The sun., 1896-10-28
TOLD OF TWO OWLS.
When One Was Killed. Tor Revenge the
Other Committed Suicide.


SHREVEPORT. La. Oct ia pair OF big
horned owls were nightly visitors to this city
during the past summer, and for six or eghn
weeks made things lively in electric circles.
Their fnvorite haunts seemed To be down in tho
lower streets near the Bayou, and during the
evenings they might have been seen perched on
the swinging electric light lamps. catching tho
big electric Eight bugs that congrcgnto IN great
Down AT the big cottonsccd oil mills these
owls caused some trouble that might have re-
not the birds instrumcutallty in the matter
been discovered, the affair Anppgned thus:
The night watchman at the mills, who super
vises the big yards and builc uES. i required To
make the rounds after regular schedule. visit
ing ten different station Gurng the nieht. forty
minutes OF time being allowed bet"een cach.
and must signal his presence at these various
points bv touching an electric hutton which
registers the time and station unoH = dlal-plalo
in the o1icc. Il transplred mat the clerk whose
business IL IL to Inspect this U,al-plhte each
Irregularities in the register that led him TO bc;
l!eve the wAtChmnn had sept ~ ms post ana
afterward sent fa,e sisnals' me CLERK dt
not at first rcpor, the matter to ~ mnnGGtr.
however, as the wHtrhEiHn HH" always hett
trusty servant. hut he dId yrHouSlrhle w'th
the man himse {. receiving the assurance thsa
nothing had been WRONG with his s!gras.
something was decidedly wrorG. however, and.
after one or two nights, the CLERK Informed tho
manager. and they concluded 10 remain IN the
Taking up their station nt the window where
they could, unseen. command II good view OF
the weIl-IRhted yard. they AWAITED develops
mcnts which were pretty slow IA coming.
fully making his rounds and the first and
second signals came al right. .-,
Presently there wa- u scratching and srrain-
bling over the big scales aud up On lhe weign-
ing shud Just without Tn" Office window, and
three great gray rats CIambrrrd up to the DlR
insulated electric wire aud sct out With tho
agility Of the most accomplished tignt.ropo
walker tu mako the aerial transit TO tho mill
building LCru-- the Yard.
Rats" said tho manager faCetiously. as he
turned to examine the register. But no, IL WAS
All straight: the rodents were going rapidly buB
too lightly tn twang the wire.
There they are cried the clerk, and on tho
moment IA couple OF big owls swOuped down ouI
of tie dark ness. each seiZing rat and twang-
ing the wire Justify with its big wings.
lick. click! :" went the register, and the owls
stood accused and the wRtchman was cleared.
The manager told him OF the episode tho next
morning, and the old man laughed about II and
seemed 10 feel that somehow the uIulnuus birds
had iIupeachrd his honor. So that might, arm
ing himself with a gun and choosing an auspi-
ciOus moment, he shot one Of the owls.
For "A whole week thereafter the other bird
haunted the mill yard. hv some Cl anCe sludlnH
the watchmqn'a rifle, but max lng "a" night hid-
epus with his plants: Finally one Gight tho
old man saw III" owl hauu.ug and ilyIng about
in frantic manner, beating his wings against
every wire in tho yard. suddenly he struck =
live electric light wire ana dropped dead At tho
wAtchman's feet The old man declaros THAI
tho bird committed suicide in desperation Gt
tue loss OF his mAtA