The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1896-02-14
Chambers Journal

For that purpose gave thee birth;
Other deeds are nothing worth;
Spin, spider. spin.
buried q Sparrow with PoNp.
What is a historical fact in Cuba and
what appears to be second edition of
"Who Killed Cock Rohin?' is an inter-
esling story related by Col. FigNeredo,
a noted Cuban leader.
1t appears that years ago Spaniarl
with an idea of rendering Il valuable
service to the city of Havana brought
from Spain large number of sparruws
similar to tho English variety. and which
We're thought to be useful as a city bird
in forming an army of diminutive city
scavengers. Imagine his surprise and
was charged an excessive duty on the
little birds. In Il fit of passion he liber-
atcd all the birds and became involved
in trouble for trying to evade the Gus
toms dues.
The sparrows invaded the city, where
they multiplied in surprising manner.
They proceeded to wage war upon a
tirely from the city limits. For this
act the Cubans called them the Spanish
bird. and in time began calling the
Smniards "gorrion," which means spar
row On this tritiing subject a very
bitter feeling obtained Il foundation. 1t
was carried so far that the Soaniarls
recognized the sparrow as the emblen,-
attic bird. much as we Americans look
upon the eagle, and they zealously
guarded the welfare of the midget
After the outbreak of the revolution
in 1868 the bitterness in this line as
we'll as others became intensified One
day 4 sentinel on guard at the palace
in Havana found the body of dead
sparrow, which had fallen from one of
the trees in the park. With the greatest
care and reverence he took the little
body before a council of volunteers then
heing held. The volunteers deliberated
impulse of the moment they passed res
olutions of respect for the deceased spar
row, and made an assessment among
the members of the volunteers whereby
they raised 100000. the idea being to
give the little Spanish sparrow most
imposing funeral. A skillful silversmith
Was summoned before the committee
of silver, to be deliberately trimmed with
gold, for the bird. The handsomest hail
in the city was obtained, and the diapers
put to work to prepare it for the re-
ception of the sparrow, which was to
lie in state. In the center of this hall
Il richly decorated catafalque was erect
ed, and on this the little casket contain
ing the remains of the sparrow was
placed.
All the city and military officers visited
the hall and paid homage to the bird
The volunteers appointed 4 strongly
armed body to guard the remains. \
bishop was forced to oficiate at the cere
monies. While the body was lying in
state the occupants of the houses on the
streets ON which the funeral procession
was to march were ordered to have their
houses draped.
When the day of the funeral arrived
the volunteers were out in full force.
and the procession was one of the most
imposing. During the march several
persons lost their lives. One was Oh
served OH the sidewalk laughing and
presumably ridiculing the demonstration.
and one of the volunteers shot him down
had not been draped for the occasion,
and one of the inmates, being seen by
the volunteers, was also shot. After a
lengthy march the caskct was returned
to the starting point.
About this time an unfortunate cat.
presumably Of Cuban inclina tion-as n
Spanish cat would never have been
guilty Of such an act-was discovered on
a housetop eating one of these sparrows.
after a speedy courtmartial was brought
out into the public square and four
skilled markSmen were selected as exc
MISUNDERSTANDING Dispatch.
Dogs Passion for DLlls.
The latest sensation in Birmingham is
the doll-snatching dog. The animal is
the property of lady who resides at
Small Heath, and some time ago one of
her little girls was very fond of inducing
the dog to carry her doll, and the ami
ing the child of her precious charge.
The dog would carry the doll about for
hours, and oftentimcs take it to his ken
mel and lie down beside it for the great
er part of the day. He never harmed
the doll, always gripping it's clothes and
not defacing it in the slightest. Up to a
certain point it's tendencies were product
i've of unadulterated fun, and so popular
did the dog become that the children of
the neighborhood frequently came to it's
owners house with the query: "Please,
Mrs. -. can Your dog come and take
my doll for a walk?"
But by degrees the animals healthy
affection for dolls developed into an alb
solute pa ssion, and now a more unpopu-
lar quadruped does not exist in the whole
suburb. Not content with carrying a,
l
commenced to prowl a bout the neighbor-
hood and forcibly deprive stray chill
dren of their treasured pets. Whenever
and wherever he saw a doll in a child s
arms he would stealthily walk up to
her. seize the prize and run off with it
to his kennel. In a single day he had
been known to bring four captives home
and the maternal indignation of the
neighborhood is something terrible to
contemplate. If that dog does not mend
his ways shortly his career will be pre-
maturcly cnded-St James Gazette.
Stopping Ship.
The motion of steamship on the At
lantic, when the sea is calm. is so smooth
and steady that the passenger hardly
the vessel under his feet. After the ell
gines have been slowed down there is a
startling revelation of the energy of mo-
ton. This energy can also be accurately
calculated with the aid of mathematical
formulas, and the time and distance
within which the motion can be totally
arrested, and the ship be brought to a
stand, may be ascertained in similar
manner. This calculation has recently
been made for several wcll-known ships,
TO stop the Etruria, whose Misplace
ment' is $3.50 tons, horsepower IA ,321
and speed 2O.1S knots an hour, two
minutes and forty-seven seconds are re-
quired. and during the progress Of stop
which is only 176 feet less than half a
mile. The United States cruiser Column
hia, with displacement of 1850 tons,
1891 horsepower and II speed of 22.S
knots, can be stopped in two minutes and
fifteen seconds, and within space of