JIMMY CROW

BY EDITH FRANCIS FOSTER


  BOSTON
  DANA ESTES & COMPANY
  PUBLISHERS

  _Copyright, 1899-1900_
  BY S. E. CASINO COMPANY

  _Copyright, April, 1902_
  BY DANA ESTES & COMPANY

  _All rights reserved_

JIMMY CROW

  Colonial Press
  Electrotyped and Printed by C. H. Simonds & Co
  Boston, Mass., U. S. A.

[TO DAVID]




CONTENTS

[CONTENTS.]

  FRONTISPIECE

  CONTENTS

  DEDICATION

  HOW JACK FOUND JIMMY CROW          9

  THE CHRISTMAS CANDLES             15

  AFTER THE SNOW STORM              21

  "THE ROSE IS RED"                 27

  DROPPING STITCHES                 33

  APRIL FOOL                        39

  JACK'S CIRCUS MONEY               45

  JIMMY'S CIRCUS                    51

  A WHOLE BUNCH OF CRACKERS         57

  JIMMY CROW'S BIRTHDAY PARTY       63

  IN SCHOOL                         69

  NUTTING                           75

  ENDPIECE

[HOW JACK FOUND JIMMY CROW.]

JIMMY CROW.




I.


Jimmy Crow belongs to Jack.

Jack is a little [boy]. Jimmy is a big [crow]. Jack wears a white
[suit]. Jimmy wears black [feathers]. Jack says "Good Morning," and
"Yes, sir," and "Thank you." Jimmy can say only "Caw, caw." Jack
thinks Jimmy is a funnier pet than a [cat] or a [dog].

One day, last summer, Jack was picking low [berries] in the pasture,
when he saw a young [crow] hopping in the bushes. The little crow was
lame in one [leg]. He had fallen from the [nest]. He was too young to
fly far, so [Jack] caught him. He carried him home in his
berry-[basket]. Then Jack took a [hammer] and [nails] and [wood] and
built a [cage]. He named his new pet "Jimmy Crow."

Jack took good care of Jimmy Crow. He caught [crickets] for him to
eat, and gave him fresh water in a tin [cup]. Jimmy's lame leg soon got
well. His [wings] grew big, and he could fly. When Jack called, Jimmy
would fly to him and perch on his [hand] or [head].

Jimmy Crow liked mischief. He liked to hide things and see people hunt
for them. Once when Jack was getting ready for school, he could not
find his [top]. He hunted till Mama said he must put on his rubber
[boots] and be off. One of those boots would not go on. There was
something in the toe. [Jack] held it up and shook it, and out
fell--the top! [Jimmy Crow] flapped his [wings] and cried "Caw, caw!"
That was his way of laughing. Jack laughed too, as he took his [books]
and [hat] and hurried off. [Edith Francis Foster]

[THE CHRISTMAS CANDLES]


JIMMY CROW.




II.


Grandma lives at Jack's [house]. She has a bird, too. Grandma's bird
is a green [parrot]. The parrot's name is "Pepper." [Jack] loves
[Grandma], but Jack's crow does not love Grandma's parrot.

Pepper can talk like a [man], mew like a [cat], bark like a [dog]. She
can cry and laugh. When Jimmy says "Caw, caw!" Pepper says "C-a-w,
c-a-w!" and then laughs. [Jimmy crow] doesn't like to be laughed at.
Once he flew at Pepper, and pushed her off her [perch]. But Pepper
scratched him with her [talons] and pulled out a tail-feather with her
[beak]. Now Jimmy keeps away from her, unless he wants to steal her
[crackers].

On Christmas Eve [children] came to Jack's Tree. Mama had trimmed it
with [popcorn] and [candles], and hung [presents] everywhere. When she
went with a [match] to light the candles, they were gone! "Where are
the candles?" cried [Mama]. "Somebody has carried them off, and I
can't light the [Christmas tree]." Betty, the littlest girl, began to
cry--two [tears] ran down her cheeks. [Pepper the parrot] sat on her
perch cracking a [nut]. When she heard the outcry, she dropped it and
screamed "Jimmy Crow, Jimmy Crow! Oh, oh! Oh, oh!" "Oh, naughty
[Jimmy Crow]!" said Mama. "He has hidden them. Pepper is telling
tales. Run, [children], and hunt! We'll play a new game, 'Hunt the
[candle].'"

