The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-01-11
THE "COLONEL'S" APPETITE.
An Amusing Story of an EItraordInarfl.
Noraciou<

An Amusing Story OF EXTRAORDINARY,
yoracious Pet Owl.
My acquaintance with him began
when there was brought to me fluffy
white ball, nearly as big as my head.
with pair of big, bright, round eyes
that seemed full of wonderment at his
new surroundings. He had been found
on ledge of rock in the canyon,
among some sticks that answered for a
nest, his sole companions being the re-
mains OF jack rabbit and an egg that
had refused to transform into a second
owlet.
ne must have been quite young, as
no signs of feathers were visible The
heavy coating of down formed a frill
about his face and gave him a very
wise and venera bic look We dubbed
him Colonel and took a great interest in
watching the development of our pet.
He was a ravenous eater, and de-
voured mice. squirrels, birds and young
chickens with great avidity when they
were given to him. He had no idea of
hunting his own food, but sat on the
shady side of the house during the day,
taking good care to keep away from the
cat and the old hens. AS twilight sp-
preached he began to hop about, and
would come to the door and beg to come
in.
In a few weeks he began to try his
wings and we tied him with a long
cord, putting a small chain next his
leg. for he would cut the cord as fast as
it was put on. When fully feathered he
was of a light yellewish brown color,
and measured about four feet from tip
to tip of wings.
He never SCENE to want water, and,
as he could not be induced to swallow
anything but animal food, it was some
times difficult to procure sufficient
quantity of what he liked. At such
times he would partake mineingly of
hsrd-boiled egg, but would not eat
enough to still his distressing cry of
hunger.
When stlast some dainty was secured
and tenptingly presented the capscieus
mouth would fly open while the eyes
closed-there was not room enough for
both to expand at the same time-and
squirrel or chicken would disappear
with gulp. It was a source of never
ending wonderment that articles of
such size and mum Der could 90 into
even that huge orifice. Some days
after his arrival our little 3-year-old
asked anxiously: Mamma, could he
swallow the baby?"
For months the Coloners time was
spent on an old shed, where he sat and
blinked his eyes in the sun and snapped
his Jaws most menacingly at all in
truders He seemed to evince consid-
cradle affection for his owners, the
road to his heart being the proverbial
one-by way of the stomach
One fatef ul day his hungry squau
ceased without any Intervention, and
the fragment of chicken wing told
how his appetite had been appeased.
Alas, for the chicken! Alas, for the
bird. That was the signal for his ban
ishment from the farm. When the
time approached for his departure
he became frightened at the unusual
hustle and few to the end of
lbs iOPS' ~ ohuPPCu, anu Iva lhC |
first time in his life he was free bird
soaring aloft in his native element.
Round and round he few, as if loath to
leave the only home of his remem-
brance.
Fully realizing that the Colonel at |
liberty would be more dangerous to the |
poultry interest than the Colonel in |
tried with most persuasive
tones to lure him back. Mindful of the !
hand that fed him, he came nearer and /
nearer, then sailed to the ground |
short distance from me and waited for .
the expected bite.
He was soon a captive again, but not .
until had received some scratches that 4
kept my pet in vivid remen brance dur /
ing the first weeks of his absence Chi /
cago Times.