Part 9 (1/2)

THE BLUEJAY

Said Jim Baker: ”There's more to a bluejay than to any other creature

He hasthan any other creature; and mind you, whatever a bluejay feels, he can put into words No common words either, but out-and-out book-talk You never see a jay at a loss for a word

”You may call a jay a bird Well, so he is, because he has feathers on him Otherwise, he is just as hu that a ossip, a jay can feel ashamed, just as well as you do, ood, clean, out-and-out scolding, a bluejay can beat anything alive

”Seven years ago the last man about here buthouse with just one big roo between the rafters and the floor

”Well, one Sundayout here in front ofthe sun, when a bluejay flen on that house with an acorn in his ' When he spoke, the acorn fell out of his mouth and rolled down on the roof He didn't care; hishe had found

”It was a knot-hole in the roof He cocked his head to one side, shut one eye, and put the other to the hole, like a 'possuave a wink or tith his wings, and says: 'It looks like a hole, it's placed like a hole--and--if I don't think it is a hole!'

”Then he cocked his head down and took another look He looked up with joy, this tis and his tail both, and says: 'If I ain't in luck! Why it's an elegant hole!'

”So he flen and got that acorn and dropped it in, and was tilting his head back with a smile when a queer look of surprise came over his face Then he says: 'Why, I didn't hear it fall'

”He cocked his eye at the hole again and took a long look; rose up and shook his head; went to the other side of the hole and took another look froain No use

”So after thinking awhile, he says: 'I reckon it's all right I'll try it, anyway'

”So he flew off and brought another acorn and dropped it in, and tried to get his eye to the hole quick enough to see what becaot another acorn and tried to see where it went, but he couldn't

”He says: 'Well, I never saw such a hole as this before I reckon it's a new kind' Then he got angry and walked up and down the roof I never saw a bird take on so

”When he got through, he looked in the hole for half ahole, and a deep hole, and a queer hole, but I have started to fill you, and I'll do it if it takes a hundred years'

”And with that away he went For two hours and a half you never saw a bird work so hard He did not stop to look in any more, but just threw acorns in and went for s he was so tired out So he bent down for a look He looked up, pale with rage He says: 'I've put in enough acorns to keep the fan of the by and heard him So he stopped to ask as the matter Our jay told him the whole story Then he went and looked down the hole and came back and said: 'How many tons did you put in there?' 'Not less than two,' said our jay

”The other jay looked again, but could not ave a yell and three more jays came They all talked at once for awhile, and then called in more jays

”Pretty soon the air was blue with jays, and every jay put his eye to the hole and told what he thought They looked the house all over, too

The door was partly open, and at last one old jay happened to look in