Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-05-17

MY GRANDMA. A.
Grandma lives in little house
That's just across the way;
And cause love her very much
visit her each day.
Grandma always sees me come,
And opens wide the door,
She never looks the least bit cross,
When track around the floor.
got the incest things
That ever you did see!
And when there's no one else around
She lets me take her key.
Grandma makes the incest cake
OF any one In town.
And big, fat cookies, with raisins in
And sugar all aroun.'
And when eat at Grandma's house,
I have a cup of tea
In Grandpa's cup with roses on
That holds enough for three.
Grandma lets me help myself
l have a piece of pie!
She let's me eat it with my knife
And hold my fork up high.
And when I'm tired of work and play
l climb up in her lap;
Then we sit there and rock and rock,
And sometimes have nap.
Mrs. Geo. Gray in the Epitomist.
HOW ELSIE NET GEORGE WASH
INGTON.
There was one treasure for which
Elsie Oliver longed She had never
had silver buckle on her hat, and
she did want one so much! There
had been flowers and feathers and
shiny ornaments, but never, never
birds; for Elsie knew better than to
want bird Kind Uncle TIN
thought that if real silver buckle
would make her happy, buckle she
ought to have.
When she opened her presents last
Christmas morning, out of big
round box she lifted a lovely, white,
fluffy beaver hat, its rich pink rib
bon caught in front with a shining
buckle of solid silver. Two weeks
later, Elsie, with her parents and I'm.
Gle Tom, was speeding away from
the cold and snow in New York to
enjoy the sunny skies and warm win
ter of Southern California.
One of the first things Elsie want
ed to see was the ostrich farm, where
a hundred and eighty birds, big and
little. are kept in pens within high
board fence.
Uncle Tom offered to take fler, and,
while beaver hat was rather an
comfortable in the bright sunshine,
Elsie thought because the calendar
said January" she must wear it. At
first Elsie was SO busy watching the
baby ostriches that she did not once
look up to see the tall birds in the
other pens. The little fellows ran
about nipping off the grass with
great industry, their backs covered
with feathers that looked like
of shiny "stckers;" but,
WIN Elsie put her hand upon one
chick that ventured. near, she found
The "stickers" were soft as down.
The ostrichs are placed in pairs
when four years old, each pair in a
separate pen, and given names as the
owner fancies- Edward VII is the
Lallest, proudest bird on the farm,
and walks about with nigh, stately
step and a naughty air that is sup
posed to be kingly. He, with a few
others, was caught when running
wild upon the plains of Nubia, and
his variety is said to have the finest
plumage of any in the world Elsie
walked slowly past Mckinley and
Morgan and Roosevelt until the guide
said: Let me snow you Gen.
George Washington, the Oldest birdd
On the farm, eighteen years old. Mrs.
is sitting on her nest
over there in the corner" OF course
Elsie was excited to see General
VINO would not be?
And she pressed closer to the fence
20 peep at Mrs. Martha upon her
lest. Nor did she notice the sign,
Keep away from the fence, the
birds are dangerous" Up stepped
me stately general, almost as proud
Ind tall as Edward VII. with flashing
eyes fixed upon Elsie's shining
buckle in the beaver hat. He stretch
I'd his long neck out to its fullest ex-
.ent, and in twinkling the beautiful
buckle was working it's way down
hat same slender throat. Uncle
Tom saw it all, so did large group
Of visitors who were watching tine
;aucy general. But no one had time
% prevent the theft. Everybody
aughed; but, as soon as Elsie knew
What had happened, great tears filled
Ter eyes and splashed down upon her
lress. 1nen the kind-hearted tour
SITS were sorry they had laughed,
md turing to stand where many
curious things were for sale, they
bought for her big ostrich egg
mounted on wooden frame SO it
'ould be placed upon table when
elsie should return to New York,
where ostrich eggs could not be seen
very day. Smiles shone through the
ears when the guide said: There,
Miss, you'd have to get thirty chick
,ns' eggs to be equal to this big fell
er; and don't s'pose your ma would
'pare room to nave thirty chicken
Eggs lying round on her parlor table"
Why, no, she couldn't possibly" gasp
I'd Elsie, much Interested and aston
shed, not minding the tourists
aughter this time.
Then Uncle Tom lifted the little
girl to his shoulder, and carried ner
o the feather room, where he bought
l long, soft white plume, which Elsie
hought came from the generals
wing. The saleswoman sewed it up.
IN the beaver hat, where it CURED in