The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1876-04-27
hAuK rwAIS's RAHE BIRD,

/ Pavey. OHe warm spring day, The two
boys having got holiday, Mark should
cred an oldtlihi-look musket and Pole an
Old squirrel rifle, without any lock at ali,
which he carried along, as he said, just
for The looks Of the thing, and went duck
hunting over in Spy Bottom. The boys
hunted faithfully for several hours, aud
succeeded 10 killing chicken-hawk aud
a crow, alter which they began their
hcmcward march, not very proud Of their
success, as In this region at that day
game abounded. Finally Marx stopped
suddenly, as the idea struck him and ex-
claimed. . ... .....
! See here, Pole, let's get mp rare
what dye call III A rare geological
specimen Tor the Boss; you see he's got q
grea, hankerin' after these things.
What's rare geological specimen,
Mark said Pole, as he opened wide his
ewes.
Why, it's rare bird what amt never
been seen in these parts before; some.
thing very uncommon like, answered
Mark. ...-..... r-....
Where are you going TO git her at,
Mark We sin't got nothing but the old
chicken robber and egg smoker, aud they
amt bit uncommon, queried the scep-
tical Pole.
Wen get her up TO order, Pole, aus.
wered Mark, as be flung himself on the
grass beneath giant old elm tree.
The two boys went to work on their
rare geological specimen. AS Mark
would pluck a feather from the tail OF
the crow, Pole would hand him CORES
ponding feather that had been taken from
the tail of the hawk, which Marx would d
carefully insert in the socket from which
he had just pulled the crows feather; ;
and thus, after two hours steady work
every one of the long feathers OF the
hawks tail had been transferred to the
crow, and II would have required care
full examination to have detected the
1 fraud.
How is that for specimen, Pole2 said
Mark, as he admiringly exhibited the
retaiIed crow to the gaze of his compan-
ion, rcspendent in the rich plumage of
the chicken eater.
She is sumner, Mark; a regular stun
ner, guess they amt never seen bird
like that in Hannibal before.
/ The hawk was thrown away and the
boys trudged homeward. BY the time
they arrived in town, the blood Of the
crow had concealed, and the false feath.
ers in the tail had become quite firmly
fixed.
AS Mark had said, Judge Clemens, his
father was somewhat OF a naturalist, and
had passion for whatever was rare and
strange in the animal kingdom.
Why, Mark he said, where In tho
world did you get that strange.looking
bird? .
It's my opinion, replied Marx, with an
air of greater Importance than he was
accustomed to assume in the presence OF
his father, thai is the Bird of Paradise
leastwise, that it belongs to that specie.
That night the bird was carefully laid
away in place where it would be safe
from the devouring presence Of old tom
cats, which Mark afterwards wrote about
as creating such fearful destruction at his
sisters candy pullings. The report soon
circulated through the town that q
strange bird, the like of which had never
before been seen, was killed, and Marx
aud Pole became the heroes of the hour
The next day being Sunday, Judge
Clemens invited all the wise men Of th,
village of Hannibal to his house TO exam
inc and pass an opinion on the new geo
logical specimen. They came. Th,
bird was exhibited on table, arounC
which the savans gathered. One faction
headed by Dr., maintained tha
the bird was nothing more than com
mon black crow, the tail Of which hsc
been turned gray by some academia
cause not understood, having possibly
had salt thrown on 1t in the young anC
tender days OF the bird. The other fac
ton, headed by Judge Clemens, secuted
the idea. IL was absurd--irdiculous.-
They were willing TO admit that the bir'
very much resembed the crow; tina
possibly 1t was a crow; bat II so, II be
onged TO a separate and distinct specie
from any that had ever before been dis
covered.
, The discussion was continued and be
came exciting. Neither faction wouI'
admit themselves wrong and the othe
right. Mark and Pole occupied pt
sition near the door, and were Attentiv
aud interested, though silent, auditors.
What exclaimed Judge Clemens
i. warming mp, do you tell me that II wonl
/, be possible by sny external process
turn the feathers 10 the tail OF that bir
from black to the color they are? Thes
uniform rings and spots would defy th
skin Of the greatest painter that eve
, lived No, gentlemen, continued u
Judge as be violently took bold Of u
bird by the tail 10 examine the spo
! more closely; no gentlemen. But Il
discussion was cut short by the bin
dropping back on the table, while Il
tail remained in bis hand.
! Lers scoot, Pole, sAid Mark, u
shows ended. And the two boys Y
mooted.
A lady iu Connecticut not long sin
er visited a brother who resides In dista
II city, taking her little daughter with be,