Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1902-11-27

crow crouehing in the folds OF tat
tered and ragged old hat He was
very ugly in his half-hed ed feathers.
with large head and long beak, but
he looked so pitiful that my heart
went out to him at once. We soon
had made bargain The boys then
ran off with happy faces and still
happier hearts, clutching a few dimes
in their little fists, while | proceeded
homeward with my rewly found pet
Wrapped in my handkerchief.
AS soon as l had reached home
placed him in a good-sized chicken
crate under large pine tree in the
front yard, where | fed him bread
and milk which he gulped down greed
/ lily, and like Oliver Twist, kept cry
ing for more, until l thought his APP
petite would never be appeased. /
Kept feeding him in the crate for sew
eral days, feeding him very often.
When he saw me approaching he
would spread his wings, open his
mouth, and shrilly Cav. cav, cav
for something to eat His appetite
was No.acicus. He would cat any
thing given to him: meat, bread,
cake, fruit, eggs. all went greedily
into his outlet. I wondered how the
rarent crows eve- kept filed the
maws of hungry family.
Grips babyhood did not la-t Ions,
He grew so rapidly that in three
weeks he was al full-hedged COW. with
beautiful glossy black tcat..ers, of
which he was very proud.
A large bed of pansies near the
house, which was my pride, was his
especial delight Every morning |
would pluck the blossoms which were
sc like little faces that smiled up to
me Grip was always on hand to as
sist me; but he would ruin every
Hover by shipping it off, and he did
1t so spitefully, | knew that he was
jealous of the flowers | loved.
Go way, Grip, go way" would
say to him, sometimes using a little
switch to drive him off. The moment
| was out of sight, however. down he
would swoop again into the pansv
bed and snip, snip would go their
heads. There was scarcely an hour
in the day when some one of the
family was not ealing Go way. Grin.
go way, for the whole family kent
watch over those pansies.
AT times Grip would be very loving.
AIighting on my shoulder he would
cuddle down close to my face, utter
ing soft little croaking notes. Then
he would slyly pull the pin from my
collar and begin snatching at the hair
pms in my braids. At other times
when | called him, he would alipht
near me and look at me so impishlv
while | pleaded, Come here, Grin.
Grippy, come here"
One day was coaxing him thus as
he hoped along on the top board OF
the fence. He put his head down
and seemed to be choking and
swallowing. After several such
spasms he uttered the words Go
way, Grip, go way" very distinctly.
| could hardly believe my cars. Grin.
my crow, could say three words. For
long time he chartered ard made
cultural noises. He would scream
and laugh like a young imp But
now he could talk, and aside from
being surprised | was delighted. He
soon learned to say"Go way Grip 20
way" without effort, and not long
after that | heard him say Come
here, Grip; come, Grippy, come here
in the same coaxing tone | used to
him.
Rainy days were his delight Then
he held high carnival on the woodpile,
where he would chatter and laugh.
coax and scold by turns: Come mere
Grip, come here" in a soft coaxing
tone: then harshly, Go way, Grip. &C
way" 1t sounded as If two children
We're quarreling. Later he learned to !
say "All right" Hurry up and al /
most any hour in the day he could /
be heard, if not seen, practicing his |
new accomplishments.
During that fall ! taught the dis
trict school half a mile from home |
1t was pleasant walk in good wealth |
er. Grip was on hand to see me
safely on my way each morning. He |
would hop or fly along, c. ride CT r
shoulder, until he cane to the bridge
which spanned the creek Just half
way to the school house. Then he !,
would fly up into a tall willow trco
bending over the water Thti" far he