Omaha daily bee., 1899-06-18

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 a 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 OIL scratch; he'll grab you an fly away
wild you You mark what tell you!"
'Ek- Elk ek!' laughed Cawky, whose atten-
ton was attracted to Drusila. 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 de oil
boy hisself, I'd wiring yo' neck" said Dru-
silla.
"Ek-nack, neck ek!" chuckled Cawky as
he promenaded about, picking up fakes of
mica or glistening pebbles or broken pieces
Of crockery.
At this point Miss Eviry returned and
explained that in the spring when the young
corn was just sprouting and showing a
tiny green blade above the soil the crows
did a good deal of damage. They'd leave
one of their number watching in the ton
OF one of the pines, and the rest would fly
down into the cornfeld and pull up the
young corn, row by row, to get at the grains
still clinging 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 ap-
peared in sight, and away all the crows
would fly, to return promptly when the way
was clear.
One day, however Miss Elviry heard n
great clamor of crows in the cornfield such
hubbub, indeed, that 1t attracted her at
tention. She went into the field and there
she saw the crows huttering and flying
about like mad. At 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 making tremendous efforts
/ to fly, but the other lying on his back was
holding him.
"'What in the world says to myself"
| remarked Miss Elviry. II went to where
! they was at, and there saw Cawky holding
tho other crow by the feet The toes of the
two was tangled that it was much as
could do to ontangle EN-. That put the idea
in my head that maybe Cawky would make
| good crow trap. SO Brother fixed up a
couple Of straps wi pegs at the ends an we
took Cawky out in the field laid him on his
back in corn row, put the straps acrost his
body and pushed the pegs in the ground to
hold him. or all the squalin' an jabberin'
you've ever heard! Cawky made more fuss
in one minnit than fock OF crows make in
/ a week. The crows fairly swarmed down on
him in little or no time, an | run back for
fear they'd XIII him; but he want hurt an
he had another crow! Along at first, Cawky
! didn't like it, but he's got so now that when
he hears crows about he'll come a-nyin and
a-runnin' an make the biggest kind of a
fuss till we git out his harness-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 hollerln' all the
crows in the settlement II come fyin' an
try to get him loose"
Again Miss Elyiry went to attend to her
household duties, leaving the children with
Cawky, who, while she was talking, had
been trying to pull the brass buttons from
Buster Johns jacket. He succeeded in
getting one, and with this in his beak he
ran around and around with his wings half
spread and uttering Loud cries Of triumph.
Then he ran under the house and hid it.
He found the old house cat under there
watching mouse hole, and he ran her out
and pursued her about until Miss Elviry
bad TO take the broom to him.
1t was great fun for the children, and