Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 May 1911 — FOR THE CHILDREN [ARTICLE]

FOR THE CHILDREN

The Sleepy Donkey. A man near Meadville, Pa., has an innocent looking, sleepy little donkey, which he keeps in a yard back of his house For some time every dog that passed made it a point to Mop and bark at the long eared animal. Finally the man became provoked, and one day when two big dogs growled and tried their best to jump the fence the man quietly opened the gate and let them in. If they had been Siberian bloodhounds the barking brutes could not have rushed with more ferocity upon the seemingly stupid Little animal with long, shaggy hair and ears. Prancing around him on both sides and watching their chance to grab him by the throat both together, th# dogs, like a brace of ravenous wolves, encircled the donkey. Squinting lazily out of his off eye. the donkey appeared most oblivious to his danger. The dogs grew fiercer. As both were about to catch his throat in their teeth the donkey with the speed of a lightning flash lowered his head and dashed toward the nearest dog as if to butt him. Round and round the donkey whirled as if on a pivot. Then his heels flew out. and the next instant fifty pounds of dog went spinning through the air. The fate of dog No. 1 was only an aggravation to No. 2. He snapped and growled more furiously at the donkey than before. In two minutes more, however, the second savage assailant was cavorting over the turf in somersaults, and the donkey had closed his eyes again and retired on his laurels. Seal’s Marvelous Instinct. The instinct of the seal is marvelous, writes Sir Edward Morris in the Wide World Magazine. It will leave its young on the Ice in the morning and, going down' through a hole, remain away all day swimming in search of food. Returning in the evening, it will locate its offspring in the same “patch” among hundreds of thousands of other baby seals, notwithstanding that the ice may have wheeled or drifted fifty or sixty miles during the day from wind and tide and not withstanding that the patch may extend thirty or forty miles from, one end to the other. Whether this instinct is of the class that enables the bird, without any mark or chart, in a forest with millions of trees alike to find its way back with ease anii precision to its nest I do not know, bnt it is one of those wonders in nature before which human knowledge is brought to a full stop.

Conundrums. What is the difference between a stylish young lady and a burglar? One wears false locks and the other false keys. Why is, a watch like a river? Because it won’t run long without winding. Who was the fastest runner in the world? Adam, because he was first in the human race. Why should one wear a watch when he travels through sandy, dry country? Because every watch has a spring in it What is the difference between a baby and a nightcap? One is born to wed. the other worn to bed. What is that which Adam never saw nor possessed, yet left two to each of his children? Parents. Posting—A Hoop Game. In this game a large circular track should be marked out. with stations at equal distances, one for each player. The player at the first station trundles his hoop to the second station, the player at that station takes his to the third, and so on, the player at the last station taking the hoop on the first again. Any one steadying the hoop with his hand is out. and his station must be abolished. The player keeping in and trundling the hoop round to all the stations wins the game. If the number of players is large two or three hoops may be kept going at one time. Gold Miners. It is chickens that usually pick up gold nuggets. In Nebraska the ducks have gone Into the business and are likely to put the chickens to shame. You see, gold is often found in the sand of water courses, where 4t has been washed down from the hills, and the ducks that go swimming In the water have chances for mining that dry land fowls can never have. They pick up tiny nuggets and swallow them, and then the gold is found in their crops when they are killed for the tabla