The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1909-12-22
Tan that. He hides then in hole

ed that the only thing to be done was
to shut up everything portable that
had been left.
BY this time the jay was perfectly
at home, going anywhere he chose
and having fine time OF it-down
at Foxy Smiths store. in and out of
all the cabins, down at the mines, up
where, and always laughing and
singing and chattering.
The men liked the bird and let him
impose on them dreadfully, but they
were not so friendly to the man. he
was too quiet, and had half-hearted
way that irritated them.
Hang the fellow" said Dick. "He
doesn't seem to have any heart in
anything, It's bad luck to have that
kind around"
And 1t did seem that he cast a
damper on the mems spirits, though
not upon their luck, for, all but Car
ter himself, they were doing we'll in
the mines.
When the weather grew warmer
the men saw less of Carter. He spent
nearly all of his time wandering off
by himself, but the jay stayed where
the men were picking and panning-
he was fond of company.
One fine day in May, after the
trees were in leaf, Carter went out
and sat in the shade near the miners.
The bird was hopping about on a
raised bit of ground, and keeping an
eye on everything. He would claw in
the earth, take look around, and
then stick his beak in the hole he had
made.
I'm it! I'm it," he yelled.
Are you, my boy? Wish I could
say the same" drawled his master.
Day by day the bird worked on
that piece of ground, till the men got
to calling it his "diggings." His mas
ter, having nothing better to do, idly
watched him.
THE jay is twice the man that
Carter is, said Dick one time. "See
him dig in"
1t is fact that he worked as hard
as any of them, though he would fly
off every once in a while and stay
for quarter of an hour or so. And
that kept going on day after day, and
week after week
One evening, in August, Foxy
Smith came into the cabin elaborately
dressed. He wore white top-hat,
long-tailed, bottlegreen coat, pair
of light tan breeches, and a blue vel
vet waistcoat covered with circular
red figures. After the men had ex-
pressed their not altogether compli-
mentary surprise, he said
We'll, boys, just dropped in to
tell you that I'm thinking of enlarg-
ing my store"
That so?"
Yes. And | shouldn't wonder IL
I'd take trip back East this fall"
Business must be looking up"
said Billy
Yes" drawled Foxy, then added
glibly, ut is"
See here, Foxy-"began Billy,
but Foxy interrupted him with:
Il can't stay any longer-I must be
off, He threw a handful of dried
cherries at the jay Che never forgot
to bring him something), and started
out.
Game in to show off" seid Dick,
disgustedly. Where do you suppose
he got his boodle?"
Il have an idea.' said Billy, "but
yet | don't know"
well what is it?"
"Well, l told you once-about the
jay, you know"
"Nonsense!" said Dick.
For some time the men had no.
ticed that something allied the Jay,
and as the days passed his trouble
seemed to increase; he lost his fine
spirits; he did not talk as much as
formerly; he did not fly about as
lightly as he had once done-he
would make feeble croak and go
off, slowly, but would come back
more used up than ever.
rs he getting very old?" Billy
asked.
Not more than four years." said
Carter. Il don't know what ails
him."
The poor little chap grew more and
more feeble (though he seemed fat
ter than ever), till one day he hoped
to his diggings, jerked out few
words of Never a care" and then
lay down and died.
When Carter picked up the jay he
found big gold nugget clutched in
one of the claws. He put his hand in
one of the holes that the bird had
dug, and there he found a pocket"
OF nuggets-the largest pocket, filled
with the biggest nuggets, that had
ever been found in the region.
Billy took the Jay In his hand; he
found the bird surprisingly heavy
and his crop greatly expanded.
This accounts for it," said Billy;
the wealth Of Foxy, and all. Poor
little fellow, his greed. and Foxy's,
have finished him."
Carter called his mine the Golden
Blue-Jay." and out of that mine he