The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1913-03-07
!. CHAvES COUNTY. NEW MEXICO, FRIDAY MARCH T. 1913

haps l shall be able to give you some
information you have never acquired"
No, mother and daughter did not
know the lion very we'll. They had
heard him spoken of as the king of
beasts, but with eggs at fifty cents
dozen. and butter almost as much per
pound, with nine liars in the United
States to one truthteller. they had ta-
ken only passing interest in Leo.
The day and the hour came and as
they stood before the cage of the kan
garoo the professor musingly said:
Australia is the true home Of the
kangaroo. He is not fesh-eating ami
NAL. and will not attack man unless
driven to the wall You may wonder
at the length of his hind legs. Why
wasn't he created to run on four legs
the same as a wolff"
Miss Joy looked at her mother, and
her mother looked at her. They had
run boarding house for the last ten
years, but 1t had never occurred to
them to ask the question or attempt
to find the answer
"The kangaroo is not a predatory
animal" continued the professor. "On
the contrary, he is as timid as the
hare. Both must depend upon their
alertness and fieetness to escape their
foes. Thus 1t comes about that their
gait is by leaps and bounds. and that
by standing up on their hind legs they
can look for their enemies"
Mother, did you ever!" asked Miss
Joy as she drew long breath.
mo. daughter, never did!" was the
solemn reply.
THE tail of a dog or cat is merely
ornamental Behold the tail of the
kangaroo! 1t is a cushion on which
he sits. 1t assists him to rise in a
hurry. 1t acts as rudder to steer
him when leaping through the air. II
driven to defend himself he uses claws
and tail. One blow of the tail will
break mans ribs or leg"
Just think of that mother!" gasped
Miss Joy.
"Yes. am thinking OF It, daughter!"
Kangaroo meat is not ranked
among the delicacies," said the pro-
lessor, but 1t is very nutritious. In
fact, one pound of 1t has more nutri-
ment in 1t than pound and a quarter
OF Chicago beef, and at half the cost.
1t is wonder to me that American
capitalists have not arranged to i'm
port kangaroo meat"
IF they would only arrange. moth
er!" sighed Miss Joy as she remem-
bered the price of the last beefsteak
Perhaps the Democratic party will
bring it about" replied the mother.
AT this moment stranger who had
been listening to the wise talk butted
In by asking the professor:
Did you say that kangaroo could
knock man gally west with blow Of
his tail?"
Yes, SIR
Gosh all hemlock! Say. don't you
think the bird could be taught to use
his tail as a pile-driver?"
Ladies-ahem-we will now pass
on to the king of beasts" was the
evasive reply.
Mother, what is pile-driverT
whispered the daughter.
IT'S a machine they use to drive
money out Of college student when
he's behind on his board!"
Leo. the lion, has been written
about by hundreds of hunters and nat
uralists," began the professor as they
came to the proper cage. "and yet we
do not know him as he is. He is a
beast of moods. One day he will at
tack man with great fierceness. The
next he will fee from him. By nature
he is carniverous. Meat is his sole
diet, and his appetite demands at least
thirty pounds per day. A full grown
lion has been known to devour the bet
ter half of an OK In one night"
Suppose we had one for board
err" gasped Miss Joy. I
Lord! Lord!" almost walled the
mother
Man is the only living thing the
lion fears, and not always him." said
the professor. ut is asserted that II
man will look Leo steadily in the
eyes for three or four minutes"
He broke off there to draw himself
up and fold his arms and stare at the
beast with scowl, wrinkling his fore
head. Leo stood 1t for about forty
seconds. Then with growl and a