The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-01-31
THE GREAT GRAY OWL.

DORIS SAIL Ever minute hecan git from his
work he's allays wanderin' round through the
woods with his gun, a-shootin' innocent birds
in most triilin' way. 1t does seem as eff
dead bird was worth more to him than its
weight in dollars, the way he takes on over
EN- sometimes, an smooths their feathers, an
grins, an carries 'em OFF home a-whistlin'.
Uncle Ezry oughter put stop to his trifiin'."
Clay was misunderstood. The innocent
birds" were not killed wantonly nor in idle
amusement. Clay was thoroughly student
Of nature; no loved the feathered songsters,
and it 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 u peculiar colored warbler
was entirely beyond their somewhat dull
comprehension.
Clay would have explained these matters
had any one among his neighbors cared to
be 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 crti-
cising his pursuits; that was Saul Rhodes, a
boy with whom Clay thought it disgrace to
have words of any kind.
A book on ornithology, which in his early
boyhood had fallen into Clay's possession,
had started him in his favorite study and was
a source of constant reference and pleasure
to him. He called it his ''field book" for he
frequently carried it 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
a farm near the banks of the Missouri river.
He had never been able to get the shook
learning" he desired, and about the only
things he could call his own were the clothes
on his buck, his beloved field book and his
specimens. Even the old shotgun he used he
had found slowed away in the farmhouse
garrett where Uncle Ezry had put it when
his squirrel hunting days were over.
The old man had as little sympathy for
Clay's study as his neighbors had, and he
was a severe taskmaster who made the boy
work as hard and as long as the 'hired man."
b., when there was no work which was par
ticularly pressing, he was not so i'll natured
as to refuse him the gun and little time to
himself, for all that it was to carry Oh fool
ishness."
Clay had filled his little sleeping room in
the old farm house with many specimens of
the birds of the country He had studied
taxidermy, and had mounted many of his
specimens in 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 correspondent with the author
- Col hr< xpha boI pix h fba
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 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 OF winter laggard
The road lay for the 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 fa-
vorite food at his uncle's table,
He did succeed, very soon after he started,
in bringing down two geese, which he left in
q covert of bushes until he should return I;
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 10 interest in common with his
rough young neighbor, whose company was
very distasteful TO him; but he could not we'll
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 mile Saul began to
sneer at his habit of hunting birds. "Wastin'
SO much good powder an shot," he said.
"What'd we bring yer gun fer tonight"
he went on to say. Eye can't kill no robins
when it's this cold, an at dusk, too"
II don't want any robins" Clay replied.
~ got two geese coming down, anil I'm liz
BILE to get some night birds about this time. {"
might birds, hawl haw!" laughed Saul.
What you need is a night cap an wig"
Saul burst into Il second coarse roar of
laughter, which was cut short by the sudden
explosion of Clay's gun, as the ever alert boy
the road just in front of them.
1t was snap shot, and Clay feared that he
had missed; but as the smoke cleared, he was
surprised and elated to see the bird luttering
in the middle of the road
He ran forward, followed leisurely by his
companion, and perceived that the bird was
an immense owl, and that his shot had wing
ed and partially stunned it,
He was too wise TO take hold of it 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 he examined it closely, for he quickly
recognized that it was new species, one that
no had never seen before. Tho light was fad
ing, but he bent down and, without difficulty,
made out ine distinguishing features
All at once the young ornithologiss gave OH
excited exclamation: ITS great gray owlln
do tell" said his companion, with moc,;
concern. "A great gray owl! WAL, wal.
who'd "a thought itP'
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
l.. o..I l..zi