UFE OF A JUVENILE OSTRICH 



Two years ago I was born in southern quite fast and before the end of four 



California. The great Sierra Madre weeks found my shell getting too small 



mountains looked over my birth place ; to hold me. There is always a space left 



those big black hills, a branch of the in ostrich eggs by nature for little os- 



Sierra Nevadas, those immense mounr triches to breathe; but I grew into that 



tains that shut in California, and divide space and soon found I must either 



the east of North America from the west, burst the shell or smother. So, one day, 



with its dry, sandy sun-scorched plains I gave a great bob with my head against 



between the states of New Mexico and the side of the shell and a small piece 



Colorado and the sea. Eighteen miles about an inch square fell out. I then 



from the peaceful Pacific Ocean, at peeped out on the new world and found 



Pasadena, a small resort for tourists to about three dozen large eggs just like 



California, I first saw the light. All of mine lying close to each other, all kept 



us, for there were fourteen sisters and nice and warm by the oil lamp. We 



brothers were laid in a large hole in the were lying upon trays of zinc and as 



ground. I have heard since how this I looked upon the silent eggs, white^ and 



hole was made ; my father took a notion quiet, I thought it looked very much like 



one day that there ought to be more a graveyard. But the nice warm air 



ostriches in the world so he began was pleasant, although I smelt a smell 



to scrape out the ground with his strong I never smelt before — that which is 



feet and soon made a hole about one made by an oil lamp burning low, which 



foot deep and three feet wide ; the second all our readers know about. Soon I 



day he became tired of this work, not gave another turn and my shell fell into 



that he worked all day, for ostriches twenty pieces on the zinc tray. I was 



are wild birds and do not love work, but free. I was so weak and happy at the 



every now and then he would scrape joy of getting out of my prison that 



out a little; but even of this he became I fell over and fainted. I was awakened 



tired and called my mother to help him. by a man who reached his hand into the 



They scraped in turns and very soon had incubator, for that was the name of my 



a hole in the dry California soil some home, and took me rather roughly away, 



two feet deep and four feet around ; in He placed me in the sunshine on the 



that hole we were all born. Not all to-, grass and I soon found myself getting 



gether, but one every other day. I did stronger and became more joyful than 



not see my brothers and sisters born, ever. I began to eat some little stones 



for we were all in eggs the size of can- that^were lying around, for nature has 



taloupes. It took a month to lay us all made it so that every little ostrich has 



in the nest — fifteen of us — one every to eat stones when he comes out of his 



other day. Mother turned us over every shell to get his liver in good working 



day several times, for the hot California order. After a good meal of very small 



sun shines every day and we would fry stones I felt stronger than ever and 



on one side if left too long and that is soon began nibbling the green, young 



why she turned us over. grass. 



Two weeks after I had been laid I About this time a party of strangers 



was carried away from the nest of my came along and stared at us. There 



parents to a dark house heated by an were five ladies and a man, and they 



oil-lamp, and there I remained, perfectly had come from Missouri. The ladies 



quiet, for four weeks longer. I ~ grew made very strange remarks about me 



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