New-York tribune., 1905-04-16

the PHOSPHORUS end lie
could not tell the difference between the explosive
and the blank end of the match. and kept rubbing
away on the blank, ends until he became angry
because the FIRE did not come when he threw them
down until the floor covered with matches
By degrees he succeeded in burning all the feathers
from his head and ended by burning his foot so
severely that he could not walk in three days but
he lit the fire." concluded McEntee-
Jeremiah, blow the FIRE, puff, puff, puff sang
Stenger ironically. "NCEntee," he continued
You take the biscuit, the cake and the bakery y
more circumstantial unnitigated. crow lie never
told. Fellows let's declare McEntee the winner
of this competition.
NO no, objected Hale, There are several
more TO be heard from Tom CoykendaU. YOU have
a crow story up Your sleeve haven't you.
I've got story" said Coykendall; but among
such a crew of doubters I fear my little crow warn
will have poor chance of appreciation, although
assure you my honor that It IS absolutely
true in every particular.
1t certainly cannot be more incredible than
some of those we already have listened 70, said
Stenger. But go ahead. old man. and Coyzen-
dali began:
AllusiOn has been made tonight to the fact that
a crow recognize gun This / think i can
prove, at least TO my own satisfaction and | can
also certify that the crow to which refer could tell
the difference between ten and twelve-bore bar
rel. Don't get up, Crispell Lie down, NcEntee,
Several years ago was hunting in the mountains of
West Virginia The gun | carried was peculiar. in
the respect that one barrel was tengage and the other
twelve. had secured three brace of partridge and
being tired from the eXertiOn of climbing the hills
hung my gun by its strap TO knot a old rail
fence, laid down on the grass and fell asleep.
Il awakened by the loud Cawing of crows.
Some ten or twelve of these birds had lit on the
fence and found the gun. The crows were all gun
shy, and they kept up inCessant Jawing. At last
an old veteran walked gravely along the top rail,
and putting his head on one side peered down into
one of the gun-barrels Then he jumped back
quickly for several feet if he expected 10 hear an
explosion. As none occurred he hoped back and
peered down the other barrel An animated dis
Ct1ssion then ensued between all the crows, at the
conclusion of which the old bird flew away out of
sight, returning soon with a small object in his
mouth. This object he placed in the mouth of one
of the gun barrels, and hammered it securely into
place with sharp raps OF his heavy bill When he
had repeated this operation with the other barrel
there was another cawing convention. and the
crows flew away. The crow had spiked my gum "
concluded the speaker.
Did he use railroad spikes'" said CrispeT.
NO, gentlemen replied Coykendan impress
sivey, the cunning bird had used green acorns and
they driven tightly into the barrels that it
took me ten minutes with good jack-knife to get
them out"
There are moments when language Is wholly in
adequate to express human thought The hunting
party looked helplessv at each other, while the
Pine-trees mOaned in the shadows as if in SORROW
for the mendaCity OF men, while MCEntee muttered
softly:
Does any Biblical student