gir1le the trees or cut
The timber without paying stumpage.
Yesterday l rode most all day IN a
seat just back Of lady who was travel
Ing with large gooseberry bush. why
90 women feel better while travelling II
they can convey a largo, thorny parrot
or a young plum tree, or a jug OF OUT
termuk? 1t certainly cannot enhance
the pleasure Of travel either Tor them,
Selves or others. Every time l Wouia
get sleepy and droop forward l would
bury my face in this goOseberry oush.
II annoyed me very much, but she kept
On carrying it, and even reproVeG me
Tor knocking a young thorn loose Win
ny eye.
She was on the way home 70 plant a