Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1889-02-02
JACK.
Do1ngs Of the Intelligent Gentle.
man in Black.

The Roscoe family was dogless for
the first time in its history. Iyanhoe,
the black spaniel, had been stolen;
Federal, the Newfoundland, had died
OF old age, and Lady Jane, the black
and-tan, had fallen a victim to the
habit of chewing ~book-covers, and
m~ysteriously disappeared-the chill
dren never knew where.
Father Roscoe had promised the little
Ro scoes, with his hand on AN ivy leaf
from Federal's grave, that he would
improve the first opportunity for buy
ing a fine dog. While he was gone on
a journey through the central part of
the State, a card came to the children
saying, with delightful brevity: "A
gentleman of color, named Jack, will
arrive by the express tomorrow"
Every one said: otis a dog, of
course" and the Roscoe boys turned
somerSaults' while the Roscoe girls
shrieked with delight, and they all fell
to guessing what he would be like.
Tomorrow came, although it seemed
TO them that it never would, and John
was sent to the express Office with many
iniunctions and warnings from the
children, who sat in a row on the fence
TO wait his return. Hecame back with
Il small box not more than two feet
long.
"Oh pshaw. It's another terrier!n
exclaimed Joe, with a look of disgust.
and all felt disappointed. The Stats
We're nailed so tightly oven the top of
the box that they could only see in
distinctly a small black object inside,
and they rushed off to the basement
with their booty.
AS soon as the Stats were torn Off.
out there stepped. no dog at all, but a
stately crow, black as charcoal, and
glossy as satin, He shook out his
feathers solemnly, and strutted about
the room indiiferently, amidst the ex-
CARNATIONS of the children, with the
air OF n gentleman of travel and OK
perience. We all crowded around him.
and he good-naturedly allowed himself
to be stroked, giving occasionally II
husky little croak, and looking de-
cidedly bored.
lie appeared to be very tired with
his journey, and We prepared a perch
Tor him in one corner of the room.
where he Immediately settled down for
a nap. He dozed the most of the time
for the next two days, and the children
began TO think he was II stupid fellow.
But by the morning of the third day
he came down off the perch, shook out
his wings and gave his tail a flirt, as
much as to say: Orchard is himself
again We soon found that his
solemn, indifferent air was only cloak
Tor the slyest, most mischievous spirit
that ever animated the breast of a
bird; but every thing he did was so
novel and entertaining, that we gave
him a great many privileges which we
came aiterward 20 regret.
AT first it seemed to embarrass him
TO have any n stand before him, and
look at him long. He would turn his
head to n side, open and shut his
eyes slowly, turn up his toes and pick
his t~oe-nails, and act very much like
an awkward school-boy. But this
slight trace of modesty soon wore
away. and he established himself on
the basis that man was made for the
crow, and not the.crow for a
As the weather was still too cold for
him TO stay out OF doors, we gave him
the freedom of the basement. Never
was there a happier bird. For several
days he busted himself nearly every
moment, prying into cracks and or
nors' and examining every thing great
and small with intense interest.
lie carried potatoes from the bins
and laid them in long rows on all the
empty shelves. He made choice col
lections OF apples and carrots in dark
corners, and had his favorite hiding
places for any small objects he hap
pened TO come across.
In one OF the cellars there was an
open cupboard devoted to emptybottles,
and various odds-and-ends of crockery
that were not good enough to BIO Of any
use, but too good to throw away.
When all other sources Of amusement
pallcd upon him, he sought this spot
with eve new delight. He arranged
and r%carranged the pepper-boxes and
tcacups and ~salt-cellars,. croaking
softly TO himself as he ratified back
and forth, stopping and then TO
view the effect with an air Of great
satisfaction.
He was passionately fond OF play
ing in the water, and it did not take
him long TO find out where we went
for 1t. He would fly up into the sink
twenty umes a day. where he always
found a basin of water standing. After
walking back and forth through 1t for
a few minutes, he invariably gathered
up all The small objects within easy
reach. and commenced washing them.
For instance. he took the comb in
his bill, and splashed 1t around In the
water. Then he carried 1t TO the edge
Of the sink, looked 1t all over very