The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-11-18
for the whole family kept watch over

for the whole family kept watch over
those pansies.
At times Grip would be very loving
Ahghtlng 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 pins in my braids. At other times
when called him, he would not come
to me, but would alight near me, and
look at me so impishly while l plead
ed, Come here, Grip; come, 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 swal-
lowing After several such spasms he
uttered the words, Go way. Grip, go
| way" very distinctly. / could hardly
believe my ears. Grip my crow could
say three words. Go way. Grip" For
a long time he had chartered and made
| gutteral noises. He would scream and
laugh like young imp. But now he
could talk. and. aside from being sur
prised, l was delighted. He soon learn
ed to say 60 way. Grip" without
effort, and not long after / heard him
say. Come here, Grip; come, Grippy,
come here in the same coaxing tone
l used to him.
Rainy days were his delight. Then
he held high carnival on the wood
| pile. where he would chatter and
| laugh, coax and scold by turns
come, Grippy, come here
Come here. Grip, come here" in a
soft, coaxing tone; then harshly. go
way, Grip, go way" II sounded as
| IL two children were quarreling.
Later he learned to say "Asl right"
Hurry up;v and almost any hour in
the day he could be heard, If not seen,
practicing his new accomplishments.
During that fall taught the district
school. half mile from home. 1t was
a pleasant walk in good weather.
Grip was on hand to see me safely
on my way each morning. He would
/ hop or fly along, or ride on my shoul-
der. until he came to the bridge which
spanned the creek just halfway to
the school-house Then he would fly
1 up into a tall willow tree bending
over the water Thus far would he go,
but no farther.
One morning, however, he alighted
on, the window of the school-house,
tapping loudly with his beak upon the
glass to be let in. The children all
| knew Grip. He was famed throughout
the .neighborhood for his powers OF
speech and his impish and cunning
pranks Immediately the hands went
up to beg permission to let him in
/ with promises to be good and to study
! hard.
The unanimous request was granted,
and Grip flew to my desk and began
picking up pencils and pieces of chalk.
Then he went from one desk to
another, looking for more pencils. No
doubt he thought he had struch a
rich field. must confess that lessons
were forgotten, so intent were the
children in watching this strange bird,
which hoped from desk to desk and
peered into their faces In such a cur
| ious way.
Alasl he came to an untimely death.
One night he failed to meet me at the
willow upon my return from school.
No one had seen him that afternoon.
/ found him in shed, crouched up
on an old barrel looking very sick
and miserable. and with green stains
upon his bill The can of paris green
was found overturned in the barn,
and that told the story. The poor fell
| low had been eating the poison. He
refused food, uttering plaintive little
| croaks as stroked him. and said
Poor Gripl" / left him for the night
| hoping his crow constitution was
strong enough to resist the deadly
| poison.
| In the morning / found his sitting
as l had left him, but no soft croak
| greeted me. He was cold and stiff
In death. Do you wonder that my
tears fell freely, and that / felt no
shame in weeping for a dead crow.