PERCHING BIRDS. 121 



occur, he would stick to him for the remainder of 

 the day, as closely as his own shadow. If, however, 

 Mr. W. managed to get clear off, after a sharp 

 search the baffled Jim would wing his way across 

 the Tweed, return home, and there anxiously await 

 the return of the runagate. 



The first movement in the landlord's chamber 

 of a morning the first cough or creak of the 

 shoe which announced that his master was astir, 

 was hailed by this singular bird with loud and 

 exultant cawings. The landlord was a wag, and, 

 sometimes opening his room-door, he would re- 

 monstrate with his noisy favourite, saying, " What 

 are ye at, mon? Hauld ye're tongue, or yell 

 wauken the bairns !" In a moment the loud and 

 clamorous caw was exchanged to one so piano 

 and subdued, that a skilful artiste could not have 

 made the descending scale more rapidly and suc- 

 cessfully. The arrival of the barber to perform 

 his office was a signal for the temporary confine- 

 ment of Jim Crow, as the bird always attacked 

 furiously any person who he imagined was 

 assailing his master, and, as if he knew that a 

 razor was a dangerous instrument, he testified 

 such enmity to the shaver that it was found neces- 

 sary to secure him in another room while the 

 barber was performing his office. 



The end of poor Jim Crow was a tragical one, 



