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  JIMMY CROW

  By
  Edith Francis Foster
  Published by
  Dana Estes & Co.

[Illustration]




UNIQUE AND INSTRUCTIVE BOOKS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN

Charming tales told in rebus form for wee men and women

  WHAT DID THE BLACK CAT DO? GUESS!
                      By MARGARET JOHNSON

  WHERE WAS THE LITTLE WHITE DOG?
                      By MARGARET JOHNSON

  JIMMY CROW          By EDITH FRANCIS FOSTER

Oblong quarto. Bound in cloth with separate cover design for each
volume

  DANA ESTES & COMPANY, PUBLISHERS
  Estes Press, Summer Street, Boston

[Illustration]




JIMMY CROW

BY EDITH FRANCIS FOSTER


[Illustration]

  BOSTON
  DANA ESTES & COMPANY
  PUBLISHERS

  _Copyright, 1899-1900_
  BY S. E. CASINO COMPANY

  _Copyright, April, 1902_
  BY DANA ESTES & COMPANY

  _All rights reserved_

JIMMY CROW

  Colonial Press
  Electrotyped and Printed by C. H. Simonds & Co
  Boston, Mass., U. S. A.

[TO DAVID]




CONTENTS

[CONTENTS.]

  FRONTISPIECE

  CONTENTS

  DEDICATION

  HOW JACK FOUND JIMMY CROW          9

  THE CHRISTMAS CANDLES             15

  AFTER THE SNOW STORM              21

  "THE ROSE IS RED"                 27

  DROPPING STITCHES                 33

  APRIL FOOL                        39

  JACK'S CIRCUS MONEY               45

  JIMMY'S CIRCUS                    51

  A WHOLE BUNCH OF CRACKERS         57

  JIMMY CROW'S BIRTHDAY PARTY       63

  IN SCHOOL                         69

  NUTTING                           75

  ENDPIECE

[HOW JACK FOUND JIMMY CROW.]

JIMMY CROW.




I.


Jimmy Crow belongs to Jack.

Jack is a little [boy]. Jimmy is a big [crow]. Jack wears a white
[suit]. Jimmy wears black [feathers]. Jack says "Good Morning," and
"Yes, sir," and "Thank you." Jimmy can say only "Caw, caw." Jack
thinks Jimmy is a funnier pet than a [cat] or a [dog].

One day, last summer, Jack was picking low [berries] in the pasture,
when he saw a young [crow] hopping in the bushes. The little crow was
lame in one [leg]. He had fallen from the [nest]. He was too young to
fly far, so [Jack] caught him. He carried him home in his
berry-[basket]. Then Jack took a [hammer] and [nails] and [wood] and
built a [cage]. He named his new pet "Jimmy Crow."

Jack took good care of Jimmy Crow. He caught [crickets] for him to
eat, and gave him fresh water in a tin [cup]. Jimmy's lame leg soon got
well. His [wings] grew big, and he could fly. When Jack called, Jimmy
would fly to him and perch on his [hand] or [head].

Jimmy Crow liked mischief. He liked to hide things and see people hunt
for them. Once when Jack was getting ready for school, he could not
find his [top]. He hunted till Mama said he must put on his rubber
[boots] and be off. One of those boots would not go on. There was
something in the toe. [Jack] held it up and shook it, and out
fell--the top! [Jimmy Crow] flapped his [wings] and cried "Caw, caw!"
That was his way of laughing. Jack laughed too, as he took his [books]
and [hat] and hurried off. [Edith Francis Foster]

[THE CHRISTMAS CANDLES]


JIMMY CROW.




II.


Grandma lives at Jack's [house]. She has a bird, too. Grandma's bird
is a green [parrot]. The parrot's name is "Pepper." [Jack] loves
[Grandma], but Jack's crow does not love Grandma's parrot.

Pepper can talk like a [man], mew like a [cat], bark like a [dog]. She
can cry and laugh. When Jimmy says "Caw, caw!" Pepper says "C-a-w,
c-a-w!" and then laughs. [Jimmy crow] doesn't like to be laughed at.
Once he flew at Pepper, and pushed her off her [perch]. But Pepper
scratched him with her [talons] and pulled out a tail-feather with her
[beak]. Now Jimmy keeps away from her, unless he wants to steal her
[crackers].