Eight pairs of [feet] ran "up stairs, down [stairs], in my lady's
chamber." At last Betty tipped over a [basket], and out rolled the
[candles]. The littlest girl had won! So [Mama] held her up, and she
lit the Christmas Tree. [Edith Francis Foster]

[AFTER THE SNOW STORM.]


JIMMY CROW.




III.


Just after Christmas there was a great [snow] storm. The drifts were
higher than the [fence]. When it cleared off, [Jack] put on [his cap]
and reefer, [mittens] and rubber boots, and went out. [Jimmy Crow]
went with him. First, Jack took [shovel] and [broom] and made a wide
clean path to the [gate]. This was "working for Mama." Jack likes to
work for Papa and Mama. Then [friends] came to play with him, and they
had a fine frolic. They rolled big [snowballs], and built a [snowman].
They put an old [hat] on his head and the [shovel] over his shoulder.
Then Jack rang the [bell], and Mama came to the door. "Here is a man
with a shovel," he said. "Don't you want him to shovel paths for
you?"

"I might," laughed [Mama], "but somebody has been ahead of him--and
here are four hot [donuts] for that smart somebody." Jack gave the
other boys [donuts], and they all sat down on the [steps] to eat them.
[Jimmy Crow] sat on the [fence post]. He begged till each boy gave him
a [piece].

Then they made a pile of [snowballs] to throw at the snowman. Just as
Bob threw one, Jimmy Crow lit on the shoulder of the [snowman], and
the [snowball] knocked him off into a deep drift! [Jimmy Crow] was not
hurt, but he was angry. He flew at [Bob], and carried off his [cap] in
his [beak], and dropped it into that same deep [snowdrift]. Then [Bob]
had to wade through snow over his [boots], to get his cap again. And
Jimmy Crow perched on Jack's [head], flapped his wings, and laughed
"C-a-w, c-a-w, c-a-w!" [Edith Francis Foster]

["THE ROSE IS RED"]

JIMMY CROW.




IV.


"Tomorrow is St Valentine's day," said [Jack]. "Whom can I send a
[card] to, Mama?" "Who is the nicest little [girl] you know?" asked
[Mama]. Jack tried to think. "I guess it's the one in the big brick
[house]," he said. "Her hair is curly, and she gave me an [apple] when
I climbed the [tree] for her [kitten]. Her name is Kitty, too, and
that's a pretty name."

So Mama took a sheet of [folded paper] and painted [flowers] all
around it, with two little [doves] at the top; and Jack wrote a verse
in the middle, with pictures--like this story. "Dear Kitty; The [rose]
is red, the [violet] blue--I like [kittens] so I like you. Yours
truly, J." Then he put it in an [envelope] and went out to send it.
[Jimmy Crow] went too.

Of course Jack could not carry it himself, or Kitty would know who
sent it. So he tied it around [Jimmy Crow]'s neck. When they reached
Kitty's house he set him down on the [steps] and rang the bell. Then
he ran and hid behind the [gatepost].

The [door] opened quickly, for Kitty was just coming out with her
sled. She looked all around but she could only see [Jimmy Crow], busy
picking a bone her [kitten] had left there. Then she caught sight of
the [envelope], and untied it. She dropped her [sled rope] and the
[sled] slid down the steps and away to the gate. Jack jumped out and
caught it. "Oh, what a pretty [card]!" cried Kitty. "Thank you, Jack."
"No, no!" said [Jack] in a hurry. "You mustn't know it's me." "Well,
then, thank _you_, Jimmy," laughed [Kitty]. "Now let's go sliding."
"All right," said Jack. He put [Jimmy Crow] on the sled and off they
all went. [Edith Francis Foster]

[DROPPING STITCHES.]


JIMMY CROW.




V.


One day, [Grandma] sat down to knit on Jack's [stocking], and found
one [needle] was gone. "Oh dear, that's too bad!" said she. "All the
stitches dropped!" Pepper giggled, "Too bad, too bad!"

Grandma looked into her [basket], and under the [table]--and when she
got up [two needles] were gone. "Dear, dear!" said she. "Where do
they go?" [Pepper] giggled louder, and called, "Dear, dear! Too bad!"

Grandma looked behind her [chair], and under the [rug]--and when she
came back [three needles] were gone. "Dearie me!" she cried, and held
up both [hands]. Pepper giggled and giggled, and shrieked, "Dearie me!
Jimmy Crow!" "Why, yes," cried Grandma, "[Jimmy Crow] is the thief, of
course. Now where has he hid them?"

