—little information. Some geologist friends of mine were down in that country last Summer, and they brought me the track of a bird—dried in alkali mud. The measurements and peculiar arrangement of the toes show it to be the track of a Railami, a bird that is believed to have been extinct for many years. The imprint is of recent times—not over six months—and without a doubt, in the vicinity of the town of Piperock lives and roams a specimen of this rare bird. It greatly resembles an ostrich in size and characteristics, but as there are no ostriches in that country, it would be difficult to mistake anything else for this rare bird. I would be willing to give one thousand dollars for this specimen alive, and will gladly welcome any information you can send me. Very truly yours,
C. Ewein Church, New York, N. Y.
“My ——!” snorts Magpie. “Here we’ve had uh thousand dollars running loose around here and didn’t know it. Ain’t that the limit?”
“Just uh case of grasping an opportunity when she comes your way,” chuckles Tellurium, looking at his tickets again. “Some of us are wide awake around here.”
“Uh-huh,” I agrees. “As far as I’m concerned I tries to get my regular sleep.”
Tellurium pilgrims back across the street, and pretty soon we opines that we might as well go and see what’s doing, so we enters Buck’s place. Chuck leads the bird in, and ties it to uh leg of the pool-table. The bird squats down on the floor, and Chuck mounts uh chair.
“Gents,” says he, yelling for order. “We are gathered together here to raffle off uh bird that nobody seems to know nothing about. I puts my rope on it and, being it don’t show no brand, I claims it as mine. Am I right?”
“According to law, Chuck,” admits the judge.
“Being all things is so we will proceed to raffle off said bird. Gents, will the first number out of the hat win the bird or will we draw more before the lucky number comes to view?”
“Make it three draws,” squeaks Scenery. “Third number out wins.”
The bunch seems satisfied, so Chuck takes up the hat with the numbers in, and begins to shake ’em up.