Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1908-01-01
glasses, he saw duck and started fl

glasses, he saw duck and started fof
It.
"The duck that the trained eagle
started after was evidently i long,
ways of. for it had been out Of sight
Of the other eagle. But eagles are
swift flyers, and it wasn't long before
Toms pet came wfnging back, the
duck In his claws and the field glasses
dangling from his neck. He deposited
the duck in Toms yard. Then he
started to eat it. But Tom didn't soe
it that way.
THE tame eagle didn't seem over
and above pleased at having the duck
snatched away. But he wasn't q bad
hearted bird, and he evidently felt
that there was something due Tom for
his trouble in training him. So OF
the eagle flew, and about an hour later
returned with a second duck. This
one Tom let him eat in peace. Through
the day the eagle hunted, taking al.
ternate ducks until he had eaten all
that he cared for. Then Tom claimed
all the birds that were captured, and
the good-natured eagle didn't make
any protest.
For nearly a month that eagle
hunted for Tom Ferguson. The com
bination OF an eagles naturally keen
sight and a pair of good field glasses
made 1t possible for him to spot anS
duck for miles around. The eagle
worked regularly and caught more
birds than half dozen ordinary wild
eagles. Tom was selling the ducks
and making money FAST Then the In.
born meanness of man cropped ont
and put an end to what promised to
be f1ourishing industry.
There isn't any occasion for that
bird to eat a whole duck every other
time he returns from a hunting trip
Tom said to me one day. I've been at
all the trouble and expense of training
him and I'm entitled to at least duck
and half out of every two
so Tom took a trip to the city and
bought a pair of spectacles, the kind
that magnify. The next time the eagle
brought back duck Tom slipped TIE
spectac1es over his beak. Then he
cut the duck in two and gave the
eagle half of it. The other half he re-
served for the use of honest old Tom
Ferguson as he called himself.
1T was pathetic to see tho puzzled,
perplexed expression on that poor
eagles face when he commenced eat
ing his half duck. He was accustomed
to . whole duck, but the spectacles
made the half look as big as whole
one. He looked at Tom as If he
wanted advice on the subject. Tom
didn't say word, but went on placid.
ly smoking his pipe. That eagle trust.
ed Tom Ferguson. When Tom didn't
make a move the eagle turned in and
ate the half duck. He wasn't quite
satisfied, though, for while it looked
as if he had eaten his usual quantity
of duck, his appetite showed him this
wasn't so. Then he few off to catch
more game for his selfish owner.
"Tom was always careful to put the
spectacles on the eagle before he fed
him, ana while the 2oor Grid was
growing thin, perhaps be wouldn't
have discovered the deceit If 1t hadn't
been for an accident. One day, while
the eagle was eating, a party of 'um.
bermen went past the house. Theirs
was the eagle, spectacles on his beak,
tearing away at half a duck It GER.
tainly was ridiculous sight, and the
lumbermen laughed until they were
most sick. An eagle hates to be
at, especially when he is eat
ing. Toms pet stood it as long as Ne
could. Then he raised his head with
a quick motion as If he was consider.
ing whether to fly away or do battle
with the men who were jearing at
him. The little jerk he gave IS he
raised his head shook of the glasses.
The eagle looked at the piece Of duck
which seemed to have shrank In size.
Then he looked at the spectacles.
After his experience in using field
glasses he knew in an instant that he
had been grossly deceived BY Tom
Ferguson, the man he had trusted and
for whom he had worked so faithfully.
''Tom had seen tho spectacles fall
of and came running up to put them