The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1898-02-05
Birds Puzzled by Kites.

Many amusing experiences have Oeen
the lot Of the scientists who have been
manipulating kites for scientific pur-
poses. Large birds are always interest
ed in the strange DEVICES floating In the
air and cannot quite make out what
they are. Prompted by sharp curiosity.
they hover around the floating kites
and subject themselves to the danger Of
becoming entangled in the silken string
and being dragged down to earth.
No bird, however, has ever alighted
on kite or attacked one, says the Chi
cago News. While one scientist was
flying a train of five kites couple Of
years ago a large silver-tipped eagle
came suddenly out of the higher air
and swooped round and round the first
kite, looking against the sunset sky
like huge silver ball. AS the train Of
kites was pulled In the eagle followed,
visiting one kite and then another,
seeming uncertain just what to do. In
few minutes when he seemed to have
decided that they were not good to eat,
and he knew nothing about them any
way, he Indignantly few off and was
lost to view.
Another experience was had with a
stork that came from the New Jersey
side Of the Hudson and flew straight
for the queer object in the air. He ap-
parently had made up his mind to go
straight through it, but changed and
dived underneath 1t. He went around
and above 1t, and through glass it
could be seen that he cooked his eye at
the intruder In most comical manner.
He started away few hundred feet
changed his mind and came swooping
back. He finally reluctantly went away,
mystifled over this queer addition to
the inhabitants of the air.
While kites were high in the air one
March flocks Of geese flying in the "
wedge flew over. They invariably
stopped, broke up and lowered about
the queer object, and at last slowly re-
formed and few away. While the larg-
err birds all come from heights above
the kites, the small birds Of the air will
alight on the string holding the kite
ana sway TO ana fro.
In the State of Illinois one branch Of
human endeavor is bound to remain
dry and unnourished howsoever much
other industries may be soaked in the
wave of prosperity. This is the crea-
ton Of corporations. The law passed
two years ago has In effect made an
invidious distinction between the poor
ind the rich, so that nowadays a man
must have at least $50 before he can
get himself created into corporation
with capital of $1,000, 000,0 900 or l.
000,000,000 times that if he chooses.
Formerly any tramp with 81 could in
few hours become duly constituted
corporation, with capital seven times
larger than the Bank Of England. Now
he must pay fee of 81 for every
$1,000 in his corporate capitalization.
This, Of course, bears very hard on the
poor. Three young men, we will say,
having accumulated the price of
months desk room In small Office.
desire to be made into Klondike min
Ing company and to put themselves
on par as to capitalization with the
First National Bank. They find that
the fee ruthlessly demanded by the
State would absorb their entire assets
and leace deficit at least 1000 times
greater than the whole sum of money
they have to invest in their enterprise.