Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-11-23
The Escape of Clip
per Crow

/ SAASNNSN
again boastfully.
! He threw back his head and walked
proudly to the edge of the Pleasant
Pool.
! Cav! Caw!" Clipper Grow ex'
claimed as he saw his reflection in the
Pleasant Pool.
Now probably you do not under.
stand crow talk, but what Clipper
, Crow meant was: Look at me! Lock
at me! What handsome bird am!
See how glossy black my coat is and
what lovely colors it has when the sun
shines on it,"
Slowly he strutted back and forth at
the edge of the Pleasant Pool
The Pleasant Pool twinkled up at
him merrily. and all the little. wild
weeds and all the little wild flowers in
the Old Pasture shook their leaves in
laughter at him. But foolish, vain
Clipper Crow didn't see this. He was
too busy admiring himself.
He looked at himself first on one
picled up a seed here and there, so
that he could see the graceful curve
of his neck. Oh. no donht OF it! He
was indeed wonderful bird!
"Caw! Caw! Caw!' he cried. and
puffed out his chest and stretched his
wings as wide as he could.
Lovely wings he thought as he
looked at them in. the Pleasant Pool.
Cav! Cav! Caw!" and Cav!
Caw!" and Cav! Caw!" again and
this time Clipper Crow was saying:
"a wonderful day! Just the day for a
lor~ flight--the longest have taken
yet"
He gave his wings a trial flap or
two
ooh, hut I'm a fine bird! Look:
Look! See how strong ! am. f'v
wherever I want to. now, and not very
long ago was in the nest afraid-oE,
that is, too small to fly" Clipper Grow
would not admit that he was afraid.
oh, no! Not he! Had not Mother
Crow taught him all the tricks of Mr..
Man? And as for any other dangers.
he was such wise bird that he couli
always keep out Of the way. Oh, no!
Nothing could ever scare him!
Cav! Cav! Caw!" and Clipper
Crow was in the air.
Flap, flap, flap, went his wings.
Cav! Cav! Cav. shouted Clipper
Grow. /
Oh! how nice it was to be a great
grownup crow.
On, on. on. he flew. Now he was
passing the Old Swamp. where Red
Wing the Blackbird, lived.
Come over here! Come over here"
carolled Ped-Wing.
"Naw!' Nav! Naw!s Clipper Crow
shouted rudely. He didn't even look at
"The idea of expecting me, big
crow, to notice any OF tnat
dwarfed Blackbird family" he thought |
in disgust !
On. on. on, and now he was flying
low over the Broad Meadow.
A frightened little field mouse scut-
tied into hole at sight of him.
Cav! Cav! Caw!" exulted Clipper
Grow.
How nice to see others run from
him! Oh. how fine to be alive, and to
be big. and black. and brave!
On, on, on. and now he was flying |
above two endless rows of shining
rails.
Something new to find out about"
he thought as he spied them. The
next second he was walking boldly J
between the shining sticks.
Cav! Cav, Cav! I'm not afraid"
But horrors! What was this?
great black. snorting monster rushing
straight at him. Oh. oh! Oh! Never,
never bad Mother Grow told him of
this! Surely she had never seen It!
It must be a trick of Mr. Mans. made
lust on, purpose to kill Clipper Crow!
Flap-fap! Flap-flap! Flap-fap! Ter
rifed. Clipner Crow headed for home
ls fast as his wings could carry him.
He few in one direction.
The big Black Monster came putting
and snorting after him.
He flew in another direction: the
big Black Monster came putting and
;norting after him.
Now Clipper Grow was passing the
Broad Meadow. The little field-nousn
stood 1T the door of his house and
ooked in SUNRISE at frightened Clip
yer Crow. He saw the Big Black
Monster. Thcn he rave little
;cueaky chrcrle and hitb'ed piece
If grass. But Clipper Grow didn't
see.
"Woo-o.oo-o.. Woo! Woo" screech-
ID the Big, Black Monster.
In panic of fear Clipper Crow flew
Up. up, up.
Straight ahead, far. far away.-so
ar that Clipper Crow couldn't even
zee II yet-lay the big woods. In the
middle of the Big Woods was Home.
f he could-oh. if he only could
each the Big Woods and Home. per-
hans the trees would hold back the
Big Black Monster!
And now he was passing the Old
Swamp.
What do-you fear? What do
rou fear?' called RedWing, the-Black-
;ird.
But Clipper Crow didn't hear
Faster faster. faster, Never had he
lown so swiftly before.
Howler, the North Wind, whistled
nto his ears SO loudly that he
couldn't tell how near behind the Big
Black Monster was.
At last he could see the Big Woods.
Nearer, nearer. nearer, it came.
Now he had reached it. Now he