On Christmas Eve [children] came to Jack's Tree. Mama had trimmed it
with [popcorn] and [candles], and hung [presents] everywhere. When she
went with a [match] to light the candles, they were gone! "Where are
the candles?" cried [Mama]. "Somebody has carried them off, and I
can't light the [Christmas tree]." Betty, the littlest girl, began to
cry--two [tears] ran down her cheeks. [Pepper the parrot] sat on her
perch cracking a [nut]. When she heard the outcry, she dropped it and
screamed "Jimmy Crow, Jimmy Crow! Oh, oh! Oh, oh!" "Oh, naughty
[Jimmy Crow]!" said Mama. "He has hidden them. Pepper is telling
tales. Run, [children], and hunt! We'll play a new game, 'Hunt the
[candle].'"

Eight pairs of [feet] ran "up stairs, down [stairs], in my lady's
chamber." At last Betty tipped over a [basket], and out rolled the
[candles]. The littlest girl had won! So [Mama] held her up, and she
lit the Christmas Tree. [Edith Francis Foster]

[AFTER THE SNOW STORM.]


JIMMY CROW.




III.


Just after Christmas there was a great [snow] storm. The drifts were
higher than the [fence]. When it cleared off, [Jack] put on [his cap]
and reefer, [mittens] and rubber boots, and went out. [Jimmy Crow]
went with him. First, Jack took [shovel] and [broom] and made a wide
clean path to the [gate]. This was "working for Mama." Jack likes to
work for Papa and Mama. Then [friends] came to play with him, and they
had a fine frolic. They rolled big [snowballs], and built a [snowman].
They put an old [hat] on his head and the [shovel] over his shoulder.
Then Jack rang the [bell], and Mama came to the door. "Here is a man
with a shovel," he said. "Don't you want him to shovel paths for
you?"

"I might," laughed [Mama], "but somebody has been ahead of him--and
here are four hot [donuts] for that smart somebody." Jack gave the
other boys [donuts], and they all sat down on the [steps] to eat them.
[Jimmy Crow] sat on the [fence post]. He begged till each boy gave him
a [piece].

Then they made a pile of [snowballs] to throw at the snowman. Just as
Bob threw one, Jimmy Crow lit on the shoulder of the [snowman], and
the [snowball] knocked him off into a deep drift! [Jimmy Crow] was not
hurt, but he was angry. He flew at [Bob], and carried off his [cap] in
his [beak], and dropped it into that same deep [snowdrift]. Then [Bob]
had to wade through snow over his [boots], to get his cap again. And
Jimmy Crow perched on Jack's [head], flapped his wings, and laughed
"C-a-w, c-a-w, c-a-w!" [Edith Francis Foster]

["THE ROSE IS RED"]

JIMMY CROW.




IV.


"Tomorrow is St Valentine's day," said [Jack]. "Whom can I send a
[card] to, Mama?" "Who is the nicest little [girl] you know?" asked
[Mama]. Jack tried to think. "I guess it's the one in the big brick
[house]," he said. "Her hair is curly, and she gave me an [apple] when
I climbed the [tree] for her [kitten]. Her name is Kitty, too, and
that's a pretty name."

So Mama took a sheet of [folded paper] and painted [flowers] all
around it, with two little [doves] at the top; and Jack wrote a verse
in the middle, with pictures--like this story. "Dear Kitty; The [rose]
is red, the [violet] blue--I like [kittens] so I like you. Yours
truly, J." Then he put it in an [envelope] and went out to send it.
[Jimmy Crow] went too.

Of course Jack could not carry it himself, or Kitty would know who
sent it. So he tied it around [Jimmy Crow]'s neck. When they reached
Kitty's house he set him down on the [steps] and rang the bell. Then
he ran and hid behind the [gatepost].

The [door] opened quickly, for Kitty was just coming out with her
sled. She looked all around but she could only see [Jimmy Crow], busy
picking a bone her [kitten] had left there. Then she caught sight of
the [envelope], and untied it. She dropped her [sled rope] and the
[sled] slid down the steps and away to the gate. Jack jumped out and
caught it. "Oh, what a pretty [card]!" cried Kitty. "Thank you, Jack."
"No, no!" said [Jack] in a hurry. "You mustn't know it's me." "Well,
then, thank _you_, Jimmy," laughed [Kitty]. "Now let's go sliding."
"All right," said Jack. He put [Jimmy Crow] on the sled and off they
all went. [Edith Francis Foster]

[DROPPING STITCHES.]


JIMMY CROW.




V.


One day, [Grandma] sat down to knit on Jack's [stocking], and found
one [needle] was gone. "Oh dear, that's too bad!" said she. "All the
stitches dropped!" Pepper giggled, "Too bad, too bad!"

Grandma looked into her [basket], and under the [table]--and when she
got up [two needles] were gone. "Dear, dear!" said she. "Where do
they go?" [Pepper] giggled louder, and called, "Dear, dear! Too bad!"

