Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-08-03

BY KATE BR ADFOR.

lom was windfall. A gale detached
t,e nome nest from sheltering tree, and
.ne young crow was suddenly bereft of all
MS KIN We were at dinner when Uncle
Den came home with his prize. From
the inside OF his vest he produced a com.
pact, shining ball of Jet black feathers.
iron which popped a pert head, beaded
with pair of bright, inquisitive eyes.
All gathered round the new conner, won.
derlng, questioning, commen ing. "He
is hungry said Uncle Ben.
We tried to feed him, but he did not
understand our bungling ways, and only
locked ut the food with babysh helpless
ness. happy thought came TO Aunt
Lou. Taking some milk in Il teaspoon
she gently choked him until he opened his
bill, >hen she poured the milk down his
throat This process few times repeated
taught him that Il teaspoon meant some
thing to eat, and that to get it he must
open his bill. When addressing the
queer little black bunch Aunt Lou called it
Tom. and henceforth be was called Tom
by all who made his acquaintance.
After some diScnSei"r it was decided to
put young crow in the barn and let him
take his chances with Peter, the big vel.
low Cat that guarded the premises and
would not permit feline to pass anywhere
inside the fence towards night we went
to the barn in search Of Tom. Much to
our comfort he was contentedly perched
on the edge of II basket, while Peter sat
at respectable distance eyeing him with II
puzzled air. We pelted Tom aud inf,m-
ed Peter that he was expected TO take
charge of and care for him rs tenderly
and faithfully as he did his favorile wards,
the chickens. His cat>hip's face cleared
up ut once. He came over TO the basket
and purred his assent TO our wishes in u
way that quite convinced us of his sin
cerity.
Tom could soon pick up his own dinner.
lie had II liking for warm dough. never
failing to be present among the chicks ut
feeding time. At first the mother hens
showed their dislike to his company by
fltppings and peckins, but after he had
pulled few long feathers from their
backs they wisely concluded to let him
have Il share ut meals. Having culled a
feather from some i'll. natured biddy he
would march off with it IN his bill us
proud us an Indian with his first scalp.
lie was full of rogush tricks indoor, tear
ing paper from the walls; hiding our
thimbles, scissors, knives; tossing small
articles of clothing about and making up
mischief generally when left in room
by himself
One day handsome pocket knife was
purposely placed in his view on a low
window sill Tom had his eye on it in a
moment, but made no haste to capture it.
He was engaged with other things for a
while before he trotted lesurely across the
room and hoped onto the window sill
He gazed at the sky, glanced shyly round
the room to see if he was observed, then
began to walk slowly and demurely across
the window, at eich turn drawing Il little
elrer to the knife, till with quick, dex-
ferrous movement, he pushed it outside.
He did some more walking to conceal his
mau9uvre, and then dropped outside as if
he had no special object in going. At first
he did not 90 near the knife. Thinking
he was sure that no one noticed him, he
moved off his booty toward IA stone in the
yard. With much labor he pushed it be-
meath the store. then walked slowly around
it, peering cautiously to see if it was any
where visible, At one place it could be
seen. Iom scratched with his toes and
poked with his bill till the crevice was
filled with dirt. with chuckle of appro
val he walked away with the most inno-
cent mien. The carpenter near by lost
his gimlets screws and several small
articles upon which he expected to lay his
hand when wanted. The boys were ac
cused of meddling, while Tom scampered
about quite unsuspected of theft. The
missing things were found one day at the
bottom of q huge pile of shavings where
they had been hidden by the ever busy
| Tom Grow. In spite of all our vigilance
and the terrors of II switch that was ever
handy the sittng-room paper hung in
tatters. Tom would dig under the edge
till he could pull up II piece of paper,
which he would hold firmly in his bill,
dancing back as it peeled off the wall
He would be sure to stri p off at least one
piece before anyone could stop him, deity
lodging the stick ut last, whisking out the
window or door before i. fairly hit him.
He picked string beans from the vines
faster than Bridget, but was not particular
about the size.
Aunt Lou talked to him daily, often
saving: "Tom is good fellow" One
morning, saucily tipping his head on one
side, he greeted her with the same compli-
ment to himself, uttered with perfect dis.
tjnctness. Over and over he repeated
Tom is a good fellow" emphasizing
each word by turns in the funniest way,
ending his speech with sound initiative
of rollicking laughter. His was not crow
dialect. but plainly spoken English From
that day his tongue was loused.
4" Mother. moi her come out here"
Mother ran to the window thinking one
of the bows called her. Seeing only Tom
/ outside, she went back to her work. A
second summons caused her t. suspect
Tom was practising.
"Was that you TomP What do you
wantP'
4 want YOU to come out here"
If he saw her putting on her bonnet he
would anxiously inquire:
Where are you going. motherP"
Down town."
Il want to 60"
You cannot go, Tom. Now mind and
stay in the house"
If not securely shut up, however. he
would 90 walking behind her like dog
One of his wings had been cropped lo
keep him from making journeys. When
out of sight he would always respond il
called by his name. Tom had never at
tended church, yet he had a habit or
SUNDAYS of gathering the fowls around q
! CnODDluO DlOCN Itldt SloOi III %
In the back yard. When they were nj
quietly squatted in the warm sand he
would mount the block and talk to them
for a half hour. He did not use words
but a sorl of gibbersh that seemed tC
interest them hugely, Never was more
earnest preacher, nor more attentive
audience.
When he hopled from his pulpit th'
meeting closed, the hens rising and wan
dering about as usual This performance
was repeated on pleasant Sundays, and OF
no other day in the week Our inference
was. not having the children to ROM
with, he amused himself chatting to tn,
| hens. When punished he never Shove,
i resentment toward any member of th'
, family, but would give vent to his feeling
I by rafting at passers by. Once, when h
, had been whipped for tearing off yard o
two of wall paper, he accosted lady VIII
was passing with:
60 away you bad thing. You'll catcl
o it. Mother will fix you"