Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 89.djvu/921

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I'upular Science Monthly

��907

��An Artistic Grocery Store in a Residential District

RESlDKX'iS of ail cxclusixc siihurhan district in I'ortlaiui, Orciion. objiTtcd strenuously when a groct-r aniioiiiucd that he was going to build and coiiduct an establishment in lluir lncalit\-. Citizens even went so far as to in\okc the law in their behalf, but they were overruled.

Now the build- ing is finished and open for business, and those who were most opposed to it can but ad- mit that so far as exterior appear- ances go, it gives no cause for com- plaint. .\n incon- spicuous sign is all that indie-atcs the nature of the building.

It is a one-story colonial stylestuc- co structure, set back thirty feet from the sidew'alk. Broad cement walks lead from the sidewalk to the front veranda of the store.

The windows are artistically curtained. Inside, groceries are displayed on shehes built like stairs, but there is a large fireplace to preserve the home-like effect.

No goods are delivered through the front door. A concrete walk also leads from the rear door to the sidewalk, so that the impression of a residence is maintained.

���The grocery store as a fashionable dwelling-house. An inconspicuous sign is all that denotes its character

��Testing the Pulling Power of an Ostrich

��NOW and th unusual stunts being per- formed in connection with an auto- mobile, but it is probable that nothing more novel ha been reporte during reccn months than is illustrated in the accompa nyi n g photograph — the

���The ostrich sustained the weight of the driver and pulled the automobile uphill until told to stop

��pulling of an automobile by an ostrich. This test or performance came as a result of a discussion between the proprietor of one of the largest ostrich farms near Los Angeles, Caiilornia, and a niunlxT of automobile men of that city. The farm proprietor claimed that the bird could jHill the car. The automobile men doubled but they were ready and waiting to be convinced.

Several days later an Inter- State touring car was secured and run out to a boul- e\'ard close to the ostrich farm. One of the largest birds, with a sack over its head, was led through the farm-gate and i ni m e d lately hitched to the front axle of the automobile by means of an espe- cially prepared set of harness.

The trainer took his position upon the back of the bird and urged it forward, but just as soon as the traces became tight the ostrich balked and danced around. After repeated efforts had been unsuccess- ful in getting the bird to pull, the trainer thought he would try a different method. Suddenly he reached up and took the sack from oft" the bird's head and again urged it forward. The ostrich, upon seeing what was really expected of it, tightened the traces and kept on pulling, with the result that the car began to move, and continued, though slowly, until the bird was top. To add to the fficultiesof the test, the ichinewas headed up i\ slight grade. After leing unhitched the ostrich walked slowly back into t he farm \ard amid the cheers of the spectators. The test was a demonstration of the intelligence of the bird, also, w h ic h h a s n o t been rated par- ticularly high.

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