Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1897-08-19

OF the poets aud natnraIists cstsr
since the frst one dawned urpn slse
sight of u IN. The scsentisthas si-
fefe<l ueni theories for she oirxI's
long-snsuuned poser of light. bllt
| il renaIns = mnch II snssserrIs Il
ever ~ albetre<e VII fsiEow 81
! ships wake for days. sailing steal
lily along with no motions Of tile
wings, silent aud inscrutable as
fate. No other motions than In
occasional yeer of the wings whun
the bird desires TO turn an angle is
observed. Despite the birds mar
velous power of sailing along. it is
very hard for it to rise from the wa
ter.
The home of the albatross is in
the Aotipodes and in the Aucklasd
Islands. No lighthouse rears is
head hery, and heavy fogs anal
treacherous currents swirl abotst
the place. The land is rough ard
mountainous on the coast. but Is
land marvellous flowers grow: woh-
derful asters, marguerites, lilies aid
gentians, aud here millions upsn
millions OF birds make their homes.
Among the coarse herbage tae
pure white head of the albatrssss
meets the eye. The body is larger
than that OF the swan. and its gx-
panded wings measure seventeen
feet from tip to tip. Its glory has
departed, for while nothing ca,1b
grander than its flight over ahe
ocean. nothing is more lndicr5us
than its waddle on the land It's
only sign of defence is TO CLAP It's
beak in helpless manner, f.sr it
cannot use it's wings.
The nest is a pile of earth like
child's sand castle, and in the rap
shaped top the albatross lays one
egg. During the sixty DAYS the
egg 10 Matching the mother does not
stir from the 1est. for il she did
the sea-bawks would swoop down
on the egg and destroy il. The
young bird is covered withifluffy
down, pure white IN color ang silky
as floss. The nesting is fedjso as.
siduously that it becomes i'm dense
ly ia: and rivals its parants in
weight. 1t is then deserted by the
parents, who wander over the ocean,
sometimes encircling the glsbe be-
fore returning home.
The most remarkable thing in
the history OF the albatross 10 that
during the absence OF the plrents
the young nesting does not receive
a mouthful of food. Duting the
whole time, sometimes four ,ponths,
it lives on the fat it has accIlmulat-
ed. In the open nest on bleak
hillside the young albatrets is ex-
posed all winter to sharp winds aud
the fiercest gales that eyer rush
across the ocean, yet at the end OF
its fast the young bird is lively and
in good condition.
The reason that the parent birds
70 away is not known. Rheir de-
sire for flight is mystery. for it is
not the same as the migfation OF
our Northern birds to ths South.
When the parents return shey un-
tremendously bundle ont he nest
ling, which has become a s.aty gray
in color, and set about repairing
the nest. The young bird still
stays around, evincing In many
pretty ways its fondness 70; it's par
ents. and not till next ycas does il
take its first flight TO sea IL con. :
pany with it's hard -henrt.fi father
and mother. -Chicago DaiIr News.
FINGER BOARD From saving
comes having
Years know more than bf,oks.
The greatest wealth is content
ment with little.
We need tiIlage as much as ma
nure; keep your plow shares hot.
Whenever you see arat hole, pour
a little tar into il. sprinkle fed pep
per about the entrance; tFiey will
step IN IL, lick their feet with
their tongues and leave in disgust.
In re-shingliDg ar old roof Why
not save work and make tighter
and warmer roof by leaving she old
shingles on, cutting the first course
OF new shingles so that thay will
butt against the second course of old
shingles. and so give a level sarface
TO work on.
To scare crows from corn and
other crops, stick large potatoes
full Of long feathers from thewings
and tails of turkeys, aud suspend