The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-03-24
THE LOST CHILD AND THE CROWS.

eff you please sir, don't shoot those
Crows"
The gun dropped from my shoulder
and turned angrily toward the intruder
who had so startled me as well as spoiled
my shot.
"Don't shoot the crows2" replied I.
"Why not, pray2 They're destructive
fellows they pull up the corn and kill
the young grouse, besides making such
an internal noise that one can scarcely
think"
"Well sir, I'd rather you wouldn' t
shoot them on my farm"
The speaker was a gentleman / saw
this at glance. He appeared to be be-
tween forty-five and fifty years of age,
although his dark gray hair and beard
gave O somewhat older expression to his
face, which bore all the marks that some
great sorrow had left, for it was furrowed
deep.
Regarding him attentively for a
moment, said:
/" I supposed every farmer was glad to
have such troublesome neighbors made
way with, especially at this time of the
year, just as the young corn is beginning
to send forth its shoots"
''The crows are welcome, sir, to all
the corn they want on my farm. I've
lived on this place more than six years,
and should be very sorry to think that
one had been killed during that time"
&c It's very singular fancy you seem
to have-this penchant for crows there
must be some reason for it. / certainly
never heard of such thing before"
"There is reason" said the gentle
man, examining my face closely, as he
paused for a moment then, as if satiss
fed with the scrutiny, he resumed, "and
if you care to hear it, and will walk over
to the house and take a cup of tea with
us, I'll tell you the story" adding apol-
SPECIFICALLY, 1--WE sometimes get lonesome
out here on the prairies, and are glad to
; see q gentleman's face"
AS the invitation had been proffered
in the spirit of genuine Western hospi-
tality, accepted it as frankly as it had
been given, and climbing over the fence
that had g. ,arated us, started to accom-
pany the farmer to the house.
4 The conversation had taken place in q
!newly-planted corn field. L had been
hunting ali day without success. Chilled
with the cold and weary and vexed at my
ili-luck, was returning toward the farm
house where 1 was stopping, when l no
ticed large flock of crows busily engaged
in tearing up the just sprouting/ c"rn In
field some distance from the road
Determined not to return einpty-handed
and thinking t. do the owner OF the field
a fevur ~ we'll n to test the truth of the
old axiom, that "crows can smell gun
powder, had crept quietly up until
within gun range, aud was about to give
the contents OF both barrels OF my DO
Manton," when l was interrupted as
q above narrated.
Al short wak brought us to the house,
which proved to be comfortable-in
fact, for Western Iowa, an elegant-cot-
tage, romantically situated upon the
banks of miniature lake. AS we were
walking toward it, handed my COM
panion my card, which he received with
a bow, informing me that his name was
Millmore, and that be was pleased to
greet me.
AS we approached the house, / could
but note the neat and comfortable APP
pearqncc of the buildings, as we'll as the
good Judgment that had been displayed
In their location, and the admirable taste
shown in the general plan of half-fin-