198 HIGHWAYS AND BYWAYS. 



be outdone by a blossom, suddenly startled us with his 

 wild, sweet song, only a short distance away, when he 

 fairly excelled himself, filling the place with wild mel- 

 ody. 



The people with whom I was staying have a tame 

 crow with a history worth recording. About a year ago 

 the boys got possession of the bird soon after it had left 

 the nest. It was so cunning that they enjoyed playing 

 tricks on it. These were harmless, but the crow re- 

 sented the indignities, and cut their acquaintance, and 

 betook itself to the boys' father, who is noted for his 

 kindliness to all creatures. His new master called his 

 black pet Peter, a name which the recipient readily rec- 

 ognized, and always answered to unless called when 

 he Avas angry. Peter followed his master about the 

 farm, to the woods, and to the neighbors. He some- 

 times made excursions about ^the neighborhood alone, 

 generally returning before dark. Last fall he got caught 

 out in a big snow storm, and did not, as usual, return 

 at night. As days went by and no news from Peter, 

 the family concluded he had either been killed, or had 

 gone off with other crows. 



The snow had lain on the ground all winter, and been 

 exceedingly deep, but in March it went off suddenly 

 with a heavy rain. Soon after the ground became bare, 

 the master, who was at work in the orchard, saw, at a 

 little distance, a poor, tired, bedraggled crow walking 

 and hobbling along towards him. A second glance 

 showed it to be Peter, the prodigal. Instantly he had 

 the poor creature on his arm, caressing him as tenderly 



