Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-11-27
SINGLE TAX DEPARTMENT.
A MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE

"
OF the firm of Fassett, Peralium & Percy.
His office was in the city, his home dur
ing the summer was in the country.
Mr.. Fassett's father had been a lawyer,
too. when he lived. While Fassett was
a mere child the old gentleman bought
a parcel of vacant land in the upper
part of the city, which had, until then,
been farm, taking title in the name of
his son, saying to himself: when Qui
grows up this may do him some good,
and, as it cost me so little, 1 might as
well tie up the title for the boy and let
the land lie vacant.
On coming of age Qui Fassett Che al
ways signed himself 20. Fassett") had
an opportunity to sell his land for a
great advance on what the elder Fassett
paid, but the old gentleman advised
against it. There's nothing like real
estate for investment, my son-nothing
like real estate!' he used to say to Qui;
and so Qui, although he had frequent
offers for his land, always wanted lit
tie more than any one would pay,
policy in which he was encouraged by
the fact that every subsequent offer was
higher than his previous demand.
When Qui Fassett threw himself on
the lawn and made the exclamation
with which this narrative opens, he had
just refused the latest offer. An enter
prising builder wanted the land and had
offered Mr.. Fassett IS. 900 lot. AL
though this was more than a hundred
times what his father paid for the land,
and twice what he offered to take five
years before and 81, 900 more than he
cd 70
sett was not satisfied. He now wanted
600, for said he, 'if this property
has increased in value ST. 900 a lot the
past year, why should it not increase
81, 900 NEXT year?"
But the builder was stubborn. II am
anxious to put up row of houses
there" he said. because l know they
will sell readily, and as my capital is
lying idle and most of the men l usually
employ are out of work, I want to get at
the Job at once. But I can't afford to
give more than eight thousand; even at
that figure | take big risk. Better let
me have the lots
No" replied Mr.. Fassett, mine
thousand or no trade"
''All right" said the builder, extend
ing his hand, "then I must say, good
bye and run along for the train. I'll
have to hunt up some other lots"
Don't believe you can do any bet
ter" said Mr.. Fassett, shaking the
builders hand. mo one will sell lots in
such locality for any 1ess.'
Perhaps not, perhaps not" rejoined
the builder; land then I'll have to put
OFT the job until things get in better
shape. But l am sorry for the men, and
that's fact. Why, if / could get those
lots, I'd have 500 at work in a week.
What a philanthopist you are, to be
sure" said Mr.. Fassett good naturally;
and the two men parted, the builder to
go to his train and Mr.. Fassett to stretch
himself on his cool lawn, and exclaim,
ooh, dear! oh, dear! shall ever be able
to sell those lots?''
For while Mr.. Fassett mentally spec
ulated in his vacant lots, but before he
knew it he was watching the movements
of flock of crows in a neigh boring
| field, thinking of their free and easy
| life, noting that the scarecrow did not
brighten them at all, and wondering if
they had any of the carking cares that
| worry men. In moment, almost I'M
| consciously, he said aloud:
Il wish was crow!
Well you are," came in croaking
! tones from the branches of the tree over
his head.
>'What in thunder is that?' inquired
Mr.. Fassett, somewhat startled for man
usually so cool.
II am crow, too" the croaking voice
replied.
''Oh you are, are you? Well, what do
you mcan?" asked Mr.. Fassett
you said you wished you were crow,
and you are" was repeated.
1t suddenly dawned upon Mr.. Fassett
that he had fallen asleep, and the alb
surdity of his little dream made him
laugh outright.
But what laugh! 1t frightened him
as he heard it. Instead of the round,
hearty, whole-souled laugh TO which his
friends were accustomed, and which was
not without music to his own ear, he
heard nothing but croaking-''aw! aw!
awu'
Mr. Fassett raised his hand to his face
to assure himself that he was really
awake, and from sheer awkwardness
tangled his claw in his feathers. In
extricating the claw and smoothing his
ruffied coat, he saw himself as he was,
and realized that indeed he had become
3 crow.
The crow il uEe tree had been watch
ing Fassetts movements with amused
interest, and now asked him if he would
like to join the flock. Almost before he
knew it Outs wings were outspfead
and he was fluttering upward. Ahght-
ing on the branch along side of his
new friend, he asked what he was dong
there.
''Watching this tree" said the crow.
''What for?''
ITO keep crows from building nests
here
Much obliged to you," said Fassett,
''for takire SO much care of my prop
erty."
Your property said the crow, well
! guess not! Aw! aw! aw! that is rich!
Your tree! Why this tree belongs to old
Jim Grow. He's down South now.
Didn't come up with the rest of the
crows. Too lazy to fly such distance.
Don't you know that this is the best tree
for building crows nests in all this
section?'
1T is, eh? Well, why in thunder do
you keep crows from building nests in
it, then?"
You are green. You don't seem to
know as much as you did when you were
Q. Fassett, Esq. I'm an officer of the
law. | am; an officer of crow law, and
old Jim Crow owns this tree, and If the
III ynIr16