The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-08-17
CROWS AND PING PONG BALL

CROWS AND PING PONG BALL
Their PerpIexity Over Trying to
Break a Supposed Egg.
Great is the indignation OF the crows
OF our station, writes correspondent Of
the Times OF India And the cause OF it
all is that new-fangIed game, that sign
OF twentieth century degeueratien-piHg
pong. Utterly regardless CT the fact that
it was the Sabbath. and that high Epts-
copal dignitary was staying n the station
It was ordained that the final" Of the 10
cal ping-pong tournament should be play
ed on last Sunday. One OF the conpeti-
tors was a retired colonel OF thrce-score
years and ten. and his eye is Tot dim.
nor is his natural force abated. he
lost, but not without making plucky
hight OF IT. Re attributes his defeat 10
the fact that an unsound ball was used
At critical juncture. The Colonel act
ed up to his belief. and wrought ven
geance upon the ball by sending it forth
into space. The ball. although unsound.
obeyed the laws Of gravttation: il fell on
grassy spot Presently a vigilant crow
espied that ball. and. taking 1t for an egg.
swooped down on it, seized It in its pow
erful beak and bore IL OF IN triumph.
Of course il was very foolish OF the crow
to mistake a ping-pong ball for an egg;
for. granted that he was not a society
bird. acquainted with the Mysteries OF
Ping-pong the weight OF the bail should
have suficed TO convey to his coryine
mind the fact that It could not obtain
a very substantial breakfast But crows.
although The cIeverest OF birds are really
very silly. II judged by human standards.
They have not the wit 10 discover when
4 keel has dropped an egg into the nest,
nor have they the sense 10 distinguish
The interIoper. when it is Matched. from
one OF their own kind.
Having secured its prize. the worthy
crow took up the commanding position
on the branch OF a bamboo tree. After
z little prospecting he caught sight
OF a small stone post. which appeared
10 De admirably adapted for his purpose
TO this he few. and dropping the bail.
picked AZ It 20 break It. Instead OF break
ing II hoped OF 70 the ground: the
crow retrieved it and again had q peck az
it. with the same result Having repeat
Sd the process half a dozen times the
crow grew more thoughtful Never before
had he come across such an obstinate egg
lie then decided 70 tackle It on the
ground, here he met with no better sue
tree. and from that altitude contemplated
the bali. which he had left lying on
The ground. 4 happy thought suddenly
seized him. He took VI the egg II his
heak. and few with il to a branch some
six feet above the ground. and let il
fan It survived the shock intact. Tl-is
was toe much for another crow that
had been arteutiveiy watching the Erst
bird aid he 20 himself. II that jugEins
can break the egg. there Is nothing left
but for ne % show him how 70 DO Z
Having delivered himself on these sen
Uueuts. he made A swoop az the bali.
snapped az II as he few over. but since
the first crow vas not il pursuit be
missed it. Then followed a long contest
between the second bird and the rtghtful
owner. Every time the former attempt
ed 70 capture the egg the latter few
after him and tried To peck him After
a little beth birds came 70 rest o. dif-
ferent trees within fun view OF the ball
each with his back towards the other.
Crows ars rot strsiE htforwa-s birds.
They I've chiesy ~ deceit Each wanted
the other to think that be had forgotten
al about the bone q contention After
The struggle lad continued for some
twenty minutes The first bird vas sized
wfth a sudden * q generosity ard &C.
cited 70 let his rival have an isuiazs.
The iafters' score Vas 10 larger THAI that
Of the arzt crow II vain he 1ecked az The
rzlL which bounded away az every pe>k-
II vain b. jumped uPoa & Re vas clear
q losing rs temper ~hea q THIRD cox
rived OF rhe scene. and. isttie knowing
Ehat Vas u stare sor hin. gsyiy tackled
fhs eEE which TIE secSz5 crew gave u
70 hin 81 the nest sslt-dezyinE n.zzzsr
F.store h lad cattle exhausted rs ene-gy
tzo nore crcTz arrived and forthwith
attacked the BAL TIE ofhsr three cruzs
remained placstly looking OF f-ozz =
a-iEnborizg re~- After a tine the tzn
nsz-come-x- ~hs had taken altsyzzte
-scks al ira csIiz-std s7her- lest Il T.
alszzss and 5alzsd tAs sSAe- three ei71s /
II shs tree TIE Ehale eve crows caws1
II uatsioa- Il a manner h-trzxtzg tAe
zost UasDeskzhss tisz-st