The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-02-18
IAIJ ER.
BY TOM P. MORGAN.
(J;opyrivht. 1895, by tho Author.]

tho Baxter household wero honest and
upright. Though lifo had been sonc-
thing of a struggle with them since MIR.
Boxtcr's death, they had met thoir
trials bravcly, and after each day Of
Struggling when night settled down
over the little weather beaten house
under the tall cottonwood tree, they
could 90 to rest with the simple salts
faction Of feeling that they had dono
their best.
The day was fast approaching when,
tho time of residence required by tho
government having been fulfilled, the
homestead claim would be their own.
Their small crops, cultivated as wo]l as
boy whose will perhaps WAS greater
than his ability could cultivate them,
were sufficient for their modest needs,
and if their means were scanty their
wants were carefully kept down to
them.
They owed no one. They hated no
one unless it might DO Indian jim, the
worthless half breed whose chief fond
ness was for dirt, begging and stealing,
three things that the BaXtcrS, with one
exception, abominatcd. They feared no
one, except perhaps some o. the pomp-
Gus, straight backed officers of the prai-
ric military post of Fort Bcal, thrc"
miles away, and of these the younger
Baxtcrs, with the same single uXccp-
ton, stood moro in awe than fear
Mrs Baxter was II quiet painstaiing
woman, who worked hard to make both
ends meet in the humble household.
Dolby was an old manniSh chap who
did his best to fill his fathers place
And little Martha was faithful at her
tasks, helping ut the dish washing,
mcnding and sweeping, and dropped
seeds for Dohhv's planting, fed the
chickens and assisted at whatever else
her hands found to do.
But there was one inmate of the little
weather beaten house who, though cvi.
IDENTIFY considering himself one of the
family, took no care to emulate the
prohity that marked their daily life,
md apparently feared neither the law
nor tho commandments. This was LII.
jer who WAS fan from being sanity in
spite of the patriarChial nam" II" bore,
doubtful sort of compliment to tho
Bibl" story of Elijah and the ravens. AS
Dolby did not know the names If any
of tho ravens, he compromised and did
the next best thing by calling he little
crow Elijah.
From the very first Lijcr'S appearance
was against him. Even when aCtuatrd
by rs good intentions as ever crow
had, he looked the rascal. When Dolby
took him from the parent nest, an ugly,
almost fcathrricss little wretch, his most
prominent attribute, like that of u
scoundrclly lawyer, was his bill.
HIS voice ut that time was u harsh,
complaining "Whauruk,' and his de.
light, next to eating, seemed to bc in
exercising 1t rs near continually aS pos.
slblc. He was Il shameless gormandizcr
even when So small that he could scarce.
ly wahhlc about, and tn" only WAY to
quiet his cries and his appetite was to
stuff him So full Of dough that for the
time being he WAS past all wabhling.
One day, when half grown, he WAS
caught by the old rooster III the act Of
stealing dough from the chickens and
set upon and SO severely druhbrd before
Dolby could come 10 the rescue that ono
of his legs was broken. This healed rap.
IDLY, hut III Il fashion that caused him
to forever after walk with a >wa.gcr
that made him look all the more rascullv.
as no progressed TO full grown crow.
hood he Gcv,l Hoped moro queer vllainirs
than 1t src!ncd possible for his small
brain to father. In the matter Of voice,
whatever Llj"r lacked in quality hn
made up IL quantity. Besides the
'caW, common to all crows, he uc.
qulrcd NarlOuS notes and moduatiOns
expressive OF wrath, impaticncr, salts
faction and delight, ANA what might
have been called kind of laugh. a
harsh, stride ut 'whOOr- -hoor.hn-n.u!'
At feeding times, when his ratinns of
dough and meat scraps were placed Ec-
fore hlm, he seemed the soul of liberal
lty to the Euilclrss chicks who would
gather, II haf fearful and always hun
CRY circle, ABOUT him. Lijcr would as.
sure them of his pacific intentions by
sundry clucNs and murmurings and
look of total harmlcssncss that WOULD
entlce tho bcldest of them to the feast
Ho would appear tho model host tin ;
chicken got Just whore no wanted him