Grandma looked behind her [chair], and under the [rug]--and when she
came back [three needles] were gone. "Dearie me!" she cried, and held
up both [hands]. Pepper giggled and giggled, and shrieked, "Dearie me!
Jimmy Crow!" "Why, yes," cried Grandma, "[Jimmy Crow] is the thief, of
course. Now where has he hid them?"

Just then he flew down and tried to pull out the last [needle].
Grandma saw him, and called Jack. [Jack] looked in the [coal scuttle],
he crawled under the [couch], he climbed on a [chair] and reached into
the [vases] on the [mantel]. Jimmy Crow hopped about him and chuckled
softly, "Caw, caw!"

Then [Pepper] giggled and cried out, "Jimmy-Jimmy wants a [cracker]!"
"Oh, yes," said Jack, "let's give Jimmy a [cracker], and see where he
takes it." Jimmy carried the cookie to the top of the [cupboard].
"That's the place. I'll get the [ladder]," Jack laughed. When he had
climbed to the top, he shouted, "Grandma! Here are the [needles]--and
all the other things we have lost--your [pouch], and the [spoon], and
my [mitten]--and--lots of things!" As he came down with both hands
full, Jimmy fluttered about his [head], and Pepper giggled and
shrieked. [Edith Francis Foster]

[APRIL FOOL!]


JIMMY CROW.




VI.


Jack's Mama was making [pies]. "Please, Jack," said she, "get me some
cold water." Jack took his [pail] and went out to the [pump]. Jimmy
Crow went too. He sat on Jack's [shoulder], bouncing up and down as
Jack worked the [handle].

Then [Jack] took the [cup] which hung on a [nail] and filled it at
the [pump]. But as it touched his [lips], Jimmy reached round and
snatched it, and flew up into the big cherry [tree]. "April-Fool!"
called out Pepper from Grandma's window.

Jack was vexed. "Bring that back!" he shouted--but [Jimmy Crow] only
chuckled. Jack jumped on a [barrel], and began to climb the tree. Just
as he reached up to grab Jimmy's [leg] Jimmy hopped to the next
[branch] higher, tipping the [cup], and all the water splashed down
into Jack's [face]. "April-April-Fool!" cried [Pepper] from the
[window]. Jack felt more vexed than ever. He dropped his [hat] and
hurried, but Jimmy hopped as fast as [Jack] climbed, till they reached
the top of the tree. Then, just as Jack thought he had him, [Jimmy
Crow] dropped the [cup], bang! on his [nose], and flew off to the
[chimney] of the [house].

"Oh, you bad Jimmy!" cried Jack, and started to climb down again. And
all the way Pepper screamed, "April-April-Fool!" and giggled and
giggled till [Jack] had to laugh too.

Then he carried in the [pail] of water, and told [Mama] all about it.
"I didn't mean to get fooled once today," said he, "but [Jimmy Crow]
has fooled me three times already."

They both laughed, and Mama gave him a whole little apple [pie], baked
in a [dish]. [Edith Francis Foster]

[JACK'S CIRCUS MONEY.]

JIMMY CROW.




VII.


The circus was coming! Jack wanted to go, but he had spent all his
[money] for [candy] and a [kite].

"Shall I give you twenty-five cents now," asked [Mama] as she took out
her [wallet], "or will you earn it?" "I'll earn it, with my own
[hands]," said [Jack]. "It's more fun to spend money you have worked
for." "Then you may weed the [onions] and [carrots] for me," said
Mama.

Jack put on his [jacket] and went into the garden. Jimmy Crow went
too. [Jimmy Crow] ate [beetles] and a [caterpillar], and then perched
on the [lawn mower] and watched [Jack] work.

When the job was done Mama paid him his quarter. First he sat on the
[wheelbarrow] and spun the coin like a [top]. Then he began to toss it
up in the air, and catch it in his [cap] as it fell.

The second time he didn't catch it--but [Jimmy Crow] did, and flew off
with it. [Jack] ran after him, shouting, "Stop thief!" He chased him
through the [berry]-bushes and across the [strawberry]-bed, to the
orchard [wall]. There Jimmy sat till Jack came up, then he dropped the
quarter into a [crack] between the stones. Jack heard it rattle down
to the ground.

Then [Jack] had to work hard! He pulled away the [stones] till he
could see it, between two big rocks, but couldn't get his [hand] in.
So he took a [stick] and poked. At last, out rolled the quarter--and
out hopped a [toad]! Jack laughed, but [Jimmy Crow] was so surprised
he flapped his [wings] and croaked.

