Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-01-23
This Crow Was q COunterleiter.

New York Journal
This is lie told occasionally by
Amos Cummings and again by Tom
Murrey. In moments Of candOr, or
when death seems near, each admits
tina &c Is far. far from true.
"It was while Nurrey and | We're fish
ing i'm Florida. said Cummings. Our
camp was on the sea shore and we open
ed each day by numbering turtle.
Hundreds Of crows. who abode in
trees hard by, took an interest," in our
turtle killing Later they We're wont
90 pick The turtle shells clean; the flesh
made q hit w.-h them.
cone crow had lost "a leg in some adj
venture. We called him Santa Anna,
and he pegged solemnly about on his
one pin and did his best to pick up q
living.
"Nurrey's fad is cripples He took q
burning interest i'm Santa Anna. Muir
rey ran q dead line an about camp and
gave the other crows stormy stand
/ off. reserving the camp and all il con-
tanned for Santa anna This seemed
90 m0rtifv the others and bite them
I deeply They would sit sullenly glow
eriug at the privileged Santa Anna, fill
ing up on baking powder, turtle flesh,
sugar coffee, beans and other Injuries,
and wonder where ne got his pull
cone morning there was no Santa
I Anna cheerfuily hopping about The
other crows had green, glOating light
i'm their eyes which told Of the triumph
I of the murder They had assassinated
Santa Anna.
'Murrey's heart was broken. and all
I day he did little but drink whisky and
| mourn. The crows stood about in the
trees and h0arsely jubilant over Santa
I Anna death and the grief of Murrey.
"I- was the second day. Murrey was
beginning 90 emerge from his woe q bit.
Suddenly. with a cry Of joy, he pointed
10 @ crow just coming into camp. II
was the lost Santa Anna. Sure enough.
there he was. with his one leg and his
appetite. He made no delay, but pitch
al into the provisions as one famished
"Three hours elapsed. Murreys joy
at Santa Annals return had given away
90 wonder Santa Anna had been eat
ing voraciously the entire three hours.
/ He seemed hollow as q drum is was i'm
possible. to- I'm him; for three hours
Santa Anna had been feeding like q
wolf. lie was still az it as if he had not
met food for a month.
What a. You think Of him.? said
Murroy That crow. by my figures. has
eaten at least eight pounds of truck
I'm getting scared
"I- was determined that Santa Anna
must De made prisoner and suffer in
r.....s 4-.e~
Murrey. who set about his capture, bait
cd him within reach with q lump Of
sugar. AT last Santa Anna was within
easy swoop. The other crows We're
watching events with vast interest
"NUrrey made q sudden grab, but he
didn't connect. Santa Anna darted
away with O. scream.
And it was at This crisis the horror
came in. AS they say in the novels, all
was explained Santa Anna. as he
dived out of reach. put down q second
leg which he'd had, as it were, up his
sleeve; it had been hidden in the feath-
ers of his breast
eve saw through il. The real Santa
Anna was dead. ruthlessly murdered,
as we had at first supposed. The others,
one at q time. had filed a leg away in
the feathers of his bosom and impersOn-
ated the real Santa Anna. They had
been working us.
"But discovery broke up the combine.
When they saw Murrey reach for the
spurious Santa Anna and make him put
down his second foot-force his hand,
so To- speak-they gave expression TO
h0arse cries of rage and disgust and
tapped forever away"