Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1907-06-27
EDUCATED DUCKS
GEORGE TELLS OF HIS WONDER.
Full BIRDS.
But When the Washington Club Men
Wanted to See Their Tricks Their
Owner Reminded Them 1t
Was Sunday.

DOWN. on the PaJuXSnC liver, SuOIt
distance below Upper Marlboro,
George Mackenzie occupies a cabin
overlooking the stream, relates the
Washington Star George does some
farming on a small scale and he also
has charge of the home of the Glebe
club. He boasts that he is enough OF
politician to throw the country to
either political party, but his long suit
is training ducks.
I'm the greatest duck trainer you
ever heard Of" he told a gathering of
club members and friends who as
sembled at the home of the club on
a recent Saturday night. Il have six
trained ducks, and they are just the
same as members of my family. No
money could buy them, and | want to
say if any of you accidentally kill
one of them you will have to pay me
ten dollars for him.
What is that your ducks can do?'
interrupted one of the listeners.
Anything / tell them" was the
earnest response to their owner. Two
ars while they are in the water, and
.hese two go cunning with me. When
we go to the river | tell them to go
away and bring me back some wild
ducks, and they do it. They will go
down the river and swim about until
they get some wild ducks about them,
and then they will start back to the
blind where l wait for them. Before
hey get within shooting distance they
will f1utter about in the water to let
me see them, and when they near the
blind they will swim away in order to
get where no shot will reach them"
do you really mean that they will
10 what you say?" asked member
Of the party.
do I really mean it?' echoed the
Prince George county man. You
watch the ducks in the morning, and
then you will see for yourself, and
that amt all they can do. can send
one of them to the post office at Pig
Point, more than mile away" he re
sponded, "and he will bring back my
mail to me-
Nothing more was said about the
ducks until the next morning. Then
George and the guests of the club
stood on the bank overlooking the
creek where the six ducks were sent
out. They did as their owner had
said, two of them left the four and
went down the river, the four going
IN the opposite direction. George re-
lated the story of how the four ducks
would go to Pig Point and how one of
them would go to the post office and
get his mail.
And" said one of the interested
ones, "how does he bring back the
mail?"
"In his mouth was the response
Of the trainer.
Let me see you send him to the
post Office now" suggested the for,
mer.
There's no use sending him today"
said Mackenzie, because the office
is not open on Sunday.
First Complaint.
For the first time in the history OF
the interstate commerce commission
there was a complaint received there
by telegraph. 1t was from the Cali.
fornia Fruit Growers association
Just what the urgency of the case
was did not appear on the face of it.
though, of course California is a good
distance off by mail, and this is close
to the shipping season for citrus
fruit. 1t was concerning the distribu
ton of fruit cars by the Southern Pa
cific. and set out the grievance of the
association in full. There were 1,315
words in the complaint, and while, OF
course, that is not particularly long
for a newspaper dispatch over the
same distance, it is rather long for
business communication by telegraph.
It was, legally, well-written com
DIaint. too, much freer from legal
yerbiage than the average complaint:
but setting forth all the facts clearly
and conciseIy. Just how the sigma
lures would stand if closely ques
toned in law would be question, but
the complaint has been regularly
filed. and will be made the basis OF
action as near in the future as may be
HouJd Re Confidential