The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-08-05
BARNABY RUDGE AND GRIP.

My first acquaintance with these two
was on a sunny June day. The air was
overlooking with bird-songs, but sud-
denly with the bobolink's aria, the blue
birds MARBLE and the robins carol,
there mingled discordant notes which
seemed to come from just below my
window; looking out, I saw a sharp
eyed. freckled-faced boy with two cal
low 1edglings of the crow family in his
arms. "Caw! caw!'' they cried, in q
coarse gutteral voice, tapping their
wings, and trying to disentangle their
claws from the old bit of hopkiln cloth
they were fastened with.
II heard as to how you wanted
some," said the boy, apologetically. 1
assured him that l should be glad to
have them. and asked him to carry
them to the wood-house, where there
was box that had been used for rab-
bits. In the meantime, was asking
and receiving information about their
diet.
"Bread an water, an soaked corn,
an bits of meat" answered the sharp
eyed boy, adding, "an' you'll hev to
feed 'em with spoon at first.''
Such capacity as they showed for
slowing away spoon victuals, and such
a clamoring as they made for food!
Then, when they swallowed it. the
sound they made was ludicrous in the
extreme, something like emptying q
fluid from smallnecked jug-gurgle,
gurgle, then gulp. After a week or
SO, they were let out in the door-yard
during the day and put in their box
only'at night; growing rapidly, as they
had greater liberty, and soon showing
much intelligence.
But like fedglings of the human fam
lily, they were prone to get into trouble,
and found the world full of temptations
and danger. There was the white tur-
key with her brood, of which she was
very fond and proud 80 proud that she
would not allow them to associate with
a gentleman of colored extraction. And
when Barnaby Rudge went to the lower
end of the door-yard on an exploring
expedition, and made friendly advances
to the little turkeys. he found himself
snapped up pretty short, so short in
fact, that he just escaped with his head;
and after that Madame Turkey perse-
cuted him relentlessly, Then the rob-
ms eyed him suspiciously, and the king
birds gave him no peace, while the cat
birds scolded as if he was an unwelcome
intruder. Poor Barnaby! life was to
him a scene of trouble, and when we
found him dead and bleeding down by
the turkeys pen, we found little regret,
giving him decent burial, and turning
our attention to Grip, who seemed to
make more friends probably because
he was not so aggressive and inquisi-
tive.
He didn't care about the little Misses
Turkey, or wonder how the kingbirds
put their nests together, or count the
robins brood; although indoors he de-
veloped prying nature; flying into my
lady's chamber, where he made sad
havoc-taking the stopples out of per-
fumery bottles, uncOrking the inkstand,
then dipping in his bill and dropping
the fluid on sheet of paper and walk
ing about in it until the tracing might
have served for war map of Afghanis-
tan. Then such airs and graces as he
gave himself before the looking glass!
twisting and turning, hopping and bow
ing-perhaps he was vainly trying to
see his back hair POSSIBLY my lady had
sometimes set him the examp.e.) Again
he would walk back and forth in SOL
emn manner, with an affectation of
great dignity, as if he knew by intuition
that once there was crow buried with
divine honors in the Appian Way, and
felt that he had a right to be dignifed,
Or that he was descended from line
of ancestors sacred to Juno, and prided
himself on the fact.
A work-basket was q source of de-
light to Grip; its contents were carried
to different parts of the room and hid
den, paper of needles tucked under
the rug, spools of thread set here and
there. He would fill his mouth and
throat with small agate buttons, then
fly to the scrap-bag and disgorge them;
he would unwind silk, tangle his feet in
it, and lily off with tho scissors.
Being greatly attached to his mistress
he followed her every where. If she
worked in the flower-garden Grip was
on her shoulder, now and then flying
down into the dirt to unearth ANGLE
worms. piling them together and COW
ering them with leaves and sticks.
He was prone to do mischief, helping
himself to blossoms, especially those
of bright red color, keeping the scarlet
verbenas and geraniums stripped of
their blooms. His mistress had care
fully cultivated tuberoses of the double
Towering sort; and when they were
just ready to open Grip picked them
one by one, and they were found hid in
different places. OF course it was nee
essary TO scold him for his misdemean-
ors, and he would scold back. bristling
his feathers and chattering in q most
saucy manner. He never forgave an
injury or forgot an affront- q men,
Der Of the family having lightly whipped
him for some piece Of mischief could
never get into his good graces again,
or get near him, while whip would
terrify him. He was clearly in his
habits, being very fond of bathing, and
if his pan Of water was forgotten he
would fly upon the pump-handle and
call for It.
In the matter of food Grip was an
epicure, and liked best to help himself,
flying into the pantry, carefully lifting
the corners bf napkins with his bill
until he found what suited him, and in
his fondness for pie showing himself to
be a true American. He would stow
&<ol - Ia l>~,~oO ~-.l 49,.