A Corvine Congress. 



ABOVE the roar of the petulant east wind 

 that bent the tops of the pines about the house, 

 whistled through the big door-yard elm and 

 passed over the meadows, twisting and twirling 

 twigs and dead leaves in its path, above all 

 this I heard the clamor of many crows that had 

 congregated in the white-oak grove near the 

 mouth of the gully through which hurries an 

 upland brook on its way to the river. I heard 

 these crows better than I could see them, so, 

 armed with a field-glass, I cautiously approached 

 their meeting site by a circuitous route, and 

 happily escaped discovery by any one of the 

 several sentinels that were most judiciously 

 posted at all points of approach that might 

 prove dangerous. The grove where this par- 

 ticular session of congress was held is well 

 adapted for the purpose on such a day as this, 

 being sheltered from the east wind, except 

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