Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-05-07
COT THE EGGS FRESH
They Were Turtle Eggs and
Agassiz Wanted Them.
A WILD RACE AGAINST TIME.

The Professor Had to Have the Eggs
Before They Were Three Hours old,
and This Is the Story of How the
Hunter Made Good His Promise.
When Professor Louis Agassiz was
writing n book on the turtles of the
United States II became necessary for
him to have some fresh turtle eggs.
He engaged Mr.. jerks of Middleboro,
about forty miles from Cambridge, to
get them for him. Mr.. jerks promised
that the eggs should be In Agassiz's
hands before they were three hours
old Mr.. jerks, who told the tale to
a writer In the Atlantic Monthly, had
to wait by q certain pond for the tur-
ties to come out and lay their eggs In
the sand. Finally. after weeks of
waiting, one morning about o'clock
turtle crawled up the beach. partly
buried herself In the soft sand and
laid her eggs. Mr.. jerks went on to
say:
AS she did so the distant clock struck
4. There was no train till after 0, and
the eggs must be In Cambridge In
three hours.
/ laid the eggs on a bed Of sand in
the bottom of my pail. filed In be-
tween them with more sand, so with
another layer to the rim, and, covering
all over smoothly with more sand,
ran back for my horse. He knew as
we'll as / that the turtle had laid and
that he was to get those eggs to Agas-'
| siz.
let him out l shouted to him.
holding to the dasher with one hand.
the pail of eggs with the other, not
daring to get Off my knees, although
the bang on them as we pounded down
the wood road was terrific. We had
nearly covered the distance to the pike
when ahead of me l heard the sharp
whistle of locomotive.
With pull that lifted the horse
from his feet swung him into field
| and sent him straight as an arrow
for the track.
By some stroke of luck got on the
track and backed off before the train
hit my carriage. But the maneuver
was successful. for the engineer stop
ped. and l swung aboard the cab-hat-
less, dew soaked, smeared with yellow
mud and holding as IL 1t were a baby
or bomb a little tin pail of sand.
"Throw her wide OPEN" l command
ed-"wide open! These are fresh tur-
tie eggs for Professor Agassiz of Cam
bridge. He must have them before
breakfast"
The engineer and the fireman no
doubt thought that l was crazy. but
they let me alone, and the fast freight
rolled in swiftly to Boston.
But misfortune was ahead. We
SLOWED down in the yards and came
to a stop. We were put ON a siding
to wait no one knew how long.
suddenly jumped from the engine,
slid over high fence and bolted for
the street. In the empty square stood
a cab.
The cabman saw me coming.
waved a dollar at him and then an
other, lodged into the cab, slammed
the door and called out: Cambridge
Harvard college,! Professor Agassiz's
house! I've got eggs for Agassizw and
pushed another dollar up at him
through the hole.
LET him go!" ordered. Here's an
other dollar for you If you make Agas-
siz's house In twenty minutesr'
We few to Cambridge. There was
sudden lurch, and | Owed forward.
rammed my head into the front of the
cab and came up with a rebound that
landed me across the small Of my
back on the seat and sent half of my
pail Of. eggs heller SHELTER over the
floor. But we were at Agassiz's house.
tumbled out and pounded the door.
"Agassiz" l gasped when the maid
came 81 want Professor Agassiz,
quickr'
She protested that he was in bed
and threatened the police. But just
then door overhead was flung open.
great, white robed figure appeared on
the dim landing above, and a quick,
loud voice called excitedly:
LET him in! Let him lnl l know
him! He has my turtle eggs"
And the apparition. slipperless and
clad In anything but an academic
gown, came sailing downstairs. The
great man, his arms extended, laid
hold of me with both hands and. drag
ging me and my precious pail into his
study, with swift, clean stroke laid
open one of the eggs as the watch in
my trembling hands licked its way to
as II nothing unusual were hap
pening in the history Of the world.