Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 57, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 March 1914 — When a Duck Loves You It’s for a Life Time [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

When a Duck Loves You It’s for a Life Time

ST. LOUIS, MO. —When an Indian runner duck becomes your friend he is your friend always. In time of trouble he will neither run nor duck, for he Is no Indian giver, and when his confidence is placed there it remains.

Briefly, he is some bird. In view of his constant qualities it is not strange that the other day when a case in which Indian marathon ducks were the issue came before Justice of the Peace Frank Healey, he lifted his robes to keep from tripping, stepped off the bench for a moment and allowed the case to rest with a jury of ducks. They acquitted themselves admirably.

The action was brought by Mrs. Frank Thomas, who sought to attach three Indian sprinting ducks which have for the last few months been in the keeping of Samuel Whitsell. Both Mrs. Thomas and Mr. Whitsell asserted that they rightfully owned the ducks, and unto the justice they told of the marvellous qualities of the Indian galloping duck, how he quacked and made his friends welcome and so on. Bith litigants told the justice that all they wanted was a chance to show how well ducks knew them. Justice Healey at this point became a negligible factor in the case. He told Mr. Whitsell and Mrs. Thomas that the depth and quantity of the quacks as each of them approached the crate would settle the matter for all time. They agreed. When Mrs. Thomas walked slowly toward the waddling jury the noise was amazing. The fat duck nearest the proceedings nearly sprained, his bill trying to indicate that he recalled her A long duck quacked a brass aria with gulping variations and the smallest of the three quacked something sounding like "Rock Me to Sleep, Mother." The justice coughed and prepared, to start lor his home. He paused to watch Mr. Whitsell, principally through courtesy. At this point the Indian Runner duck came into his own. If the three regarded Mrs. Thomas as a friend they looked upon Mr. Whitsell as a relative. Any one who was careless enough to miss the fall of Port Arthur will never be able to grasp the quality of the racket that shook the courtroom. And in a few moments Mr. Whitsell walked toward his home in the wake of the Indian running ducks, quacking, "Home, Sweet Home," as they ran.