Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 68, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 December 1910 — FOR THE CHILDREN [ARTICLE]

FOR THE CHILDREN

Very Clean. “Oh, mamma, look at these ants!” exclaimed Julia, standing before a bole in the pavement about which hundreds of ants were crawling. “They are digging up the earth. I'm afraid some one will tread on them. I like them even If they are dirty little nuisances.” "Dirty!” said her mother. "No creature living is more tidy than these little ants. They cannot tolerate dirt and are cleaning themselves all the time.” “Cleaning themselves! With wtit? How? “These little Insects carry about with them a number of useful toilet articles." “Oh, mother, you are joking,” laughed Julia. “No; I’m in earnest. They have coarse and fine toothed combs, sponges, hairbrushes, soap and wash rags.” ■ Julia was about to laugh again when her mother explained: “Their saliva is their liquid soap, and their soft tongues are their sponges. Their combs are fastened to their legs and are very much like the combs we use.” “Do they perform their toilet every morning just as I do?” asked the child. "No; they have no set time, but stop their work and clean themselves whenever they get soiled.” Chalcedony Park. The remarkable “forest" of petrified trees, called Chalcedony park, can be reached in a few hours from the Holbrook or Corlzzo station. Arizona, on the Santa Fe railway. The area of the park is estimated at hundreds of square miles, and it contains thousands of tons of agatlzed wood. A recent visitor likens it to a “cast logging camp." where the lumbermen have tossed the huge logs at random from their sleds, leaving them to become rain soaked and moss grown. Some of the trunks are 150 feet long, and they break up in sections as if sawed through at intervals. The bark is of a dark red color, as a rule, but the chips and interior exhibit kaleidoscopic colors. Amethysts, red and yellow jasper, chalcedony of every tint, topaz, onyx, carnelian and other stones abound. The logs, in fact, Qre a blend of these stones. One of them, 100 feet long and 3 to 5 feet in diameter, spans a narrow canyon and is called the Agate bridge. , It is chiefly composed of jaspers and agates. As to the origin of the petrifactions, it is supposed that in past times the trees were overwhelmed with volcanic ashes and hot siliceous waters from geysers. Tlie ( J timber is analogous to pine or cedar, and as it decayed the silica, dyed with various salts of iron and .-manganese in solution, took its place. Conundrums. When is a dog most like a human being? When be is between a man and a boy. LJ, How does a dog look if you hurt him? % It makes him yell Oh (yellow). Why did the last dove return to the ark? Because she hadn't sufficient ground for remaining. Why is there reason to doubt the existence of the Giant’s causeway? There are so many shamrocks (sham rocks) in Ireland that this may be one of them. Why are good husbands like dough? Because women need them. Why is a specimen of good writing like a pig led to the slaughter bouse? Because it is done with the pen. When does a man feel girlish? When he makes his maiden speech. What does a man do when he misses his train and comes home late for supper? Catches it when he gets home. Why is a plowed field like feathered game? Because it’s part-ridges. •F ————— Wild Tabbies. Domestic cats soon revert to a semiwild state when once they take to the woods and are terribly destructive in the coverts. They destroy pheasants, partridges, leverets and rabbits. The life of these wild tabbies is wild indeed. Every dormant Instinct is aroused, each movement becomes characteristically feline, and when these creatures revert to life in the woods it is impossible to reclaim them. Climatic influences work remarkable changes upon the fur. causing it to grow longer and thicker, and the cats take up their abode In stony crevasses or hollow trees. In summer, when kittens are produced, the destruction of game is almost incredible.

~ The Music Baton. Musical batons were first used In England about 1820,' but it was not until about twelve years later that the batons came into general use. Then a German conductor by using one obtained such wonderful results from his orchestra that others thought there must be magic In this little wand, and they were quick to use one. Up to this time, as. Indeed, may be seen in many up to date orchestras, the time is kept by the first violinist or the man at the piano. T~ Questions and Answers. Is the king of England rich or poor? Poor, since be possesses only on* crown. When does an orator become a bad man? When he takes the floor and shouts to his audience. “Give me your ear!” J ' Riddle and Answer. \ If your uncle’s sister is not your* sunt what relation is she to- you? .. -V . ..

Merely That. “Papa.” asked Professor McGoozle’s Kttle boy. “wbat does it mean when a fellow says he’s going to get another fellow’s goat ?" "There's nothing necessarily obscure about that, my son.” said Professor McGoozle. “it is simply the colloquial way df conveying the Idea that by some meniiH or in aotue manner not clearly iudh ated be intends to acquire possession of a horned ruminant qttsidrufied. genus capra. species mot desig nated. at present or for the time being, to use an idiomatic phrase, belonging to or being the pro|»erty of the other person partici|»ating in the supposed colloquy.”—Chicago “Tribune. Unselfish. Mrs. Backbay—Why are you leaving ua, Bridget? Boston Cook—Me reasons are philanthropic. I want to give some wan else a chance at the joys of living with you.—Harper’s Bazar. Her Advantages. The old woman who lived tn a shoe explained. “Roomier than a hobble skirt!” she cried.—New York Sun.