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Show James Burbank's Narrow Escape Prom BeiDg Suffocated in the Icy Waters. EAELY BIED3 CATCHING WOBMS. He Shot Too Late Demands Tor ShamrocksA Sham-rocksA Smart Boy Pigeons Vs. Telephone Other Matters. A Montreal special to The Philadelphia Press says: James Burbank, owner of the grist mill at Massawippl, situated on the lake of that name, had a miraculous escape from death on Friday afternoon. He was cuttiDg ice on the mill pond, when suddenly the cake on which he stood broke away from the rest, and he was swept toward the 4m, 200 yards below. His companions on the pond were unable un-able to render any assistance. Just as the ice cake toppled over the thirty foot dam, Burbank jumped. After a terriflo struggle with the rushing waters wa-ters he succeeded in grasping the edge of the timbers of the dam. Burbank clung there with the desperation of despair. de-spair. It was simply a test of endurance, For half an hour he maintained his terrible ter-rible position on tbe edge of the falls, but then, benumbed with cold, tbe nails and flesh torn from his hands by the rushing rush-ing waters, he was forced to let go, and was swept under the revolving wheels of the mill and on under tbe ice in the river below. At this time the villagers who stood on tbe river bank, both below and above the mill, gave up all hope of ever seeing Burbank Bur-bank again. Great was their surprise to Bee him appear in an opening in the river, nearly a quarter of a mile below the mill, and cling to the ice at the edge. Several of the men at once ran to his assistance, as-sistance, and Burbank was dragged from the river insensible but still alive after his terrible journey. Early Birds nd Their Meaning, A dispatch from Willimantic, Conn., dated March 23, says: All the early spring birds were back in their northern haunts on or before March IS, a date that is almost unprecedentcdly early for their arrival in New England. Flocks of robins, bluebirds, purple grackles, red wing blackbirds, song sparrows and meadow larks have been seen for a week or more, and three weeks ago crows began be-gan to hold their big spring caucuses, as a flock did in Central park the other day, preparatory to mating. It is rare that redwings come into Connecticut Con-necticut before April 1, therefore weather men predict a season two weeks earlier than ordinarily. Snipe began to come north the first week in March and woodcock wood-cock in the middle of the month. Wild geese have been flying north for two weeks, and in the coves along shore and inland ponds ducks are remarkably plentiful. Sportsmen have taken some good sized bags of them lately. Peeping frogs were heard in all parts of the state on the night of March 13, Farmers are plowing and grass is green in the pastures. pas-tures. It is the earliest spring in twenty-five twenty-five years. A Vain Shot. Miss Eliza, the 16-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Kargar, who live one mile north of Comfort, Tex., met an un- timely death recently. Mr. Kargar had been confined to his bed for several days. His daughter was leading a spirited horse from the stable to turn him into a small pasture. As soon as the animal sniffed the open air he ran away. The young lady became entangled in the rope attached at-tached to the horse, and was dragged over the ground at a furious rate. Mr. Kargar witnessed the affair from his sick chamber, and, thinking to rescue his daughter from a frightful death, seized his rifle and shot the horse dead. It was too late, for, when tbe sick man hobbled to the spot where his child and horse lay, she was dead, her neck having been broken. -Chicago Times. Shamrocks In Demand. It has been the custom for a few years past of a firm in Buffalo to give away shamrocks on St. Patrick's day. In 1889 ihe supply numbered 2,000, and the demand de-mand so far exceeded the supply that at oon not one was left. This year the number was increased to 5,000, and at 7:45 o'clock St. Patrick's day morning the wheels of business were so thoroughly blocked by petitioners for shamrocks that customers could notbevuited upon. At 9:30 o'clock the last of the 5,000 was given out, and a card was put upon the door: "We have no more shamrocks. In 1891 an order will bo placed for 20,000." Philadelphia Ledger. A Smart Maine Boy. Otis Oliver, of Nobleboro, 11 years old, is about the smartest boy of his age in Maine. Last winter he cut and hauled to market 2,400 hoop poles, using a pair of steer calves which ho bought with his own money and broke to the sled himself, lie has also chopped and hauled a big pile of wood, brought ice from Pomaquid lake with an ox team when the mercury was at zero, and done any amount of other work. He gets up at sunrise and works from choice. New York Sun. . Pigeons Versus Telephone Wires. There is war at Brussels between the owners of carrier pigeons and the telephone tele-phone companies, the former declaring that the flue wires of the latter strung ov the streets are traps into which the pigeons run blindly and where they receive re-ceive frequently fatal injuries. Several championship races of the pigeons are said to havo been interfered with in this way. Chicago Herald. Newest Fad In Linen. The coat shirt is said to be the latest. It is open in front all the ways down, is made to fit the ligure, and does not have to be pulled on over the head. The inventor in-ventor of this shirt hopefully predicts that it will come into universal use, but it is a matter altogether uncertain how It will strike the leaders of fashion. Clothier and Furnisher. To Grasp a Fortaue. "How can we grasp a fortune?" is the way an advertisement opens. We should probably grasp it linuly with both hands if wosaiv it coming our way. Yankee Blude. i .. I Eiio Canal lcc. j The ice on the Erie canal lias loen sold for :2 per, mile. This ice is generally ; considered too poor to harvest. It will i he tippcil to Ni-.v Yw. Eschar.-;. j |
