River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-12-30
4 WAGGISH CROFV.
from the Reading tpalTimes. !

| liiVth siO nO"ulilS NIal lnles.J
A lady in this city was the owner of a
pet crow called "Jim," whose history she
gives rs follows Sitting in the trunk Of a
tree beside the cabin of wood chopper
in the alleghanes. first saw him. He
was too young to fly. and, only partially
covered with feathers, looked so queer, so
| helpless, and withal so mischievous, that
bought him, tied him in my handker.
chef, and rode twenty miles home. 1t
was the amusemement of all the family
to I'LL up "Jim crow" which meant to
take pieces Of bread, clover-heads, and
indeed anything, drop it in his wlde-open
mouth till his craw, his throat, and his
mouth were filled. There he would SIT
with his bill wide open, unable to thus it
till the food slowly dlgested, then recon-
hence his ''caw, cav, olw." With the
wings came--what the quiet twinkle in
these black eyes foretold = mischief sly
and deep. lie delighted to get into the
coOS IS room, where careless habits MAJ ,
thct place paradise to him. He would
generally put his bill under. the lid of her
sewing box and turn off the cover on the
floof lard then the fun began. The
needles were all carefully stuck over the
bed one by one. The Gotten was hid in
the woodhouSe, and the scissors nicely
tucked under the pillows in the room quito
removed from the scene of his labors.
The wax and tumble were dropped in
the aquarium. And, after all this deli.
c.ous fun, he one day took little pot OF
hard pomade in his bill and hoped to
the top of the veranda roof, ate the POM
ade with evident relish, and then dropped
the glass pot on the stove pipe be.ow
with satisfied ar at its demolition. lie
then flew down and carefully picked up
each piece and put them in the grass.
During the short illness Of ne of the
family, regularly at 9 A. NJ. slim Crow"
hoped along the veranda roof, gave
quite tap on the closed window, and, on
being admitted, gravely brought with
hun to the bedside and laid on the table
chicken bone or leg, or something
equally tempting. Seeing that he was
duy observed, ne would ruiiie up his
feathers, make himself appear like large
round ball Of black feathers, "caw," and
then open his mouth wide for a part of
the invalid's breakfast. After stirring up
things for half an hour or more, opening
the clock, picking of the hands, stopping
the pendulum, dropping the soap into the
water pitcher, and taking all the pins GU.
of the pincdsnio1s, he would take his
| leave.
/ The fish in the course Of time disaL
pealed from the aquarium, and althoug.
all the haps and mishaps Of the house
were attributed to demure little "JIm
Crow" no one suspected he was the cause
of the fish mystery. One morning he
was discovered taking a bath in il, and a
| fish breakfast alterward. The mystery
was solved, and when the aquarium was
emptied there came to Light two thimbles,
a pair of scissors, a penkhiie, and spoon
To carry away small chickens. drop
them into holes, and cover them with
dirt, was his intense delight, and when
he saw q distracted hen rushing madly
about the lanyard, some one looked up
slim Crow and went to the rescue.
Altera days fishing, we were cleaning
tbs fish on the race bank. One little fish
vas thrown into the water. A duck
quickly seized it by the head, and "1im"
took the tail, and they pulled and pulled
for few secOnGs. The scene was ex-
ceaGiagly amusing, for slim" planted
his little black feet firmly on the edge Of
the bank, and was slowly drawn into the
water, holding on 10 the fish. As soon as
he folnd that he was getting in too deep,
he let 90 his hold and flew to a tree to
to take his usual reeenge in scolding and
with his head on one side he scolded till
all the fish we're cleaned. J;m's scolding
consisted of successive of cultural
sounds said over and over with very
solemn face and mournful mien, and has
lmoved many people to hearty laughter
because he was so intensely droll. While
was quite young he was tyranized over,
Fl all the fowls, large and small had a
ok at jim. But one day he took long
kaw in his bill and chased the geese.
B fled before him, and Jim reigned SUI
Feme for that day, and often repeated
he scare. we thought. for his own amuse.