The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1876-12-28
zHE s1oHY OF 4 CROW.
lst. Louis Globe. Democrat. |

The crow has long been noted for a
sagacity superior to that of any other
bird, often performing tricks which
smack of human reason, and confound-
ing that school of philosophers which
maintains that all animals save man are
guided by mere instinct. A remarkable
case, strongly illustrative of this superb
ority, has recently come to light in St.
Louis, the exhibition of reasoning in
.stinct being SO wonderful and unprece-
dente& as to justify a detailed recital.
: About two years ago Mrs. G. A. Gal
baugh, the wife of well known citizen
ofSt. Louis, who lives at No. 1926 Wash
Street, discovered in her yard a young
crow.
Approaching it in gentle manner, she
found it quite friendly, and perfectly
willing to make itself at home. 1t ap-
peared to be about seven or eight months
old, its bill being still yellow, indicating
that it was not full grown, She took it
into the house and kept it all day, and at
night put it to roost.
Where it came from could never be
guessed, as it was not known that any
person in the city had lost pet bird of
this description. At all events, the crow
was invited to stay where he had acci-
dentally lighted, and from that time he
became part of the Gaibaugh family.
He was christened "Jim Crow" and
ever after bore that name. From the
first, he betrayed a remarkable under
standing of everything that occurred
within his purYiew. Without being
taught be took 10 tricks of the most in
genious and often startling character.
One day, shortly after he had been
permanently domiciled in his new home
he saw rat run into a hole near the
garden fence. Jim went to the hole and
appeared as if endeavoring to measure
its width and depth.
Proceeding to distant part of the
yard, he obtained tin yeast can, which
he brought in his bill near the rat hole.
He then slowly filled it with pieces of
stones, Goals, chips, etc., and, dragging
it to the edge of the hole, deliberately
dumped it in. This operation he re-
peated number of times, until he
had the orifce completely stopped, an
accomplishment which he seemed to sur
yey with much pleasure. The next day
Jim demonstrated his good memory by
going to the hole to see that it was prop
erly closed, and, not liking the look of
things, crammed in few more carloads
of rubbish, thus sealing the fate of
dozens of rodents who might be burrow-
ing beneath the surface of the ground.
On one occasion his mistress bought q
number of chickens and turned them
loose in the back yard. At dark she had
them driven into the hen-house for the
night. The next day, about the sams
hour, Jim picked up stick in his bill
and proceeded, with show of absolut.
authority, to drive the chickens into thei
roosting-place feat which he success
fully accomplished, using his stick will
vigor, and cawing noisily after they wer
all in, as if proud of his work. There
after it became Jim's twilight pleasur
to drive the chickens in, and, in fact, i
was his pleasure to drive them all tn
time, and boss things generally. An,
here it may be stated the crow is one @
the most aggressive animals, and yet tn
most cowardly. Jim would boldly wal
behind chicken and give it a terribl
peck on the back, but if the attacke
fowl turned to fight, Jim Crow would di.
appear like a streak, and the aforesai
attacked fowl could only enjoy the sati
faction of gazing on a rapidly retreatin
enemy.
Jim was a great blusterer, but his sens
OF fear was prodigious, and though h
hatred of the house cat was constant an
notorious, he never attacked that form
dable foe except when it was absorbed i
profound and oblivious purr, and the
he was content to make one dig and f
away before the aroused feline could e.
tend a retributive claw.
He was a jealous bird, and to see h
mistress pet the cat narrowed his so
with horror, and he would signify