Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-12-02
THE GREAT GRAY OWL.

WofB nab Ala Saoo1fiD nO0o0 tnfo0&n -
woods with his gun, a-sbootin' innocent bird
Ia . most trisin' way 1t docs ssm - Il .
dad bird vas worth more 70 him than ~
weight In dollars. tho way be tako 90 Over
en- sometimes an smooehs thar fsafharl, IN
grins, an carries EN- OF hons a>whise1in'.
Uncis Ery ouzhter put sop 70 hi triain''
chy was misunderss0od Ths '1nnoc,us
ba1ds" were not killed vant0aly nor in tdls
annaemsnt Clay was thoroughly . sfud1B
Of nature. he loved tbs fsazh~sd sonssearA
and it VS. for this love that - sought 10 OBJ
tain and 70 study them. Clay was IN -
shnzaAstsc ornithoLogiss-
In the rough n<ighb0shood In which b
lived the people did not appreciate hin paS
don. How tb<rs could b Joy and triumph
In the discovery Of an unusually bright
breasted orioS~ or . peculiar coloesd warbler
was entirely beyond their somewhat dull
comprehension
Clay would have explained these mastsrs
had any ono among his neighbon cared to
be informed. bu: b did NOT seek 10 foscs In
formation upon them. and their ignorant 70
uarks did not disturb him IN tho IeAxt Only
ons pxrsDn was able to annoy him BY criti-
cising his pursuits; that vas Saul Rhoda, .
boy with whom Clay thought It disgracs 70
have words Of any kind
A book on ornithoiogy, which In his early
boyhood had fallen into Clays passion,
had started him in his favorite study and vas
. sourcs Of constant reference and pisasurs
TO him He called IL his field book, for b
frequently carried it about with him, and
every new bird be secured WAS by its aid
Identified and named.
Clay an orphan boy, about II yean
old, and his home was with Uncle Exry" on
. farm near the banks Of the Missouri river.
He had never been able TO get the book
learning" he desired. and about the only
things he could call his own were the clothes
on his back his beloved field book and his
specimens Even the old shotgun he used b
bad found slowed away in the farmhouse
garrett, where Uncle Ezry had put IL when
his squirrel hunting days were over
The old man had a. little sympathy for
Gays study ~ his neighbors had, and b
was severe taskmaster, who made the boy
work as hard and as long As the hired man."
But when there WIS no work which was par
ticuiariy pressing, he was not 20 III natured
as 10 refuse him the gun and . little time 70
himself, for all that it was to carry on fool
ishnsssr
Clay had filed his little sleeping room in
the old farm house with many specimens Of
the birds Of the country He had studied
tAIidermy. and had mounted many Of his
specimens in a careful and praiseworthy
manner There were some rare birds in bis
collection and these he secretly hoped one
day 10 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 tho
l. st.-I-
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
to sell at a bargain
One cold April evening Uncle Ezry sent
Clay to the ferry on All errand, and Of course
the boy carried the gun along. The distance
was about three miles, and in u walk Of this
length 1t was not at all improbable that he
would some desirable specimen. either an
early spring adventurer or winter laggard
The road lay for the most part along the
bank of the river. and the wild geese we're
now flying north. he thought he might get =
shot at some Of these birds, which were "a
vorite food at his uncle's table
He did succeed. very soon after he started,
in bringing down two geese, which he left in
a covert of bushes until he should return;
but he saw no other birds Of any kind worth
shooting on his way to the ferry
Here he met Saul Rhodes overGrown, SLOW
enly dressed and loud mouthed, who informed
him that he was just ready to go 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 distastefu 10 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 nile Saul began to
neer at his habit of hunting birds "Wastin'
~ much good powder an shot" he said
"Whatd ye bring yer gun fer to-nightT
he went on to say "Ye can't kill no robins
when its this cold. an at dusk too"
a don't want any robins" Clay replied
II got two geese coming down, and I'm iia-
BILE TO get some night birds about this time "
Night birds, haw hawi" laughed Saul
What you need is tight cap an wig"
Saul burst into second coarse roar OF
laughter which WAS cut short by the sudden
explosion Of Clav's gun as the ever alert boy
caught sight of n large bird rs it dew across
the road just in front Of them
1t was a snap shot, and Clay feared that he
had missed but as the smoke cleared, he was
surprised and elated TO see the bird fiutterinR
in the middle of the road
He ran forward. followed ieisurely by his
companion, and perceived that the bird was
an immense owl, and that his shot had wing
Ell and partially stunned it.
He WIS torl wise to take hold Of IL with his
bare fingers until he had completely disabled
it. so he placed a foot on each wing. and thus
held it firmly to the ground
Then ne examined 1t closely, for he quickly
recognized that 1t was a new species, one that
he had never seen before The light was fad
ing, but he bent down and, without difficulty
male out its distinguishing features
All at once the young ornithologist gave an
excited exclamation ITS great gray OWL"
DO telll' said his companion, with mock
concern. "A grea, gray owl. WAL. wal.
who'd a thought itf'
Clay said nothing With eager eyes he
scanned the owl from beak to feet and tip OF
tail He noted the great yellow eyes and
bill the dark brown Of its back notified with
grayish white, and the broken barred wings
and tail, with grayish white marbling The
under parts were dark brown aud pale gray,
and the great facial disc was marked with
dark brown and light gray rings concentric
with each eve, and below them WAS the
ragged white collar
Clay had fully acquainted himself with the
characteristics Of this rare member OF the
owl family. and after his scrutiny he had no
hesitation IN positively declaring it to bs in
deed great gray owl
The only thing see Gurus bout it" said
Saul. sarcasticaily. lis tibet it amt a great
red, white an blue owl 1t would be purifier
don't ye think 50. Colef
Clay was 50 delighted with his prize that
Saul's sarcasm fell on his ears UNDECIDED.
You see, saul" he said. as he arose to his
feet. "the great gray owl. as it is called, 10
one of the rarest birds in the United StateA
Its home is in the Arctic regions, and believe
u or not, as you please. that bird under my
feet is worth "A hundred dollars. At least
This last statement called forth loud guf.
faw from Saul
"A hundred dollarsi hawi Yer a. crazy
as June bug. Clay Colei II haint worth
the powder We wasted on IT,
Clay did not attempt to argue with the i6-
noramus. but felt in his pocket for a cord
with which to secure the feet Of his prize and
thus escape the sharp claws
What are ye goin' to dor Saul inquired
- be watched the movement
Clay informed him.
Coin to carry tibet old screech owl homer
Saul exclaimed "Waal, ef you amt got sm
badl See hyer, do ye know yer . foolr
Clay made no answer, but made . nooss In
one end Of the cord, slipped it over one ut Of
the vicious claws and began to fashion .