The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-11-24
BURGESS BED
TIME STORIES
By THORNTON W. BURGESS
BLACKY HAS A TALK WITH
DUSKY TIE BLACK DICK


Doubt not friend, but to the last
Grip hard on faith and hold 1t fast.
-B1ncky the Crow.
Every morning Blacky the Crow
visited the rushes along the shore
of the Big River, hoping to find
ious, was Blacky. He feared that
Dusky or some of his flock had been
killed and he wanted to know. You
see he knew that Farmer Browns
Boy had been shooting over there. At
last early one morning he found
Dusky and his flock in the rushes
and wild rice. Eagerly he counted
them. There were nine. Not one was
missing. Blacky sighed with relief
and dropped down on the shore close
to where Dusky was taking a nap.
''Hello!" said Blacky.
Dusky awol<e with a start Hello
yourself" said he.
'Pve heard terrible gun bang
ing over here and l was afraid you
or some of your flock had been shot"
said Blacky.
I'VE haven't lost feather de-
clared Dusky. That gun wasn't fired
at us, anyway"
Then who was 1T fired att" de.
manded Blacky.
II haven't the least idea" replied
DuslSy.
Have you see any other Ducks
about here7' inquired Blacky.
Not one" was Duskys prompt re-
ply. IF there had been any I guess
we would have known it."
IT,
rible gun was fired there was an.
other terrible gun right behind those
bushes?" asked Blacky
Dusky shook his head. NO" said
he, but I learned long ago that
whore there Is one terrible gun there
is likely to be more, and SO when
heard that one bang l led my flock
away from here In hurry. We didn't
want to take any chances"
1T is a lucky thing you did," re-
piled Blacky. There was a hunter
hiding behind those bushes all the
time. 1 warned you of him once"
That remihds me that I haven't
thanked you" said Dusky. IT knew
there was something wrong over
here. but I didn't know what. So it
was hunter. 1 guess it is a good
thing that needed your warning"
ShCsS IL u.s. ItlOIIcQ DIaChY
dryly. do you come here in day
time instead of night now?
NO" replied husky I'VE come In
here after dark and spend the night
here. There is nothing to fear from
hunters after dark. We've given UP
coming here until late In the eve
ming. And since we did that we
haven't heard a gun"
Blacky gossiped a while longer
then flew off to look for his break
fast. and as he flew his heart was
light. His shrewd little eyes twin
killed..
Il ought to have known Farmer
Browns Boy better than to even SUI
spect him." thought he. Il know now
why he had that terrible gun. 1t was
to brighten those Ducks away so that
the hunter would not have a chance
to shoot them. He wasn't shooting
at anything. He just fired in the air
to scare those Ducks away. I know
1t just as we'll as If l had seen him
do It. Til never doubt Farmer
Browns Boy again. And I'm glad I
didn't say a word to anybody about
seeing him with terrible gun"
Blacky was right. Farmer Browns
Boy had taken that way of making
sure that the hunter who had first
baited those Ducks with yellow corn
scattered in the rushes in front of
his hiding place should have no
chance to kill any OF them. While APP
pearing to be an enemy he really had
been friend of Dusky the Black
Duck and his flock.
Copyright. 1921. by T. w. Burgess)
The next Story: Farmer Browns
Boy Finds the Quacks."
Thomas NJ Edwards: r. B. Grahl.
captain team composed of ]. r. Hum