Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1890-12-19

built nest in IL once, ana the family
has kept q policeman here ever SINCE"
replied the crow with an air that said as
plain as plain could be. that settles it,"
and Mr.. Fassett's knowledge of tho law
assured him that 1t did settle IL.
Tho two crows were silent for time.
Fassetts thoughts reverted to his inter
view with tho builder. and ne had just
begun to wonder whether he would ever
sell those lots when his companion told
him he mustn't be lettering there, but
move on. So Fassett moved on. Spread
ing his wings no was surprised to find
how easily he sailed through the air.
Passing over the corn field he recognized
his hired man and flew toward him, but
his hired man let fly charge OF bird
shot, which whistled past Mr.. Fassett
and assured him that his hired man
made up in vigilance for what he lacked
in craftsmanship
Taking fight again, Fassett went in
the direction Of largo tree in the for
est, where he expected to alight; but
just as he reached it a whole flock of
crows few at him from tho branches,
croaking, "scab! scab. scab."
Not understanding what this meant,
Fassett continued in his course, when
the crows rushed upon him. and but for
the timely interference Of two other
crows, policemen rs he afterward learn
ed, Mr. Fassett would have been denud-
ed OF every feather on his body. As it
was, he nearly lost the use OF ono eye.
But he had tho satisfaction of seeing
the ringleaders of his assailants taken
before a magistrate, a half-demented
old crow, who administered severe pun
ishment, after lecturing the offenders
on the freedom OF labor and the Grimm
atty, not to say heartlessness, of pre-
venting any crow from working for q
living.
All this seemed very strange to Mr..
Fassett who was not yet familiar with
crow usages, but he subsequently learn
ed that the tree toward which he was
going was a great mandatory of crow
nest materials, and the crows that work.
ed there were on strike. They mistools
him for scab, and hence the trouble.
By this time Fassett was quite hun
cry, and curiously enough his appetite
suggested worms as tempting bill Of
fare. So he flew down to a corn field,
and was scratching away, when flock
OF strange crows ordered him off.
but am hungry" said Mr.. Fas-
sett.
mo doubt of it," said tho leader Of
the crows; but why dom you work for
q living like an honest crow"
"Do crows work for a living?"
| do In
pose they get a living?"
Mr.. Fassett thought a good many Of
them got living by stealing his seed
corn, but remembering that he was a
crow himself he didn't say so. He only
asked what they worked at.
Some of Thorn make up nest materi-
ais, some gather the materials, some
collect corn, some build nests, some
guard the trees that belong to absent
crows, and some guard worm preserves"
replied the crow boss. III you are real.
ly an honest crow" he continued, land
want to make living, you can join my
flock and I'll give you job"
whats the pay?" asked Mr. Fassett
falling in with the humor of this con
ceit
"a worm three times a day and place
to roost."
''Mr. Fassett accepted the job, and
found that the principal duties of tho
flock were to guard the worm preserves
of his boss from the invasions of other
crows. He was required in addition tC
gather worms for the boss meals, and
whenever he found grain of corn Oh
other non-perishable food to carry it t.
the boss warehouse in the trunk of
large tree in the forest. He came neal
getting into serious trouble once with
the crow authorities by eating a grair
of corn that he found; but tho boss re
Trained from making a complaint on &C
count of Mr.. Fassett's ignorance of CROW
law.
At night Mr.. Fassett roasted with thu
rest of the flock on the limb of tree, il
which the boss and his family had {
comfortable nest. Fassett found tina
the crow he worked for was not tn,
worst of birds; but he got tired of tire,
worms day and nothing but the limb o
a tree to roost on, in return for har,
work, and one day he told the boss tina
he was going to leave and look afte
himself.
TO BE CONTINUED.