Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1899-08-09
a PORTO RIcAN FOREST:

a PORTO RIcAN FOREST:
e Abounasa with Strange Btrds, Nuts
and Fruits.
A war correspondents adventures are
set forth by Edwin Emerson, Jr.. in
the Century, in an article entitled
"Alone in Porto Rico" Mr.. Emerson
says:
BY nightfaIl. after I had ridden up
ana down some of the most unprepos-
sessins hills. and got tangled in no end
Of chaparral. cactus. and other thorny
underground. which changed a INV
pongee coat had bought in San Juan
into an old rag. found myself on a
high range Of sierra. From a jibaro
negress learned that I was halfway
between the towns Of Quemados and
Jaguas, and that I would find a better
trail for my horse below. SO l rode
down q lovely green valley, where
plantations Of coffee and tobacco lay
side by side. As It grew darker, bats
few all about me. and l heard the
evening cries Of birds which sounded
like our whippoorwills and mocking-
birds. At last struck the trail that
the woman had mentioned. 1 rode on
little way, and took the horse into a
clearing, where there was n spring well
hidden from view. and then l hobbled
his feet to the halter-rope. fung my
self ON the ground, and went fast
asleep. The last thing heard was
the beautiful song Of the solitaire sing
Ing in a copse above me.
was awakened early the next morn
Ing by tbe screeching Of green par.
rots, quarreling with other birds in the
top Of q cOcoa-nut palm. was
drenched with dew. but forgot all as
thought Of my horse. To my great
relief, found him standing behind a
bit Of Oleander-bush red with flowers.
crunching the juicy stalk Of n prickly
pear. I watched him with interest as
he took the stalk and with his teeth
ripped of the skin with all its thorns
He whinnied as II we were old friends.
After bridling and watering him.
found the trail, and rode Off southwark.
On the way I ate everything l could
find, from green cherries and suava
plums to Juicy mangoes, which stained
the front Of my coat, and bell-apples.
the meat of which suggested mildew.
There were also custard apples. large
green fruit not unlike cream-puffs in
side.
The most astonishing and the best of
nil was n fruit called pulmo-in our
language, sour-sap. 1t is about as large
as quart bowl, and so nourishiny and
full that a single fruit was enough for
q good meal, although that did not de-
ter my hossc from eating four. Later
found that they are also relished by
dogs. OF springs and streams there
were SO many that I had no fear Of
dying of thirst. If water was not
handy. I could always climb a cocoa
hut-tree, and throw down the green
nuts, which were filed With an abund-
ance Of watery milk ihore fhsusx eould
EGl1nH<u1so6llI III tucfe
were in plenty: but many were more
curious than edible. even to my WILL
Ing appetite. One had a delicious
odor. tasted a little. and thought II
deal for fiavoring candy. But 1t soon
dissolved In my mouth In fine dust,
absorbing all the moisture, SO that
had to blow it out like flour. Nothing
ever made me so thirsty in my life,
and even after rinsing out my mouth
felt for a long time as II l were
chewing punk or cotton. The fruit of
the tamarind only added to my tor
nents by setting all my teeth on edge.
When we reached the next spring. I
,ell of my horse for fear he would get
all the water. Only after l had salts
aed my thirst would let him drink.
"Startcd" Niagara SuspensionI I8ri Re
There lately died at Lincoln, Neb.. a
man named II. J. Walsh. who had an
important part in the construction of
the first suspension bridge at Niagara
Falls. Mr.. Walsh wns born In Ireland
In 1884, but was brought to this coun-
try when he was a baby, his parents
going to live at Niagara Falls. n. Y.
When he was still boy the first
steps for the construction of the sus-
pension bridge were taken. The first
thing Of all was to stretch single wire
across the chasm. The engineer in
charge had thought Of way to get 1t
across.
What boy is the best kite-hyer in
town. he asked n resident.
The Walsh boy was named, and the
engineer asked that he be brought He
was made to understand that he must
iy his kite across the Niagara River.
He flew it across. and allowed to come
down on the other side. Men were
there to seize it. Then the engineer
attached n wire to the string on his
side. and the men on the other side
detached the kite, and by means Of the
string drew the wire across. BY this.
In turn, a cable was drawn across, and
the bridge was well begun.
Mr.. Walsh afterward moved to Ne
braska, and became a prominent citi-
zen of Lincoln.
Tree Twenty Centuries Old
The oldest tree on earth with an au-
thentic history is the great Bhoo tree
Of .Burmah. For twenty centuries 1t
has been held sacred to Buddha. and
no person is allowed to touch the trunk
When the leaves fall they are carried
away as relics by pilgrims.
A Neighborhood r.acdy.
1--WE bought a lawn-mower at the
Montague auction"
"Well, that was all right, wasn't ity
"An right? Maria says it is our old
one which they borrowed and never
returned" d."-Detroit Free Press.
On the Wrong shelf
A correspondent of the London Acad-
emy writes that bookseller In a lars,
nrovfncial cfty recently discovered ,i,