The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1904-03-27


cr? There's something worth while
when 1t comes to an Easter eelebra-
ton. A three-pound egg is curiosity,
1t is more of curiosity than a
breakfast, although it contains enough
meat for a square meal, for It is less
delicious than the modest breakfast
that your own humble hen lays for
you Besides, it might spoil your APP
petite to think of how many potential
picture hats and feather boas you
were destroying by the eating, for
thi, is an ostrich egg.
The eggs Of the South Pasadena os-
trlch farm in California, are the larg-
est Easter eggs laid in America. Mr.
CaWston the owner OF the farm
youchcs for their average weight be-
ing three pounds; occasionally they
weigh more, When YOU realize that
an average nest contains fifteen, you
can see that the nest must be pretty
large hole in the ground II ostriches
had a habit Of nesting IN trees, there
], not boy living who would not risk
breaking his neck in pursuit of such
prize
The eggs are a matter Of great in
tercst 10 the father and mother birds
They work steadily for forty days to
hatch them, she sitting by day and he
by night One pair at South Pasadena
Matched thirty-seVen chicks in one
year by virtue Of their diligence.
The Big Birds
Are Famous
For Their Affection
These big Easter eggs have been
known to cause domestic unhappness
on the farm, even in the midst OF such
happily mated couples as live there,
In fact the birds are famous for their
tender affection. The proprietor OF
the farm has often held them up as
models for brides and groom, to copy,
and as a living essay on how to be
happy though married.
Now aud then the males have seen
fit 10 administer Slight discipline TO
their wives, just TO remind them OF
the honor and obey part OF the
ceremony For instance, Major Nc
Kinley kicked Mrs. Mckinley, with
the result that she is now a stuffed
exhibit in the Smithsonian Institution
But the wives have been in the habit
of taking reproofs in a spirit of hui
miity, and that has prevented quar-
rel An out-and-out fight, a vulgar
monkey-and-parrot time between os-
triches, with the wife giving as good
as she got, was a new thing when the
Roberts affair occurred.
Mrs. Roberts, long-necked, brown
feathered wife, probably says to this
day. "Who wouldnt" When ones own
husband swallows ones own egg as
lightly as if if were a cocktail, and
then looks around for more, there may
be something TO be said on the wife's
side.
General and Mrs. Roberts we're al
ways a favorte pair Of ostriches on
the farm They were supposed to be
wcll-bred and quite above the scandal
which the farm shares IN common
with most small communities. But
when they fought, they made the tips
fly.
General Roberts would say that She
struck the first blow; Mrs Roberts
WONlQ aAA lIdl III bNSali II W NHAiA6
the eggs.
The Robertscs had their abode in one
Of the pens for two, in which the
owner sets up his birds for house
keeping as soon as they mate. There.
where the ground was soft enough to
dig their nest, and the sunny slope
was warm enough to make them
dream of the South African home of
their ancestors, they settled down in
the sentimental way that ostriches
have. to enjoy long life OF peace and
prosperity. OstricheS are the most
loyal OF birds, clinging to a mate until
death. and often mourning for it long
after The Robertses promised to be no
exception to the rule.
They built nest They took turns
at it. scratching and kicking the earth
in the chosen spot until they had a
hollow big enough to hold a dozen
eggs. Then the laying and the sitting
commenced.
There's