The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-03-17

June Bellman Henthorne. in the Howard
Courant.
The E0eni',s Story
That Old Black Grow.
(By lawrence Alfred C1ay.)
Late In the fall Miss Annie Ber-5
tram had run down from the city to
Hill View to pass . week with her UNI
Gle and aunt. and there she caught
her flrst sight OF that old black crow.
There was cold wind blowing and
sIowhakeS were wandering through
the air. The crow sat on q limb OF q
dead apple tree and shivered and
cawed. He was q disconsolate look
ing bird.
that?" asked the girl.
well, up in the city you would
call him an oriole. but down here We
call him q crow" was the answer.
but I thought our birds new south
as winter was coming on
There are fool-btrds as well AZ
fool-peOple, and the crow il one OF
them. They'd rather hang around
here and freeze to death than NY
few hundred miles. I'll bet over q
score Of them around here last win
ter keeled over with the cold. It's
a wonder that that old fellow pulled
through.
"But didn't you let him live in one
CT your three barns?"
Nav"
And didn't you feed him?"
Uncle John and Aunt Mary giggled
at the idea, and the aunt said:
Its only q crow, you See.''
"Supposing 1t is only a crow. Isn't
he to be pitied when he's cold and
hungry? He's got too old and weak
before that you had q mean streak
about you
Uncle and aunt laughed again. and
Uncle Joe drawled: 1T you were to
come down here and set up hospital
for old crows you'd have your hands
any thanks from the farmers."
Cav! Cav! Caw!" cried the old
crow.
"Do you know what he wantss''
asked the girl.
"Of course I do. He wants fried
but I'll be darned II he gets any at
this house!'
'sUncle Joe. I shall feed that crow
all he can stunt"
"Good!''
II shall fix q shelter for him.
'And IL he is not fed and cared for
after I am gone I shall never come
down here again!"
"Oh, guess we'll feed him right
enough until that Teller shoots him."
What 'feller?'"
Dunno his name. but he's stopping
down to- Bently's. Cousin, I guess.
He's shot at the bird about a dozen
| times this last week. but hasn't teched
feather. He'll probably keep it up
| till he finally gets him."
HE probably won't do any such
| thing!" was the indignant reply. Let
| me catch him shooting at the crow
! and I'll talk to him in q way he won't
soon forget: I go. sir, to do an act Of
! mercy!"
And Miss Annie headed for the pam
| try and broke up enough bread to sat
! isfy the appetite of q horse and car
| ried it out. The crow flew down to
| her feet and stuffed and gorged him.
! self as ne never had in his crow life
before. When he could eat no more
the girl went on a tour of investfga-
| ton. Under the wagon shed she found
an old box, and hunting up hammer
! and nails she nailed the box about five
| feet from the ground and stuffed II
| with hay.
| Its for the crow, eh?'' queried
Uncle Joe, as he came out.
He won't be fool enough to &c
into that box at night. A weasel
| WOulu nave Hlnl no llll1Ss L you
| feed him well he'll get along all right
on a limb"
That old crow had struck a sof,
snap. and he knew it. For three day.
| he did not 60 100 feet from the house
and rs a reward for the girls care hi
his raucous caws. On the fourth day
as Miss Annie set off across the fields
for walk. he accompanied her. some
times flying and sometimes walking
r. L. - t. IL \ ~
time. He was at length forgotten fol
| a few minutes and then the report o.
| u gun near at hand. followed by ths
scream Of bird. startled the girl.
It's the fellow with the gun. and
he has shot my crow!"
Twenty rods away. behind = fringe
of bushes. she came upon q younf
man standing over the dead crow with
a gun in his hands.
"Oh. you brute!" she shouted a,
What-what is it," stammered thu
murderer.
"Oh the meanness of it,"
!. But only shot crow"
But 1t was my crow!'
Just then the old bird began II
kick. He had changed his mind abou,
being q dead crow. In another min
4 ute he was tapping his wings and try
inng to cav. The bullet had graxet
his head and stunned him
why, he isn't dead" said thu
young man n he advanced.
= Miss Annie put the bird down AMI
watched 1t hop about. and then tool
q look at the hunter. Uncle Joe had
} said that the man after the old GROW
; was q TELLER" Somehow she had tn,
4impression that It was . middleages
man. Here before her was . younl
man. and she knew from his bearinl
that he was from the city.
/. mo. he isn't dead" she responded
but that II no fault Of yours. Uncl'