Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-01-31

work hos ala. "2llte'tl I"i.h3 tETu@9hihe
,voois Wit, his gun. -. t';n innocent; birds
in n nj IT,. ~Ay !; 'i.sS seen rs Of u
d. on. was worth mon. 20 Lul than it
weight in dollars, the WY L. tales on over
en- sometimes. an sa,oo,As tE,Ii feathers. an
t.rins. an carries 'c,n - L-n:c a whistln'
trclc EZry ouEl.tcl ,s..,. et+,, H. triiiu'.'
Clay was r;sunderet.el Tie 'iaHoccn;
E:r.,s' wr~o ,.- .I.ita wantcniy nor in idle
~ .-o...ont. Clay was thoroughly a student
Of nature; he loved the fe;.theroa son.sters,
and it was ior this love tina; lie sought to Oh
tain and to study item Clay was an en-
thusiastic ornitHclosist.
In the rough neiciborEood in which he
lived the people did not appreciate lis PAS
sicn How there could he joy and triumph
in the discovery Of an unusually bright
breasted oriole or peculiar coloTed warbler
entirely beyond their somewhat dull
comprehension
Clay would have explained these matters
L;.d any one among his neish5ors cared to
be informed. bu: he did not seek to force in
formation upon them. and their ignorant re-
,laIas did not disturb him in the least Oaly
one person was able to annoy him by criti-
cisins lis pursuits. that was Saul Rhodes,
Dpl WIKI " uoil Nlds IL d dNc ~
have words Of any kind.
4 bool, on ornitholosy. which in his early
boyhood lad fallen mo Clay's possession,
had started him in his vorite study and was
4 source Of constant .creuce and pleasure
Ia him He called it =, field book, for he
frequently carried il about with him, and
every new bird he g.,,ed was by its aid
identified and named
lpx- al.
"a and -.s home was ilh Uncle Ezry" on
"a iarm near the banks of the Missouri river
He had never been abe 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 he
had found slowed a"ay in the farmhouse
ga~-o. T. ..-.e Uncle Ezry had put it when
LIS squirrel hunting days were over.
Tue old man had as little sympathy for
Clay's study as his neighbors had, and he
w;.s severe taskmaster, who made the boy
work as hard and as long as the 'hired man."
But when there was no work which was par
ticularly pressing, he was not so i'll natured
.cs to refuse him the gun and little time to
himself, for all that it was to ''carry ON 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 q careful and praiseworthy
manner There were some rare birds in bis
collection, and these he secretly hoped one
day to sell, and thereby gain some money to
enable him to 60 to school
He had also corresponded with the author
of his field book" who had given him the
name of every rara avis which was likely to
be found In his vicinity, together with the
cash price professional bird fancicr would
nav for each So he was always on the look
out for unusual birds to add to his collection
or to sell ut bargain.
One cold April evening Uncle Ezry sent
Clay to the ferry on an e-rand. and Of course
the boy carried the gun along The distance
was about three miles, and in q walk OF this
length 1t wps not at all improbable that he
would see some desirable specimen, either an
early spring adventurer or winter laggard
Tie road lay for the most part along the
bcnk Of the river, and as the wild geese were
now flying north. he thought be might get a
shot at some Of these birds, which were IA
vorite food at his uncle's table.
He did succeed, very soon after he started,
In bringing down two geese, which be left in
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
emily dressed and loud mouthed, who informed
him that be was just ready to 60 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 distasteful to 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 mile Saul began to
snecr at his habit Of hunting birds "Wastin
50 much good powder an shot" he said
"Whatd 80 bring yer gun fer to-nishtr
when it's this cold, an at dusk, too"
II don't want any robins" Clay replied
Il got two geese coming down, and I'm lin
Die to get some night birds about this time. ,
,sas. might birds, hawi haw" laughed Saul
What you need Is a night cap an a wig"
Saul hurst into a second coarse roar Of
laughter, which was cut short by the sudden
explosion Of Clays gum as the ever alert boy
caught Sigh: Of q large bird as it flew across
the road Just in front Of them
It was q snap shot, and Clay feared that he
had missed; but as the smoke cleared. he was
surprised and elated to see the bird cutterire
in the middle Of the road
EIe ran forward, followed leisure.y by his
companion. and perceived that the bird was
an Immense owl, and that his shot h.d wing
al aud partially stunned it
lie was too wise to take hold Of it with bis
bare fingers until he had completely disabled
It, 30 no placed foot on each wing, and thus
held It firmly to the ground
Then he examined it 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.
made out its Distinguishing features
All at once the young ornithologist gave an
excited exclamation: Its great gray owlr'
DO tell" said his companion. with mock
concern. "A great gray owl. WAL. wal.
who'd a thought itf'
Clay said nothing With eager ewes be
scanned the owl from beak to feet and tip of
tail He noted the great yellow eyes and
blu, 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 and pale gray,
and the great facial disc was marked With
dark brown and light gray rings concentric
with each eye and below them was the
ragged white collar.
Clay had fully acquainted himself with the
eharacteristics Of this rare member Of the
owl family. and after his scrutiny be had no
heaitation in positively declaring it to bs in
deed great gray owl
''The only thing see GURUS bout It," said
Saul, aarcastically. "is tibet It amt a great
red, white an blue owl It would be purifier.
don't ys think 20, Colef"
Clay was 20 delighted with bis prize tina;
oauls sarcasm fell on bis ears UNDECIDED
you zee, Saul. be said a. he arose to his
eeet, 1.-THE great gray owl, as it Is called, 4.
one Of the rarest birds in the United Statea
lts homo u In tho Arctic regions. and believe
e or not, a. you please. that bird under my
tcss Is worth hundred dollars. at least
This last statement called forth Q loud gui
faw from Saul
"a hundred dollars, hawl Yer a. craE
81 June bug, Clay Colei It haint wort
the powder " wasted on It"
Clay did not attempt to argue with the d
noramus but felt in his pocket for cor
With which to secure the feet Of his prize m
thus escape the sharp claws
"What are ye goin' to dor Saul inquire
. be watched the movement
Clay informed him
''Goin' to carry tibet old screech owl hon,ei
Saul exclaimed "Waal, ef you amt got 'el
hadi See hyer. do ye know yer foolr
Clay made no answer, but made q moose
one end Of the cord. slipped it over one set {
tho vicious claws, and began to fashion
second moose in the opposite end for the otht