Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1897-10-14

- - - OU w OU %
) = = SO l 90 so 3 $40 | Al
maple, never WIN raging reern.
1t was necessary, however, to get
even with my father. Not an easy
matter I knew, and consulted my
Uncle John, youth some six or
eight years my senior. He advised
patient waiting. Thefather, he said,
was absolutely devoted to The Com
mercial Advertiser, which he read
every day from frontispiece to end
market report, book notices, obit.
uary notices, advertisements and
all--and if I could hold myself in for
a whole year my Uncle John thought
it would be worth it. The CONNER
cial Advertiser of that date was put
safely away for a twelvemonth,
and on the LIST of April next it was
produced, carefully folded and prop
erly dampened and was placed by
the side of my fathers plate, the
mother and son making no remark,
but eagerly awaiting the result
The journal was vigorously scanned.
No item of news or of business i'm
port was missed, until the reader
came to the funeral announcements
on the third page Then he looked
at the top of the paper through his
spectacles, and then he looked over
his spectacles at me, who was very
busy with my bread and milk, and
he made but one remark. The sub
ject, like that of the tailor's bill,
was never referred to afterward be-
tween us. But he looked at the top
of the paper, and he looked at me,
and he said, My son, sec that old
Or. MCPHERSON is dead againi''
How an Old Timer Reckons Its Years by
Its "Bones."
Scientists say that during eight
months of the year the oyster lies
In a sort of dormant state, during
which time it can be eaten without
Ill effects. but that from April 80 to
Sept. / it should not be served in
any form. The writer was talking
with an old oysterman on Long Is
land not long ago, and he asked this
question:
why should we not eat oysters
In su,mmer7'
"Be you one of them crankss''
inquired the oysterman.
The visitor answered that he was
not aware that he was any different
from other people and that he was
simply seeking information.
LET me tell you something, said
the old man. "Oysters are good
the whole year round, and that story
about the months with ar R in
them is all nonsense. It's a good
thing. though, that most people do
not eat them in hot weather, be.
cause that's when the young ones
are Matched. If everybody ate them
while they're growing, the supply
would soon give OUT
what is the age of an oyster2"
DO you mean how long will an
oyster live9"
Eyes"
IF you let him alone and nothing
else disturbs him he'll live to be
100 OF so"
WHAT"
"It's fact" said the. oysterman,
taking puff at his pipe. "You can
tell an oysters age by his bones.'
"Bones!' exclaimed the visitor.
II never heard of an oyster having
bones"
"That shows you're not up on
natural history" remarked the old
man.
"You say an oyster has boneA
How many, for instance2"
1.-TWO, sir, and they have joints
something like your elbow, but they
are on his body instead of in it."
The visitor saw the point and nd
mitted he was caught. Then he ask
cd the fisherman how he told the
age OF an oyster.
by the lines on his Shells" he
answered. "You see, an oyster is
like a tree, and every year there il
a new ridge added.
but does his body continue to
growa''
"Reckon it does, sir, but not so
rapidly as his shell.
"But how is it possible for his
body to grow when there is only
certain space within the SHELF The
shell certainly cannot expand, for
1t is fixed. !"
"That's where you're wrong,
young fellow, :" declared the oyster.
man. Both shells and bones can
expand, sir, specially when they're
In or on live. healthy bodies. Why,
even homes taken from dead animals
are like india rubber"
The visitor looked cautiously
about him and then glanced suspi.
ciously at the old oysterman, who
had resumed smoking.
"You don't believe it, do you9"
said he. "Well, when YOU 90 back