Just then he flew down and tried to pull out the last [needle].
Grandma saw him, and called Jack. [Jack] looked in the [coal scuttle],
he crawled under the [couch], he climbed on a [chair] and reached into
the [vases] on the [mantel]. Jimmy Crow hopped about him and chuckled
softly, "Caw, caw!"

Then [Pepper] giggled and cried out, "Jimmy-Jimmy wants a [cracker]!"
"Oh, yes," said Jack, "let's give Jimmy a [cracker], and see where he
takes it." Jimmy carried the cookie to the top of the [cupboard].
"That's the place. I'll get the [ladder]," Jack laughed. When he had
climbed to the top, he shouted, "Grandma! Here are the [needles]--and
all the other things we have lost--your [pouch], and the [spoon], and
my [mitten]--and--lots of things!" As he came down with both hands
full, Jimmy fluttered about his [head], and Pepper giggled and
shrieked. [Edith Francis Foster]

[APRIL FOOL!]


JIMMY CROW.




VI.


Jack's Mama was making [pies]. "Please, Jack," said she, "get me some
cold water." Jack took his [pail] and went out to the [pump]. Jimmy
Crow went too. He sat on Jack's [shoulder], bouncing up and down as
Jack worked the [handle].

Then [Jack] took the [cup] which hung on a [nail] and filled it at
the [pump]. But as it touched his [lips], Jimmy reached round and
snatched it, and flew up into the big cherry [tree]. "April-Fool!"
called out Pepper from Grandma's window.

Jack was vexed. "Bring that back!" he shouted--but [Jimmy Crow] only
chuckled. Jack jumped on a [barrel], and began to climb the tree. Just
as he reached up to grab Jimmy's [leg] Jimmy hopped to the next
[branch] higher, tipping the [cup], and all the water splashed down
into Jack's [face]. "April-April-Fool!" cried [Pepper] from the
[window]. Jack felt more vexed than ever. He dropped his [hat] and
hurried, but Jimmy hopped as fast as [Jack] climbed, till they reached
the top of the tree. Then, just as Jack thought he had him, [Jimmy
Crow] dropped the [cup], bang! on his [nose], and flew off to the
[chimney] of the [house].

"Oh, you bad Jimmy!" cried Jack, and started to climb down again. And
all the way Pepper screamed, "April-April-Fool!" and giggled and
giggled till [Jack] had to laugh too.

Then he carried in the [pail] of water, and told [Mama] all about it.
"I didn't mean to get fooled once today," said he, "but [Jimmy Crow]
has fooled me three times already."

They both laughed, and Mama gave him a whole little apple [pie], baked
in a [dish]. [Edith Francis Foster]

[JACK'S CIRCUS MONEY.]

JIMMY CROW.




VII.


The circus was coming! Jack wanted to go, but he had spent all his
[money] for [candy] and a [kite].

"Shall I give you twenty-five cents now," asked [Mama] as she took out
her [wallet], "or will you earn it?" "I'll earn it, with my own
[hands]," said [Jack]. "It's more fun to spend money you have worked
for." "Then you may weed the [onions] and [carrots] for me," said
Mama.

Jack put on his [jacket] and went into the garden. Jimmy Crow went
too. [Jimmy Crow] ate [beetles] and a [caterpillar], and then perched
on the [lawn mower] and watched [Jack] work.

When the job was done Mama paid him his quarter. First he sat on the
[wheelbarrow] and spun the coin like a [top]. Then he began to toss it
up in the air, and catch it in his [cap] as it fell.

The second time he didn't catch it--but [Jimmy Crow] did, and flew off
with it. [Jack] ran after him, shouting, "Stop thief!" He chased him
through the [berry]-bushes and across the [strawberry]-bed, to the
orchard [wall]. There Jimmy sat till Jack came up, then he dropped the
quarter into a [crack] between the stones. Jack heard it rattle down
to the ground.

Then [Jack] had to work hard! He pulled away the [stones] till he
could see it, between two big rocks, but couldn't get his [hand] in.
So he took a [stick] and poked. At last, out rolled the quarter--and
out hopped a [toad]! Jack laughed, but [Jimmy Crow] was so surprised
he flapped his [wings] and croaked.

Just then Bob came up. "Did your mother give you that?" he asked.
"No," said [Jack], "I earned it, for the circus--and [Jimmy Crow] made
me earn it over again!" [Edith Francis Foster]

[JIMMY'S CIRCUS.]

JIMMY CROW.




VIII.


