The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1891-02-07
SINGLE TAX DEPARTMENT.
A MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE


got 1t, SAID the DOSS. Ou arc outiHc-
iy unskilled. &nd you have been so inn
provident, eating up all your wages from
day to day, that you hav 9 nothing total
back on If you don't get work."
WELL" replied Mr.. Fassett, 'if /
can't get work for some body else, Iguess
can hunt for worms and corn on my
own account, can't II"
Eyes, if you can find place to hunt
for Them
Must be plenty of places. Why, !
know all this country. Its full OF corn
fields, and I'm poor sort OF crow If !
can't scratch up enough to live on"
The boss crow was astonished at Mr..
Fassett's simplicity.
sWhy," said he. .'there amt a corn
field in days fight where you'll be al
lowed to scratch. hire this field; that
one belongs to another crow; that one
wonder to another; that one to crow
corporation, aud so on. The trouble is
that this country is crowded with
crows"
II used to think so myself" said Mr..
Fassett, and ] hired a man to shoot
them; but since I've been crow4t
doesn't seem TO me that there are very
many. Why, I never see any flock but
ours in this fielL?"
s'Of course you don't. have to pay
old Roger Rock good round sum for
this field, and I would be fool to let
anybody but my own crows come here.
And IL you amt going to work for me-"
.'Who is Roger Reok?" Qui interrupt
ed.
Roger Rock! Roger Rookl Don't
know Roger Rook!" exclaimed Outs
boss in establishment. well, declared!
Why. Roger Rock belongs to one of the
best families. He can trace his ances-
try back ever SO far. He owns all the
best nest building trees in that forest,
he and Jim Crow, and he owns corn
fields till you can'trest- Inherited them,
you know. But say, If you amt going
to work for me any longer want you to
leave my property. / don't allow any
tramps around here"
"Well," said Mr.. Fassett, firmly, ''Pve
had enough OF this, and l shall leave"
where IL you roost to-night?" asked
the boss Cant let you stay in my
tree, you know"
.I'il find a roost, replied Mr.. Fassett;
and saying goodbye in friendly way
to his boss, he rose upward and scared
away.
"In my eye. you'll find place to
roost," croaked tho boss, as he returned
to his work of experimenting the opera
lions of the flock in his field.
Poor Fassett! Little did he realize
what he had done.
After flying till he was tired, he head
ed for large tree in the middle OF the
forest To his surprise he found its
branches filed with crows. They look
ed suspiciously at him, and he over
heard occasionally word that sounded
like ''spy." For q time no crow came
near him; but after while one old fell
low walked toward him sideways along
the limb Of the tree.
"Where'd you come from?" the stran-
ger asked.
"Just gave up job" replied Out
''What at?" the other persisted.
watching worm preserve"
Why'd you give it up?"
SCOT tired working for another fellow
for grub and roost," said Qui.
The conversation continued cautious
ly for time on the part Of the stranger.
but after awhile with greater freedom.
Qui found that this was a meeting of
crows, who. like himself, hadquit work.
ing because they were not satisfied with
the pay. They had managed among
them to make up little pile of corn.
with part of which they hired the
tree where they were roosting, living
on the remainder.
"But our funds won't hold out long"
said the old crow. ''snd as there are so
many crows out of job l am afraid we
shall have to give in and 60 to work.
''Why do you want fundsg' Qui asked.
"Why do we want funds?" exclaimed
the old crow. ''Well, we want funds be-
cause we've got to have something to
cat and place to roost"
Surely you don't need funds on that
account You can scratch for worms
and corn, can't you?"
Some of us can. but some Of us only
know how to build nests. Some can't
even do that; they have gathered nest
m6bcIlalS MI buOAK AASCS, oASA OsoCA .
have done nothing but make up the ma
terials for the builders"
That's right" said Fassett. II
think 1 can get you out of your trouble.
Now, il you -"
Hold onr' interrupted the old crow
in excitement. Hold on! Halo, fell
lows, say, here's chap what says he
can get us out OF our fix. Shall We let
him in and hear what he has to say?
Whats his line?" was croaked from
the crowd.
Used to watch . worm preserve" re-
sponded the old chap.
NAV. we don't want any o. them de-
tective thugs among u.s."
Tell th.m," said Out, ''that / am .
/, lawyer"
"Oh thunder nor spluttered the
stranger. They're down on lawyers
worse'n the devil. Let me attend to