with  a  proud  consciousness  of  superiority  ;  "  I  kin  eat  crow."  The  constant
repetition  of  these  words  weaned  (he  boarder.  Finally  he  resolved  lo  test  Ihe
old  man.  Taking  his  gun  with  him,  he  succeeded  in  bagging  a  fine,  &t  old
crow.  By  dim  of  soft  words  and  filthy  lucre  he  induced  the  cook  to  prepare
that  crow  for  the  table.  The  cook  was  a  Scotchwoman,  and  used  snuft  He
borrowed  all  she  had,  and  sprinkled  it  liberally  over  the  crow,  gave  iI  an
eida  turn,  and  brought  it  before  Ihe  host,  saying,  as  he  set  it  down,  "Now,
my  dear  sir,  you  have  said  a  thousand  times,  if  ynu  have  said  il  once,  that  you
can  eat  crow  ;  here  is  one  very  carefully  cooked."  The  old  man  turned  pale
Cot  a  moment,  but,  bracing  himself  against  Ihe  back  of  his  chair,  and  wi(h,  "  I
kin  eal  ctow."  he  began  cutting  a  good  mouthful.  He  swallowed  it,  and,  pre-
paring for  a  second  oiislanghl,  looked  his  boarder  straighl  in  the  eye,  and
ejaculated,  '•  I've  eat  ctow,"  and  took  a  second  porlion.  He  lifted  his  hands
mechanically,  as  if  for  a  (hird  attack,  but  dropped  Ihem  quickly  over  the
region  of  his  stomach,  and,  rising  hurriedly  and  unsteadily,  reireaicd  for  tb«
door,  mullering,  as  he  went,  "but  dang  me  if  I  banker  artcr  it."


LITERARY  CURIOSITIES.  107

The  other  itory,  which  is  even  better,  hu  been  told  in  i  variety  of  ways,
but  this  is  the  most  finished  version:

A  Massachusetts  regiment  during  the  civil  war  was  encamped  near  the  estate
of  a  wealthy  planter.  A  city-bred  private,  having  shot  a  tame  crow  on  the
planter's  ground,  was  discovered  by  the  owner  with  the  bird  in  his  possession.
