The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-09-29

second moose IN the opposite end ror the otner
set. He meant to carry the owl as he would
a basket, with cord for handle.
Suddenly he was showed backward so for
chilly that he almost lost his balance, and his
ears were assailed by loud oath.
Saul Rhodes meant trouble for himl
''This blamed foolishness Of yourn might
Us well be stopped right hyerp the young
ruffian cried Blame eff amt sick O. yer
crazy doin's, an I'll put a stop to 'em when
Pm around. This owl amt dead, | guess.
an Pm a-goin' to turn it loose, er eff it can't
! fly I'll throw it in the riverI"
Clay knew that he meant to do what he
SAID, for he was a notorious and heartless
bully, and the young naturalist was for
moment spellbound at the thought of losing
his precious capture.
Saul was larger, and evidently considered
himself stronger than he; it was certain that
| if Clay interfered with his dastardly plan it
would result in a hand to hand difficulty
But the smaller boy had courage as well as a
love Of nature, and he determined to defend
his prize with all his power.
He had scarcely an instant in which to con-
slider his action, for Saul was proceeding at
once to carry out his threat
Just as the rough stopped to pick up the
string which was attached TO the owl, Clay
launched himself upon him with righteous
fury. Saul was hurled backward several
PAGES, but recovered himself and got hold OF
his antagonist, and then the two boys en-
gagged in the fiercest rough and tumble strug
gle Of their lives.
Saul was bent on giving his foe sound
.drubbing for daring to resist him, and Clay
knew th"t unless he mastered his enemy he
would suffer not Only whipping but the loss
of his great gray owl
First up and then down the two HTestled
and fought, th-T teeth SGT and their breath
Gaming in hard gasps. Presently, locked to-
gether, they began to roll over and over each
other and approach the bank of the river.
The bank at this point was high and steep.
and on the very edge Of 1.-THE two ceased to
roll, and Clay, who had slightly the advc1a-
tage. tore himself suddenly from his enc avs
c:dtches, then, exercising all his fore, he
showed the recalcitrant rough over ne edge
Of the bank, down which he went lItze a SEQ
ond Tommy Twist, turning ard tumhling
with amazing raPdity until 10 reached the
bottom.
Re stopped, within gard of the waters
edge, 50 dizzy that 10 did not know what had
happened to him. and with his eyes full of
dirt, Clay cCdld not resist a laugh. nervous
though he gas, as he viewed him.
1t was well for Clay that the fight lasted
no longer, for during its continuance the owl
had been doing its best to escape, and, ham
pered as it was, had already got consider
able distance away.
Ettla ohaca Tlou cao,,rod
lifting it by the loop of the string that fast
ened its feet, he shouldered his gun and with
no further attention 10 the discounted foe,
bore his treasure to his home in high elation-
He paused a moment on his way to pick up
the two wild geese he had left in the bushes
The victory over the bully of the neighbor-
hood was signal one, and ever after Saul
treated Clay with the utmost Difference.
The capture of the great gray owl was re-
ported to his friend and adviser, the author
of his book, who Immediately replied to con-
graduate him, and to state that he had writ
ten to a professional dealer in Kansas City,
who would probably visit him in the course
of few days.
The dealer came and examined the boys
collection with manifest delight. Before he
departed he gave Clay S125 for the owl and
500 more for a number of other specimens
in his collection.
Happy Clayi Now he could get the school
ing he had so long dreamed of; now he could
make a man of himself, and now Uncle
Ezry" and the neighbors would no longer
sheer at his proclivity for bird hunting
Be it said, in conclusion, that all these
things were realized, and more. The finding
of the great gray owl was the beginning of
a new life for Clay Cole, and he has so far
progressed in his ambition that his real name
is now familiar to all devotees of bird lore
Arthur G. Grissom in Youths Companion.