Just then Bob came up. "Did your mother give you that?" he asked.
"No," said [Jack], "I earned it, for the circus--and [Jimmy Crow] made
me earn it over again!" [Edith Francis Foster]

[JIMMY'S CIRCUS.]

JIMMY CROW.




VIII.


Such a fine circus! Jack and Bob went, but [Jimmy Crow] was left at
home. The [two boys] bought [a bag of peanuts] and fed the [elephant]
and [monkeys]. Jack put his [hand] full of nuts between the bars, and
a little brown [monkey] pulled his [fingers] open and picked out the
[peanuts].

Then they saw the grand parade in the big [tent]--the [elephant], the
[camel], the [giraffe], the [zebra], the [cages] with [lions], and
[tigers], the [hippopotamus] and the [bear]. Then a pretty [lady] rode
a white [horse], standing up on the [saddle] and waving a [flag].
Other horses ran races, and jumped, and walked upright. The funny
[clown] tried to ride a little [donkey], and kept tumbling off.

At the last, all the animals marched round again, and a funny thing
happened. A big black [crow] came flying into the [tent] and lighted
right on the [elephant]'s back. He spread his [wings], and danced up
and down in time to the [marching band]. The people thought he was
part of the circus, and clapped their [hands] and laughed, but [Jack]
ran out into the ring, crying, "Oh, he's mine, he's mine! Please let
me have him!"

The [clown] got a [ladder] and climbed up the elephant, but [Jimmy
Crow] kept out of his reach, and everybody laughed. So he came
tumbling down again, and told Jack to try it. [Jack] climbed up and
crept along to the elephant's head--and then Jimmy flew up on his
shoulder, and the [audience] clapped louder still. When Jack came
down, the [clown] fished a penny out of his pocket, and offered to buy
Jimmy Crow. "No, sir!" said [Jack]. "Not for a hundred dollars! I'd
rather have my crow than this whole circus." [Edith Francis Foster]

[A WHOLE BUNCH OF CRACKERS!]


JIMMY CROW.




IX.


HURRAH for the Fourth! Jack was out of [bed] before the [sun] rose. He
could not wait for breakfast, but drank a [cup] of milk, and ran out
to find the other [boys]. Jimmy Crow went too. Bob and Russell came up
just then, with their pockets full of [firecrackers], and they all
began firing them on the lawn. [Jimmy Crow] liked the little red
things, and begged for some, but the boys only laughed at him.

Pretty soon [Jack] lighted a whole [string of firecrackers], and threw
it down, and all the [boys] ran away. Then [Jimmy Crow] saw his
chance, and he seized the bunch of crackers and flew in at Grandma's
open window!

He lighted on Pepper's [perch]. [Pepper] tried to bite him, but bang!
went a [firecracker]!

Both [birds] jumped, and Jimmy dropped the bunch on the carpet. Bang!
went another [firecracker], and bang! bang! went [two firecrackers].
Then a dozen flew out, banging, over the floor.

"Caw! Caw!" screamed [Jimmy Crow]. "Fire! Fire!" screamed [Pepper].
"Jack! Jack!" screamed [Grandma]. She was trying to pick up the bunch
with the [fire tongs], when [Jack] ran in. He threw a [rug] over the
[string of firecrackers], gathered them up in it, and threw all out
of the [window]. [Grandma] sat down in her arm-[chair] very pale. Jack
kissed her. "I'm sorry we scared you so," he said. "Now you rest while
I clear up."

He brought the [brush] and [dustpan], and swept up the litter. Then he
gave [Pepper the parrot] a [peanut] and took [Jimmy Crow] under his
[arm]. "Pepper didn't 'want a _cracker_,' that time, did she,
Grandma?" said he. "Now we'll go further away." But just then the
breakfast [bell] rang. [Edith Francis Foster]

[JIMMY CROW'S BIRTHDAY PARTY.]


JIMMY CROW.




X.


"It was a year ago today I found [Jimmy Crow]," said Jack. "He must
have a 'birthday' party." So [Jack] invited the [children] he and
Jimmy liked best to "Jimmy's picnic."

They all went up to the [berry]-pasture where Jack found [Jimmy Crow].
First there was little Ibelle, carrying Jimmy Crow in her [arms]. Next
came her big brother Alden, who had a [basket] with [six pears] in
it. Louise had [six sticks of candy] in a [bag], and Bob brought [six
donuts] in a [box]. Russell carried [six cookies] in a [parcel], and
last came Jack with a tin [bucket]. Nobody knew what was in it. That
was Mama's "surprise."

