The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1901-09-26

Eben would come out and blow smoke
in the owls face. The owl didn't seem
grateful for this attention, and showed
his appreciation by trying to scratch
out Ebcn's eyes. Eben was hurt, but
not discouraged.
1.-The first time | smoked said
Eben, 4 didn't feel any hilarious Joy
over the immediate results. 1t won't
be long before this owl viii be smok-
ing pipe in placid content. Rnt net
cigarettes. No owl of Ebei Browns
will ever be allowed to become a
cigarette smoker
after little while the owl got
so that he could endure the smoke.
Then he came TO like it. Finally
Eben brought out little pipe, cut to
fit the owls beak, lit it, pulled Gu it
two or three times to show how the
thing was done, and then offered ii to
owl. The owl was little perpleNed at
first and tried to eat the pipe. But
a fter a few lessons that owl learned to
draw on the pipe and when he had
eaten his dinner, would sit in Eben's
yard, putting away, the picture of Owl
content. Ehcn thought the world of
that owl.
Owls that could look solemn, and
owls that knew a few meager tricks,
have been common in Pike county,
said Ebcn, complacent like, but this
is The first owl who has learned to
really enjoy an afterdinner smoke.
- l.. 1oI hn1
bu; as long as the owl lives in the
open air and takes plenty of exercise
don't believe it will hurt him.
"When the owl got SO that he wasn't
content until he had had his afterdin-
ner smoke, Ehen thought il was time
10 take the next step in his training,
lie would tie string to the owl and
then let mouse or bird loose in the
yard. The owl would q. fly after it.
When the mouse was caught Eben
would pull the string. draw the owl
back to him, take away the mouse
and then let the owl enjoy a little
| smoke. Then Eben did the same thing
with a few snipe and wookcock. II
took quite while to teach the owl
but in the end Eben had his pet
trained so that the owl knew that
Eben wanted game birds and that the
only way to get a smoke was by turn
ing in a good supply of them. But il
wasn't any too easy work teaching
him.
Bears and hawks and turtles have
been trained by honest old EbeI
Brown Eben sometimes used to say
in a discouraged way. And they wer,
all apt pupils compated with this owl
He may have been the bird of wisdom
vIth the old Greeks and Romans. hu
he is outclassed every time by native
born American animals, whose fore
fathers never had the advantages o.
classical education.
"When the owl had arrived at tn,
state where he felt he couldn't {,
without his smoke and at the sam,
Tine realize that the way to get i
was to hunt birds, Eben thought hi.
pets education was complete Owl,
hunt best at night and one evening
Eben turned his trained one loose.
Its up to you, my feathereC
friend said Eben to the owl, ito hiC
yourself to the woods and hunt snipt
and woodcock. For there will be nc
more free tobacco coming to YOU
l1ben Brown is not running a free.
lunch counter where smoking materi
ais will be furnished to any owl apply.
ing. That would soon turn you into
4,
wouldn't be any benefit accruing tc
Eben.'
THE owl appreciated pretty well
what was wanted of him and few oft
to the woods. Eben turned in and
slept, happy in the thought that an
entrusted and unusually intelligent
owl was securing the woods in search
of game for the ften Brown larder
IA the morning the owl had gathered
q pile of woodcock that it would have
taken weeks to shoot. Eben fed his
pet some of the choicest bits of meat
and then, after the owl had eaten,
gaSe him the owl pipe filled with to-
bacco. The owl pulled away in his
solemn. sedate manner for a few min
utes, then knocked the ashes out of
The pipe and handed it back to Eben,
and waddled off to enjoy a well-earned
sleep. Ebcn sorted out the game birds
and carried them to the village, where
he disposed of them for a good price.
For about month things went on
smoothly. The owl hunted regularly
every night, ate three good meals, en-
iuyed his smoke and was an owl of
regular habits, an owl that per-
sou respected and felt would make
us way in the world. Eben was max
IN. good money selling the birds the
ow' caught and, what pleased Eben
most, he was making it at the ex-
pehse of mighty little labor. The owl
was the admiration of the whole COM
munity. Eben used to pet it and
thought the world of it.
1.-The owl is a wise bird after ALL
said Eben. And while il takes good
while to drill an idea into his head,
once there il stays. It's my belief
that with little effort ! could train
that faithful bird so +hBtz.kv-,rpI.l1