Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-03-04
@.AI'REs =
A Galley O. Fun /!
MR. TODD TELLS A STORY

Todd leminiscently, "of the story
about the bluejay."
ATS clouding Up outside" broke i
Mrs. Todd, gazing absently throuLh
he parted curtains OF the front wil
low.
1T was when was boy" cOntu
ued Mr.. Todd musingly. in thcsi
days boys wore knee breeches ant
went barefooted -"
81 do hope it doesn't rain!" cN
,lsimed Priscilla Todd, moving abou,
lseasily. Il wanted to so to the par
his afternoon"
my, how we hated to wash our feet
At night" murmurcd Mr. Todd, wit!
4 fond smile.
Dad" inquired Sammy Todd, "wha;
is it about the bluejay?"
"l'm coming to that, son. You ser
here was an old orchard out back o.
lhe house. My, such orchards vs.
had in those days! Apples of all sorts
and sizes-good apples, too! You
never see such apples any more
whats that got to do with tho
,luejay. dad?" bluntly asked Sammy
Don't be impatient, my boy. lr
his orchard there we're a number o!
cGirrels, which came over from .
leighboring hickory grove. My, suct
squirrels as those were! Big. gray ttl
ows, with long, bushy tails"
Mrs. Todd yawned behind her hand
md Priscilla picked up copy of bu
.ile.
"We used to hunt squirrels fye
luently, and father never would ALLOW
ne TO bring one home until had shot
il through the head"
%But the blueiay, dadl What abOu
.hat?"
did say bluejay, son? What was
thinking Of? 1t wasn't a bluejay Of
all, but a crow--a big black crow"
1T is starting to rain" said Mrs
Todd, moving again to the window.
Grows in those days were mis-
chievious fellows. No such crows
nowadays. They used to come TO Ou.
orchard in big flocks-"
Isn't there any bluejays at all in
this story, dad?"
"No, son, it was a crow"
isn't it mean that it has to Iain"
mourned Priscilla. Charlie Bang.
was coming over for me, tool"
"In the hickory grove 1 mentioned,
pursued Mr.. Todd, "there were many
hickory nuts. My, such hickory nuts
as there were in those days! Bushcl
and bushels of them, just going tc
wasteira
dad, don't want to hear this
story IL there isn't a bluejay in it.
only wanted to know about the blue
lay!"
"Well, perhaps It was a bluejay, af
ter all, but it occurred to me it was a
crow"
There, my bread is burning!" wall
ed Mrs. Todd, rushing excitedly tC
the kitchen.
"Now, one day big gray apple
mean squirrel"
"Oh, it's going to clear up cried
Priscilla happily. "There is the tele
phone ringing. cit must be Charlie, -
She bounded quickly away.
"This big, black hickory nut-crow
should say-came over into the hiclJ
ory grove with its mouth full of ap
pies Wait, son, am not starting
this correctly-it came over into the
orchard with its beak full OF hickory
nuts"
"a squirrel hasn't got beak dad!'
Certainly not-I'm talking about
the bluejay nowl"
"You said it was a crow, dad"
"Well, 1 changed 1t because yor
wanted 1t to be bluejay!" Mr.. Todd
got up from his chair and walked i'm
patiently about.
Hurry up. dad. haven't got mucl
time. Mother, where are my boots
l want to go out and wade"
Patiently and slowly Mr.. Todd re
newed his narrative.
"This big gray apple came over in
to the hickory orchard and found q
black bluejay Quarreling with a floch
Of squir-"
Here are your boots, Sammy!'
called Mrs. Todd.
"At this the crow-I mean the blue
iay-became angry"
"Oh, good! Now l can go wading!'
"All right, son." said Mr.. Todd anI
iabIy as Sammy dashed away. 81 car
finish the story some other time.
don't know as l can remember JUS
how it goes, anyway" Sr.,rsS,
5l &