Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1899-06-08

4 suited IN his falling OH on TO the road,
| and just at that moment heard fay
ping of wings, and looking up saw a
| large black bird in the air, and after
| circling round once or twice it alighted
on the ground near my naughty COM
panion. There it stood, giving vent to
| funny little croaks, and then it hoped
round and gazed up into the mans face
with indescribable impudence and cum
ming; but he was strangely alarmed at
the birds sudden appearance, and
stared at it in a most bewildered man.
ner. Its tail was long and graduated,
and beautifully iridescent with glori-
| Gus blues, green's and puppies, but the
| rest of its body was black. The shape
| of the bird seemed familiar, but l could
not recall where / had seen similar
| one, nor remember its name. Its bold
ness in thus venturing so near us was
i certainly astounding. My basket-man,
however, apparently had a pressing
engagement, for making another des-
perate attempt to mount his disabled
| bike he succeeded in riding away, while
the bird. lazily rising in the air, flew
| away too, in the same direction.
NdlCACu DOlU iii SilCN HCIS Jul VI
sight, and then turned to my bicycle.
but as did so, something bright on the
ground where the bird had stood at
| tracted my attention, and STOPPING
down / picked up-a diamond ring, set
| with large brilliants! ] gave a low
| whistle of surprise as the truth sudden
| ly flashed across my mind; l had solved
| the mystery of the robberies, and dis
covered the thieves,
swiftly mounting my bicycle I pur-
sued my late companion with all my
speed. and some distance on found him
standing in carriage-drive, putting
the bird into his basket. Dropping my
bike | made a dash and collared him
before he could escape, and said: i am
a detective, and arrest you on a charge
of completely in the robberies which
have taken place in this district. l
must caution you that anything you
may say will be used against you at
your trial
HE offered no resistance, although
he turned as pale as death, but came as
quiet as a lamb with me to the local
police station, pushing his bicycle while
| pushed mine, the bird in the basket
giving vent to self-satisfied little
croaks as we walked.
AT the police station we opened the
basket, and found several articles of
jewelry reposing at the bottom, while
the bird hoped out and surveyed US all
in comical inquiry. Now the whole plot
was laid bare. The thief was none
other than the bird, mis"hievous mag
pie, whose love of bright articles and
passion for secreting them is well
known. His scoundrelly master, we
found, had brought the birds failings
to fine art, and trained him to fly
through the open windows of houses,
pick up all the bright things he could
see. and bring them to his master, who
cruised about the outskirts of the town
in the meantime, recalling the magpie
by a peculiar whistle. When the bird
returned it was put in the bicycle
basket. and so taken about from place
to place, ready for instant action wher-
ever his master saw an opportunity for
using him, and free from all Observa-
ton.
1t was a clever dodge, for of course
bird would never be noticed entering
OF leaving an unoccupled upstairs room
through an open window, and doubt
less his natural cunning taught him
lot to enter room in which he could
see anyone. Magpies, as you know,
have brilliant black and white plum
age and it was here that the coEsum-
mate craft of the birds master came
into play; he knew that a black and
white bird would be noticed flying
about, whereas an all-black one would
not, but be mistaken for a rock. SO he
artfully dyed all the birds white feath-
ers black!
''At the magisterial inquiry the man
pleaded not guilty. averring that as
he had stolen nothing there was no case
against him; but he was committed for
trial, when the judge awarded him five
years penal servitude as an accessory
before and after the fact while as he
considered that the birds being at
large would prove dangerous to the
community, the maybe was ordered
to be detained in one of the state pris-
ons during her majesty's pleasure
And 1? Oh, yes; 1 got my inspec-
torship soon after" -Tit-Bits.