The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-06-18

had forgotten to feed the hen with the
young chickens that had Just been
taken Off; so she mixed some corn
meal and water in tin pan, and be-
gan to call the hens.
Inc call was answered from over
head in the most unexpected manner
A crow. cawing and croaking, began to
circle around Miss Elviry's head, and
presently lit in the pan of dough
/ oh, get away from here, Miss Ell
I viry cried impatiently; you're alters
stlekin' yourself where you amt want
| ed
She pushed the crow from the pan,
but he flew back with many croaks.
and not until Miss Elviry had given
him good share of dough did he cease
| his hutterings. She dropped a Wad of
the food on the ground, and this the
crow proceeded to devour, talking to
himself all the while. Miss Elviry went
to another part of the yard, hunting
for the young chickens but the chill
dren stood still and watched the crow.
Amt l done tot you dey wuz cum
Jer-people? whispered Drusilla. why,
you can git in a mile er no crow less n
you been rubin agin deze folks. Now
min what l tell you; dis crow sho is
satan; you may follow after i'm eff Won
wanter, but | amt gwineter bulge
outn my tracks,
Little Billy Biscuit, however. was ,on
very good terms with the crow. He
sat on the ground by the bird, and with
small twig touched him occasionally
on the legs. The crow saw the move
ment every time; but invariably he
would raise the leg that had been.
touched. stretch out the toes on the
foot and examine them carefully, utter
ing croaky grumble all the time.
The solemn way in which he went
about this was very amusing to the
children. Buster John laughed so loud
ly that the crow stopped and looked at
him sidewise. speaking for the first time
so the children could understand him.
"Cackity. What's all the fuss about"
Then he went on eating the dough.
What is your name?' asked Buster
JOHN.
"Cawky- ikey- uk-ek- ik-akr'
We'll, Cawky, where did you come
from?'
Anywhere around here ik-ek''
Miss Elviry came up at this moment,
and, without knowing it, interrupted
the conversation.
One year the crows built in that pine
thicket down yam. He must "a fell
from the nest, for one day | found him
stretched out on the ground more dead
than alive. l fetched him home an
nursed him till he could take keer of
hlsself. He goes off an comes back
an he's tanner than airy chicken on
the place. He pays for his keep, too, |
for he's our crowtrap. I'll tell you |
about it before you CO.
.kuk-akity: how quick she talksl |
what did she say 90
That you are her crowtrap." said |
Sweetest Susan.
Ak-trap, trap-akr' chucklel CaWky |
What is a trap"
Something that catches things" ex-
planned Buster John. |
Ekek. ak-ak-aki" laughed the crow
without smiling. Il know In the corn
row! Cackityi It's funny, Said one
old crow to another old crow. What
makes people do us so? For, you know.
since we were born, it's been our trade |
to pull up corn Cack-ak, corni"
There was something very quaint |
about Cawky as he walked back and /
forth, chuckling, laughing. and apper-
entity trying TO SHOW off, before stran-
gers. He did it all so solemnly that it
became comical. and the children were
SO much amused that they laughed till
the tears came in their eyeS-that is
they all laughed except Drusilla, who
firmly believed that the crow was a |
bird of evil.
Once Cawky paused in his promenade
seized ring that Sweetest Susan wore
and tried TO twist it off
You better not let dat creetur fool
wild YOU" Drusilla exclaimed. Il tell
you he de OF scratch; he'll grab You
an fly away wild you. You mark what
tell you,"
''Ek-ek-ekf" laughed Cawky. whose
attention was attracted to Drusilla.
You have crows in your family.
Cackity I'd like to catch that one in
my trap"
Huh, eff you wuz a crow. an NOT
lie Of boy hisself, I'd wiring yo' neck,"
said Drusilla.
,Ek-nacki neck -ek," chuckled Cawky
as he promenaded about. picking up
lakes of mica. or Slistening pebbles.
)r broken pieces of crockery.
At this point Miss Elviry returned
md explained that in the spring, when
he young corn was just sprouting AMI
showing a tiny green blade above the
soil, the crows did a good deal of dam
ige. They'd leave one of their number
in the top of one of the tall