Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 251, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 October 1918 — From Lucile's Diary [ARTICLE]

From Lucile's Diary

“My people are aU going to the couijtry vomoi row,” said Felix Weston to mn last , Thursday evening, when We were ott for a motor ride. Tm wondering what Is to become of my pet crow." \ % “Oh, have you a crow I" I asked. "What's his name?" ■'lf V "Jimmy Of-Course." "How interesting!'* “Yes, he makes life exceedingly interesting." Felix laughed. "You know ; a crow is an extremely active bird. I brought mine In from the country this spring and my sisters and I have had a strenuous time raising him, for he had to be fed every hour in his babyhood. I suppose non 1 shaH have to ■end him to board at a bird fancier’s." “Don’t send him to a bird store," 1 cried. "It would be awfully hard on Mm to be shut in, wouldn’t it?" "Yes, but 1 don't see what else 1 can da with the poor .chap." "Let me take him." . "I don’t believe yon know what you are offering, Lucile. 1 couldn’t think of imposing Jimmy Of-Course upon yod. Z realize now that my ramarks about him sounded dangerously near a hint, bat they weren’t so intended" "I know that, but seriously 1 should love to take Jimmy Of-Course. It would be great funrto have a visit from a crow." V l "But he's fearfully full of mischief. He might put you to a lot of bother." I could see that Felix was weakening.and as he ia one of the pleasantest young men I have met in a long while, I wished to do him, a favor, and I simply Insisted upon taking care of the crow forhim. It was at last arranged that he should bring his bird to our house on his-way downtown the,next - morning. He appeared so pleased and grateful < that • J was really delighted that 1 had thought of the plan to keep Jimmy Of-Course. When, I went in that evening after our drive I found that Ruth Ritchey had been telephoning me to join her for a week at Squirrel Inn, where she ia passing a month, and I decided to go early the next morning. I waa busy selecting the gowns for Cousin Fanny to pyess with the electric iron, which is such a comfort in time of hasty departure that I am very glad I gave her such a fins new one on her last birthday. Then I had to get mother to do a little mending for me. With all that to look after and in the excitement of packing, I quite .forgot to mention the crow until the next morning. Just as I was driving off to the train ia David Robinson's car, I remembered about-Jimmy Of-Course and called to Cousin Fannie to ask her please to take care of a bird that Mr. Weston was to bring to me. I could not hear, her answer as we whirled away, but I felt no anxiety about Jimmy Of-Course for Cousin Fannie is always wonderfully kind to anything that comes under her care. I had been at Sqnfcvei hm only three days when I received a telegram from father. It said: "Come home at« once and dispose of your diabolical crow, or I will wring its neck." It was most unkind of father to sand me such a message. When after my arrival home 1 reproached him, h6 c said that- if the rules es the telegraph company bad permitted he would have described,, Jimmy Of-Course in much stronger and more accurate. language. ‘That crow has nearly driven aa and everybody in our neighborhood to distraetiantf ihei said. “It was a nice) thing* I must aay, for yon to wish such a charge on your Cousin Fannie. She hasn't had a moment’s peace since he came. He has stolen thimbles, scissors and embroidery cotton from every porch in the neighborhood and carried off my gold glasses and picked every flower in our window boxes and all the tear, rosea‘in the Humphries’ garden. He has covered Ms feet with oil from the street and carefully step, i ped on all the handkerchiefs that have been spread on lawns in the neigh, borhood to dry. He has done everything that a totally deparved cmms could do hi that way of ruining personal liberty. "But his greatest crime," want on father, "is his nefarious use of Ms voice. He begins his raucous cawing before dawn and stops only long enough to swallow food your Cousin Fannie gives him at frequent intervals till our breakfast time. There’s hardly a person in this part of town who’ll speak to us exeept to anathematize the crpw, and no wonder, for every one is wornout for want of sleep... I can’t see why you ever had hint brought hero*" "Because I wished to do a kindness, daddy." "If yon want to do a Madness you V a ship the crow away and ro ive %a blessings of the neighbors. That crow's got to go, Lucile. That's the ultimatum." 1 ’ There’s never any use arguing with aa unreasonable person like father, so I called up Felix and asked him to take the crow to a birdhouse. It was naturally very mortifying to me, hat no one in our family avar seems to my* feelings# «