They sat down under a shady [tree] and divided the goodies. [Jimmy
Crow] sat in the middle, and they each gave him a piece. After they
had all eaten a [stick of candy] and [donut] and [pear] and [cookie],
Jack opened the [bucket]. The children all put their [heads] close
together to see, and as the [lid] came off they shouted, "Oh, oh!
Ice-cream!"

Then they sat down again in a circle, [Jack] in the middle, with a
[spoon]. He gave each one a [spoonful of ice-cream] in turn. Oh, how
good it tasted!

But [Jimmy Crow] wanted some, and when Jack would not let him eat from
the spoon, he grabbed it in his [beak] and flew away. The [children]
chased him until he dropped it, and then gave him a taste of the
ice-cream. He didn't like it, so the [children] ate it all.

Then they picked [berries], until Alden's [basket] and Bob's [box] and
Louise's [bag] were all full.

Just as they were starting home, a little tired after all the
fun--"Hurrah!" shouted Russell. "Here comes Uncle Charlie, with his
[wagon]. He will give us a ride." So kind [Uncle Charlie] tossed them
up into the hay, one by one--little Ibelle first--and they all rode
home on the [hay]. [Edith Francis Foster]

[IN SCHOOL.]


JIMMY CROW.




XI.


The first day Jack went to school in the fall, [Jimmy Crow] was very
lonesome. The [school] was near by, and about noon he flew over and
hopped in at the open [window].

All the [children] were bending over their [desks], writing, but Jimmy
knew Jack's [back] as well as his [front], and lighted on his [head].
The children laughed at that, and the [teacher] laughed too. Then she
said, "If Jimmy Crow does not disturb anyone, he may stay, as it is
nearly noon." The children promised not to be disturbed, and the
[pencils] went to work again. [Jimmy Crow] behaved beautifully, though
at first he tried to walk on Jack's [paper] and to bite his pencil.
Jack pushed him away, and he flew to the teacher's [desk] where he
walked about quietly, looking at the [books] and [vase] of [flowers].
When the lesson was finished, the teacher said, "Jack may collect the
[pencils]." He got the [pencil box] and began, but Jimmy flew ahead of
him, and picked up a pencil. Jack took it, and put it in the box. Then
[Jimmy Crow] brought another. The [children] were delighted. They held
their pencils in their [outstretched hands], and Jimmy Crow collected
them all.

Then the [bell] rang and the children marched out for [hats] [bows]
and [jackets]. When they came back, Jimmy Crow was gone! [Jack] looked
under the [desks] and in the [waste-basket]. Then the [teacher] looked
in her closet, and there he sat on a [clothes-hook]. He had found her
lunch-[basket], and eaten a whole [bunch of grapes]. Jack was very
sorry, but the teacher only laughed.

That afternoon Jimmy did not go to school, but [Jack] brought her a
big red [apple] and said it was from [Jimmy Crow]. [Edith Francis
Foster]

[NUTTING.]


JIMMY CROW.




XII.


One bright, frosty, October morning Jack went up to the walnut [tree]
in the pasture to gather [walnuts]. Jimmy Crow went too. Jack drew his
little [cart], and [Jimmy Crow] rode on the [seat]. [Jack] picked up
all the nuts on the ground, then climbed the tree and shook down more,
still in their thick, green [husks].

When he came down, [Jimmy Crow] was busily picking up the nuts and
dropping them into a [hole] in the tree. "Stop that!" cried Jack.
"These are _my_ [nuts]. The [squirrels] can pick for themselves." "Caw,
caw!" said Jimmy Crow.

Jack took home a [cart]-load. Then he brought a [ladder] and spread
the nuts out on the [roof] of the [barn] to dry the husks.

Toward night Jack took [Mama] out to look at his [nuts]. Half of them
were gone! "Oh dear!" said Jack, "It is [Jimmy Crow] again. Now where
has he put them all?" Just then he saw Jimmy's [tail feathers]
disappear into the [barn]. He ran after, but could see no nuts--only
an old [wagon]. He climbed up on the [wagon], but found no nuts
inside--only a [barrel], lying on its side. He reached into the barrel
and felt nothing but a [basket]. He pulled it out and peeped into
it--and at last he had found the [nuts]! And Jimmy Crow perched on
his [shoulder] and laughed, "Caw, caw!" When the nuts had all been
carried back to the [barn], and [Mama] had praised Jack's work, she
said, "Now we must hurry in to supper. The [sun] has set and it is
getting late and cold. Let us run, to keep warm." So she and [Jack]
took [hands] and ran all the way back to the [house]. Then they went
in to their supper--and [Jimmy Crow] went too.

["AND JIMMY CROW WENT TOO!"]






End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Jimmy Crow, by Edith Francis Foster

*** 