The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-18

"Ak-trap, trap-akr' chuckled CawISy.
What is trap?"
Something that cathches things" ex-
planned Ruster John
'Ekek, ak-ak-akr' laughed the crow,
without smiling. u know. In the corn
row! Cackityl It's funny Said one old
crow to another old crow What makes
people do us so for? For, you know. since
we were born, it's been our trade to pull
up corn Crack-ak, corn!'
There was something were quaint about
Cawky as he walked back and forth,
chuckiing, laughing, and apparently try
ing to show OFF, before Strangers. He
did 1t all SO solemnly that 1t became COM
ical, and the children were so much
amused that they laughed till the tears
came in their eyes-that is, they all laugh
ed except Drusilla, who firmly believed
that the crow was bird of evil.
Once Cawky paused In his promenade.
seized a ring that Sweetest Susan wore
and tried to twist il off.
you better not let dat creetur fool wild
your Drusilla exclaimed. Il tell you he
de oil scratch; he'll grab you an fly away
wild you. You mark what tell your
''Ek-ek-ek!' laughed Cawky, whose at
tention was attracted to Drusilla. You
have crows in your family Crackityl
I'd ike to catch that one in my trap"
Huh, eff you wuz a crow, an not de
oil boy hisse'f, I'd wiring your knock, ;"
said Drusilla.
.Ek-nackl neck-ekr' chuckled cawky
as he promenaded about. picking up
fakes of mica, or glistening pebbles, or
broken pieces of crockery.
Al this point Miss Elviry returned and
explained that In the spring when the
young corn was just sprouting and show
ing a tiny green blade above the soil,
IA nf daV
They'd leave one of their number watch
ing In the top of one of the tall pines, and
the rest would fly down into the corn
fed and pull up the young corn, row az
ter row, to get at the grains still cling
ing to the tender roots. No one could
approach near enough TO shoot them, for
| the sentinel in the pine top would sound
the alarm the moment a human being
appeared in sight and away all the crows
would fly, to return promptly when the
way was clear
one day, however, Miss Elviry heard a
| great clamor of crows in the cornhel6,
| such a huhbub, indeed, that 1t attracted
| her attention. She went into the field
and there she saw the crows fluttering
and flying about like mad. All first she
| thought they had attacked an owl or a
| hawk, but as she went nearer they all
| flew away but two. One of these was MAX
| other lying on his back was holding hin.
What in the world says I to my
| self remarked Miss Elviry. Il went to
| where they was at, and there saw Cawky
| holding the other crow by the feet. The
| toes of the two was so tangled that
| twas as much az l could do to untangle
'en. That put the idea in my heed that
| maybe Cawky would make a good crow
! trap. So Brother fixed up couple of
1
| Cawky out in the field. laid him on his
back in a corn row, put the strap across
his body and pushed the pegs in the
| ground to hold him. OF all the squallin'
and jabbering you've ever heard. Cawky
made more fuss in one mnnit than a
| flock of crows make In a week. The
crows fairly swarmed down on him In
little or no time. an 1 run back for fear
| they'd kill him; but he want hurt, an
he had another crow Along at first
| Cawky didn't like ii, but he's got so now
| that when he hears crows about he'll
! come a-hyin' and a-runnin' an make the
| biggest kind of a fuss tell we git out his
| hafness-we call 1t his harness-an' fasten
| him down in the field. ! reckon they've
| got some sign of distress like the Free
Masons, for just as soon as he starts up
| his hollern' all the crows in the settle
ment II come flynn an try to git him
| loose"
| Again Miss Elvry went to attend to
| her household duties, leaving the chill
| dren with Cawky who, while she was
talking, had been trying to pull the
brass buttons from Buster Johns packet
He succeeded in getting one, and with
| this in his beak he ran around and
around with his wings half-spread and
| uttefing loud cries of Triumph. Then he
| ran under the house and hid it. He
found the old house cat under there
watching a mouse hole and he ran her
out and pursued her about until Miss
Elvlry had to take the broom to him.
1t was great fun for the children. and
Cawky seemed to enjoy it, too But he
subsidized when Miss Elvity brought out
the broom. and went stalking back 20
the children as soiemnly as an old-time
preacher.
"Why do yon like 10 catch your cous-
ins?" asked Buster John.
''Cackityl Because-ek they are my
cousins ek-ekH'
maybe, you've already caught some
of your brothers and sisters" said
Sweetest Susan, using what Buster John
called her Sunday school voice.
''Ekl. / hope sol l want-ek, TO catch
nv daddy and my nanny. Cackityi
Didn't they push me from the nest and
leave me on the ground in the rain and
| cold? Ekl / remember! And when
went back among them didn't they
drive me awayg Cncldtyl They said |
| smelt like man. I've paid them WELL and
I'll pay them better. Ek-ek-ekl''