Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-09-14
THE GREAT GRAY OWL.

bors said. Ever minute he can git from his
work he's allays wanderin' round through the
woods with his gun, a-shootin' Innocent birds
dead bird was worth more TO him than its
weight in dollars, the way be takes on over
'em sometimes, an smooths thoir feathers, an
grins, an carries en- of homo a-whistlin,
Uncle Ezry oughter put stop 10 his trifin'."
Clay was misunderstood. The innocent
birds" were not killed wantonly nor In idle
amusement. Clay was thoroughly a student
Of nature; no loved the feathered songsters,
and 1t was for this love that he sought to OBJ
tain and to study them. Clay was an en-
thusiastic ornithologist.
In the rough neighborhood In which he
lived the people did not appreciate his pas
sion. How there could be Joy and triumph
In the discovery Of an unusually bright
breasted oriole or a peculiar colored warbler
was entirely beyond their somewhat dull
comprehension.
Clay would have explained these matters
had any ono among his neigh5ors cared to
lie informed. but he did not seek to force in
formation upon them, and their ignorant re-
marks did not disturb him in the least. Only
one person was able to annoy him by criti-
csing his pursuits; that was Saul Rhodes, .
boy with whom Clay thought 1t disgrace to
have words Of any kind.
A book on ornithology, which In his early
boyhood had fallen into Clays possession,
had started him In his favorite study and was
a source Of constant reference and pleasure
to him. He called 1t his ''field book, for be
frequently carried 1t about with him, and
every new bird he secured was by its aid
identified and named.
Clay was an orphan boy, about II years
old, and his home was with "Uncle Ezry" on
farm near the banks Of the Missouri river.
He had never been able to get the "book
learning" he desired, aud about the only
things he could call his own wero the clothes
on his back, his beloved field book and his
specimens. Even the old shotgun he used he
had found slowed away in the farmhouse
garret, where Uncle Ezry had put it when
his squirrel hunting days were over.
The old man had as little sympathy for
Clay's study Us his neighbors had, and he
was a severe taskmaster, who made the boy
work as hard and as long as the "hired man"
But when there was no work which was par
ticulary pressing, he was not SO Ill natured
as to refuse him the gun and little time to
himself for all that it was to carry on fool
ishness"
Clay had filed his little sleeping room in
tho old farm house with many specimens Of
the birds Of the country. He had studied
taxidermy, and had moanted many Of his
specimens in a careful and praiseworthy
manner. There were some rare birds in his
collection, and these he secretly hoped one
day to sell, and thereby gain some money to
enable him to go to school.
He had also corresponded with the author
OF his field book, who had given him the
name Of every rara avis which was likely to
be found In his vicinity, together with the
cash price professional bird fancier would
pay for each. So he was always on the look
out for unusual birds to add to his collection
or to sell at a bargain.
One cold April evening Uncle Ezry sent
Clay to the ferry on an errand, and Of course
the boy carried the gun along. The distance
was about three miles, and in walk of this
length it was not at all improbable that he
would see some desirable specimen, either an
early spring adventurer or a winter laggard.
The road Gay for ths most part along the
bank Of the river, and as the wild geese were
now flying north, he thought he might get a
shot at some Of these birds, which were ia
vorite food at his uncle's table.
He did succeed, very soon after he started,
In bringing down two geese, which he left in
No'Sie ~ oNShSS uAeAA 80 oeNeAe ASstA
but he saw no other birds Of any kind worth
shooting on his way to the ferry.
Here he met Saul Rhodes, overgrown, SLOW
emily dressed and loud mouthed, who informed
him that he was just ready to 60 home, and
would walk with him
This was unpleasant intelligence to Clay,
for he had no interest in common with his
rough young neighbor whose company was
very distasteful to him; but he could not well
refuse to walk with him, so, having deliver
ed his message to the ferry master, Clay, In
company with Saul, started on the return
home.
As the young naturalist had expected, be
fore they had gone half q mile Saul began tc
sneer at his habit of hunting birds. "Wastin
SO much good powder an shot," he said.
"What'd ye bring yer gun fer to-nightr
he went on to say. "Ye can't kill no robin!
when it's this cold an at dusk, too"
~ don't want any robins" Clay replied
81 got two geese coming down, and Pm liza
bic TO get some night birds about this time.
might birds, hawl haw@ laughed Saul
What you need Is a pight cap an wig"
Saul burst into second coarse roar o
laughter, which was cut short by the suddel
explosion OF Clay's gun, as the ever alert bo,
caught sight Of q large bird as it flew acros
the road just In front OF them.
| 1t was a snap shot, and Clay feared that Ia
had missed; but as the smoke cleared, he wa
surprised and elated to SEQ the bird hutterini
In the middle OF the road.
He ran forward, followed leisurely by hi
companion, and perceived that the bird wa
an immense owl, and that his shot had wing
ed and partially stunned 1t.
He was / , wise to take hold OF 1t with hi
bare fingers until he had completely disable'
it, SO he placed a foot on each wing, and thu
held it firmly to the ground
Then he examined 1t closely, for he quickl.
recognized that 1t was new species, one tina
he had never seen before. The light was fad
ing, but he bent down and, without difficulty