The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-29

way at night with a graveyard on one
side Of him and a bear on the other
need not necessarily believe his last
hour has come. but he should certainly
cease to whistle and take TO his heels
At first sight few people can under
stand why the giraffe was built three
stories high and given neck almost as
long as his body. There are evidences
that when the giraffe used to inhablt
America he was built in the shape OF a
horse and went about with his head
down. as If looking for a lost nickel He
was captured and used as a beast of
burden, but when he immigrated to
Africa he had lis eye-teeth cut and
didn't propose to draw any more saw
logs to mill. In his present shape he
can neither be harnessed to a wagon
nor used under a saddle.
When he changed his food from Ken
lucky blue grass to the treetOps Of
Africa, nature heightened his neck so
that he could get his fair divide, and
she SO slOped his back that any dusky
chief who might want to ride forth in
state would md himself sliding down a
cellar door before he had gone ten rods.
II left alone the giraffe never attacks
any other animal of the forest or plain.
but when pushed to extremes he backs
up and let's his heels fly and somebody
goes over the nearest alley fence
The lion loves the meat of the giraffe
above anything else, and If he could
L-LFE IL NdLllAEL III AultdSQ ana sent on
as per order he would never bring Sor-
row TO the Boer by picking up his fat
wife and carrying her off to the hills
Tor 4 picnic.
In his wild state the giraffe is said
to live as long as the horse but when
kept in captivity his life is shortened
by several years by thinking of what
q good time he had gamboling over his
native pastures. It is said that he has
never been known to bite the hand
and F.1s-
bite with this is probably true.
A lew years ago an effort was made
TO grow herd Of giraffes on the plains
OF the west TO take the place Of beef
Dut the cussing done by the cowboys
soon caused them to drcoD and die
When the ostrich was first created
ne mad wings stout enough to lift his
body and permit him to fly through
the air, and each of his toes was armed
with claw long enough to rip an eIe-
plant up the back. but he took ad-
santiago of his size to boss the roost.
and Nature had to remodel him and
cut down his salary.
He is no longer the big 1t of the
! desert Ii ne sees couple Of ward
heelers coming home from a caucus
late al night, his first idea IS To get
out OF the country and let the beet
sugar industry go hang. II headed off
however. and told TO put up or shut
I'D. then he will fight for his life Ha
doesn't kick out behind. Ike a Ten
nessee mule whose father helped draw
an army wagon through the civil war.
but IN front like a Chinaman with two
drinks aboard, and woe to the man VINO
receives his kick
Stanley the explorer, was once kick
ed by an African ostrich, and 1t was
three days before he knew whether a
horse had fallen on him or he had been
bounced out of a Toledo saloon.
The natural inclination of the ostrich
as he walks about. covering ten feet ri
ground at every step. is to be light
hearted and happy. like man who mas
settled an old doctor bill and got h
cents left In a state of captivity. how
ever. things are different He has moth
ing do but stand on one leg and dodge
the peanuts thrown at his head IN
cross-eyed boys and after bit he re-
TO thinking the whole world IS 70
on him in favor OF the tt1rfzzvr-f.7fz- -
and he pines away and dies
It has been asserted thlr TIA o-+-s
sings a sad sweet sore the e.. r..
TIE swan. when he gives his 1ase few
kicks but as the man who asserted Il
got thirty days when alivaigned in rorr,
you can believe him or bot. The Ostrich
used to produce beautiful plurnes fol