Such a fine circus! Jack and Bob went, but [Jimmy Crow] was left at
home. The [two boys] bought [a bag of peanuts] and fed the [elephant]
and [monkeys]. Jack put his [hand] full of nuts between the bars, and
a little brown [monkey] pulled his [fingers] open and picked out the
[peanuts].

Then they saw the grand parade in the big [tent]--the [elephant], the
[camel], the [giraffe], the [zebra], the [cages] with [lions], and
[tigers], the [hippopotamus] and the [bear]. Then a pretty [lady] rode
a white [horse], standing up on the [saddle] and waving a [flag].
Other horses ran races, and jumped, and walked upright. The funny
[clown] tried to ride a little [donkey], and kept tumbling off.

At the last, all the animals marched round again, and a funny thing
happened. A big black [crow] came flying into the [tent] and lighted
right on the [elephant]'s back. He spread his [wings], and danced up
and down in time to the [marching band]. The people thought he was
part of the circus, and clapped their [hands] and laughed, but [Jack]
ran out into the ring, crying, "Oh, he's mine, he's mine! Please let
me have him!"

The [clown] got a [ladder] and climbed up the elephant, but [Jimmy
Crow] kept out of his reach, and everybody laughed. So he came
tumbling down again, and told Jack to try it. [Jack] climbed up and
crept along to the elephant's head--and then Jimmy flew up on his
shoulder, and the [audience] clapped louder still. When Jack came
down, the [clown] fished a penny out of his pocket, and offered to buy
Jimmy Crow. "No, sir!" said [Jack]. "Not for a hundred dollars! I'd
rather have my crow than this whole circus." [Edith Francis Foster]

[A WHOLE BUNCH OF CRACKERS!]


JIMMY CROW.




IX.


HURRAH for the Fourth! Jack was out of [bed] before the [sun] rose. He
could not wait for breakfast, but drank a [cup] of milk, and ran out
to find the other [boys]. Jimmy Crow went too. Bob and Russell came up
just then, with their pockets full of [firecrackers], and they all
began firing them on the lawn. [Jimmy Crow] liked the little red
things, and begged for some, but the boys only laughed at him.

Pretty soon [Jack] lighted a whole [string of firecrackers], and threw
it down, and all the [boys] ran away. Then [Jimmy Crow] saw his
chance, and he seized the bunch of crackers and flew in at Grandma's
open window!

He lighted on Pepper's [perch]. [Pepper] tried to bite him, but bang!
went a [firecracker]!

Both [birds] jumped, and Jimmy dropped the bunch on the carpet. Bang!
went another [firecracker], and bang! bang! went [two firecrackers].
Then a dozen flew out, banging, over the floor.

"Caw! Caw!" screamed [Jimmy Crow]. "Fire! Fire!" screamed [Pepper].
"Jack! Jack!" screamed [Grandma]. She was trying to pick up the bunch
with the [fire tongs], when [Jack] ran in. He threw a [rug] over the
[string of firecrackers], gathered them up in it, and threw all out
of the [window]. [Grandma] sat down in her arm-[chair] very pale. Jack
kissed her. "I'm sorry we scared you so," he said. "Now you rest while
I clear up."

He brought the [brush] and [dustpan], and swept up the litter. Then he
gave [Pepper the parrot] a [peanut] and took [Jimmy Crow] under his
[arm]. "Pepper didn't 'want a _cracker_,' that time, did she,
Grandma?" said he. "Now we'll go further away." But just then the
breakfast [bell] rang. [Edith Francis Foster]

[JIMMY CROW'S BIRTHDAY PARTY.]


JIMMY CROW.




X.


"It was a year ago today I found [Jimmy Crow]," said Jack. "He must
have a 'birthday' party." So [Jack] invited the [children] he and
Jimmy liked best to "Jimmy's picnic."

They all went up to the [berry]-pasture where Jack found [Jimmy Crow].
First there was little Ibelle, carrying Jimmy Crow in her [arms]. Next
came her big brother Alden, who had a [basket] with [six pears] in
it. Louise had [six sticks of candy] in a [bag], and Bob brought [six
donuts] in a [box]. Russell carried [six cookies] in a [parcel], and
last came Jack with a tin [bucket]. Nobody knew what was in it. That
was Mama's "surprise."

They sat down under a shady [tree] and divided the goodies. [Jimmy
Crow] sat in the middle, and they each gave him a piece. After they
had all eaten a [stick of candy] and [donut] and [pear] and [cookie],
Jack opened the [bucket]. The children all put their [heads] close
together to see, and as the [lid] came off they shouted, "Oh, oh!
Ice-cream!"

