The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-03-26
MARK TWAIN,s RARE BIRD.
Fixing Up a Specimen for the Wiseacres q
Argue over,

IRON me Hannibal Courier.
Mark had a constant playmate and
chum, boy about his own oge, named NapO-
leon Pavey. or, for short, Pole Phvey. one warm
81 ring day, the two boys having got holiday,
Mark shouldcred an old hint-lock nusket ana
Pole old squirrel rife VII bout any lock az all.
which he carried along. rs he sad, JUST i"r tne
looks of the thing, and went duck hunting over
in shy Bottom the boys hunted taithiullN Tor
several hours and succe ded in killing achckcn.
hawk and crow, after which they commenced
their homeward march. not very proud of their
success. "a IN this region at that day game
abOunded. Finally Marx sto!ntd suddenly as
"See here. Pole, let's git up rare-what dye
call itf A rare geological specimen Tor the
boss; you see he's got u great hankerln AFTER
Whats rare geological specimen, Mark 2"
said Pole AS ne opened wide his ewes.
"Why, It's rare bird what amt never been
seen in these parts before; something very un-
common Ike" answered Mark.
Whore are YOU going to eit her at marx
We amt 90 nothing but the old chicken robOer
and tRg sucker and they amt a bit uncommon,
queried the skeptlcal Pole.
" Wen git her Up to order, Pole" answered
Mark as he ildng himself ON the grass beneath
a giant old elm tree.
The two BOYS went TO work on their rare " geo.
logical" specimen. As Mark would pluck
feather from the tail of the CROW, Pole would
hand him acorrpspondinp lea her that mad been
taken from the tail OF the hawk, which Mark
would carefully insert IN the socket from which
he hid just pulled the crows feather. And thus
long feathers Of the hawks tail had been trans
ferred to the crow. aud 1t would have required a
CNItlul W udNc httoticu bHt lIiuus
-" How - that Tor specimen n; IoleF said
| Mark, as he admiringly exhibited the retailed
| crow to the gaze of his companion. respondent
| IN the rich plutuage OF the chicken eater.
"She IL a sumner Mark regular sumner.
guess they amt never seen a bird like that In
| The hawk was thrown away and the boys
trudged homeward. DIV the time they arrived
| In town, the blood OF the crow had cungealed,
and the false feathers IN the tall had become
| firmly liked.
/ somewhat of "A naturalist, and had passion
for whatever was rare aud strange In the ami
| nal kingdom.
| Why Mark I" he said where In the world
did YOU get that strange looking hird?''
It's my opinion replied Mark, With an air Of
| assume In the presence Of his father. that Is
the Bird of Paradise leastwise, that 1t belongs
| to that Species
That night tue bird was carefully laid away In
a place where 1t would be safe from the deyuur-
| ing presence OF old tom cats, which Mark after
| ward wrote about as creating such e,ulul de
| structiun at his sisters candy pullngs. The
reuort soon circulated through the town that a
| strange bird. the IKE Of which had never before
| been seen, was killed. aud Mark and Pole be-
came the heroes Of tho hour The ne xt day he
| ing SUNDAY, judge Clemens invited all the wise
men OF the village Of Hannibal to his house to
examine aud pass an opinion ON the new geo
logical specimen They came. The bird was
exhibited on a table around which the Swans
gathered. one faction. beaded by Dr. --, main
tanned that the bird was nothing more than a
common back crow, the tail OF viii IN had been
turned gray by some accidental cause not UNDER
stood, having possibly had salt thrown on It in
other faction. headed 10y Judge Clemens. scout
ed such an ilei. 1t was absurd ridiculous.
They were willing to admit that the bird very
much rcsemhled the CROW; that possibly II was
actOw; but. " so. II belonged to "A separate and
distinct species from auy that had ever before
been discovered.
The discussion was continued and became eX-
citing. Neither faction would admit themselves
wrong and the other right. Mark and Pole oc-
cupied a position near the door. ana were atten-
tive aud Interested, though silent, auditors.
what" exclaimed Judge Clemens WARMING
up, " do you tell NE that II would be possible 10y
any external process to turn the feathers In the
tail of that bird from black to the colors they
areI Iutse uniform rings and spots would DEFY
the skill OF the greatest painter that ever lived
No, gentlemen continued the Judge, IA lie VIC.
lenty took mold Of the Uitd 10y the tail to exam.
inc the spots more closely: go, gentlemen
-" But the discussion was cut short by the
bird dropping back on the table, while tn,
Judge held the tan IN his hand.
Lets scoOt, Pole" SAID Mark, 1.-THE show
ended" And tue two boys vamoOsed.