X 



A GENTLEMAN IN BLACK 



A GENTLEMAN in black sat on the 

 top of a hemlock-tree at the edge 

 of the woods, watching a farmer who 

 was ploughing in a near-by field. It was 

 very pleasant for the old crow to behold 

 the farmer's industry. " For/* thought 

 the crow, as he sat upon his lofty perch 

 sunning, " ploughing means planting, and 

 planting means pulling." 



The thought of fresh green shoots of 

 young corn so filled the black imp with 

 mirth, that he arched his neck and flung 

 his full-throated salutation across the 

 fields. 



The farmer stopped his team to see 

 from what quarter so lusty a call came 



139 