Then they sat down again in a circle, [Jack] in the middle, with a
[spoon]. He gave each one a [spoonful of ice-cream] in turn. Oh, how
good it tasted!

But [Jimmy Crow] wanted some, and when Jack would not let him eat from
the spoon, he grabbed it in his [beak] and flew away. The [children]
chased him until he dropped it, and then gave him a taste of the
ice-cream. He didn't like it, so the [children] ate it all.

Then they picked [berries], until Alden's [basket] and Bob's [box] and
Louise's [bag] were all full.

Just as they were starting home, a little tired after all the
fun--"Hurrah!" shouted Russell. "Here comes Uncle Charlie, with his
[wagon]. He will give us a ride." So kind [Uncle Charlie] tossed them
up into the hay, one by one--little Ibelle first--and they all rode
home on the [hay]. [Edith Francis Foster]

[IN SCHOOL.]


JIMMY CROW.




XI.


The first day Jack went to school in the fall, [Jimmy Crow] was very
lonesome. The [school] was near by, and about noon he flew over and
hopped in at the open [window].

All the [children] were bending over their [desks], writing, but Jimmy
knew Jack's [back] as well as his [front], and lighted on his [head].
The children laughed at that, and the [teacher] laughed too. Then she
said, "If Jimmy Crow does not disturb anyone, he may stay, as it is
nearly noon." The children promised not to be disturbed, and the
[pencils] went to work again. [Jimmy Crow] behaved beautifully, though
at first he tried to walk on Jack's [paper] and to bite his pencil.
Jack pushed him away, and he flew to the teacher's [desk] where he
walked about quietly, looking at the [books] and [vase] of [flowers].
When the lesson was finished, the teacher said, "Jack may collect the
[pencils]." He got the [pencil box] and began, but Jimmy flew ahead of
him, and picked up a pencil. Jack took it, and put it in the box. Then
[Jimmy Crow] brought another. The [children] were delighted. They held
their pencils in their [outstretched hands], and Jimmy Crow collected
them all.

Then the [bell] rang and the children marched out for [hats] [bows]
and [jackets]. When they came back, Jimmy Crow was gone! [Jack] looked
under the [desks] and in the [waste-basket]. Then the [teacher] looked
in her closet, and there he sat on a [clothes-hook]. He had found her
lunch-[basket], and eaten a whole [bunch of grapes]. Jack was very
sorry, but the teacher only laughed.

That afternoon Jimmy did not go to school, but [Jack] brought her a
big red [apple] and said it was from [Jimmy Crow]. [Edith Francis
Foster]

[NUTTING.]


JIMMY CROW.




XII.


One bright, frosty, October morning Jack went up to the walnut [tree]
in the pasture to gather [walnuts]. Jimmy Crow went too. Jack drew his
little [cart], and [Jimmy Crow] rode on the [seat]. [Jack] picked up
all the nuts on the ground, then climbed the tree and shook down more,
still in their thick, green [husks].

When he came down, [Jimmy Crow] was busily picking up the nuts and
dropping them into a [hole] in the tree. "Stop that!" cried Jack.
"These are _my_ [nuts]. The [squirrels] can pick for themselves." "Caw,
caw!" said Jimmy Crow.

Jack took home a [cart]-load. Then he brought a [ladder] and spread
the nuts out on the [roof] of the [barn] to dry the husks.

Toward night Jack took [Mama] out to look at his [nuts]. Half of them
were gone! "Oh dear!" said Jack, "It is [Jimmy Crow] again. Now where
has he put them all?" Just then he saw Jimmy's [tail feathers]
disappear into the [barn]. He ran after, but could see no nuts--only
an old [wagon]. He climbed up on the [wagon], but found no nuts
inside--only a [barrel], lying on its side. He reached into the barrel
and felt nothing but a [basket]. He pulled it out and peeped into
it--and at last he had found the [nuts]! And Jimmy Crow perched on
his [shoulder] and laughed, "Caw, caw!" When the nuts had all been
carried back to the [barn], and [Mama] had praised Jack's work, she
said, "Now we must hurry in to supper. The [sun] has set and it is
getting late and cold. Let us run, to keep warm." So she and [Jack]
took [hands] and ran all the way back to the [house]. Then they went
in to their supper--and [Jimmy Crow] went too.

["AND JIMMY CROW WENT TOO!"]