THE PARROT AND THE TRAVELLER.
One morning when the whole family were in the breakfast room, Poll began
to talk to herself, imitating exactly the manner of a lady who had
recently visited the house with her children.
"Little darling beauty, so she is; she shall have on her pretty new
bonnet, and go ridy, ridy with mamma; so she shall."
In the midst of this, the bird stopped and began to cry like an
impatient child.
"Don't cry, sweet," she went on, changing her voice again; "there,
there, pet, don't cry; hush up, hush up."
This conversation she carried on in the most approved baby style, until,
becoming excited by the laughter of the company, she stopped, and began
to laugh too.
After this, whenever she wanted to be very cunning, she would repeat
this performance, much to the amusement of all who heard her.
Poll was a very mischievous bird, and on this account was not let out of
her cage, unless Minnie or some one was at liberty to watch her.
Mrs. Lee, who usually sat in the back parlor, from which place she could
hear Poll talk, was sure to know if the bird was doing any great
mischief, for she always began to scold herself on such occasions.
"Ah, ah!" she exclaimed, one day; "what are you about, Poll?"
Mrs. Lee rose quickly, and advanced on tiptoe to the door, where she saw
the parrot picking at some buttons on the sofa, which she had often been
forbidden to touch. Much amused at the sight, she listened to an
imitation of her own voice, as follows:--
"Go away, I tell you, Poll! I see you! Take care!"
Finding her buttons fast disappearing, she suddenly entered, when the
bird went quickly back to her perch.
In the afternoon, when her husband returned from town, she related the
incident to him and to Minnie.
"That shows us," answered the gentleman, laughing, "how careful we
ought to be what we say before her; we shall be sure to hear it again."
After tea, when Minnie and her father were in the library, they heard
Poll singing a variety of tunes in her merriest tones. They stopped
talking a while to listen, and then both laughed heartily to see how
quickly she struck into a whistle, as Tiney walked deliberately into
the room in search of her little mistress.
"What a funny bird she is!" cried Minnie; "she runs on so from one thing
to another."
"In that respect she shows a want of judgment," replied her father;
"but, by the way, I have a story for you of a curious parrot, which I
will read.
"A gentleman who had been visiting a friend near the sea shore, and
concluded to return by way of a ferry boat, walked to the beach to see
whether there was one ready to start. As he stood looking over the
water, much disappointed that there was none in sight, he was surprised
to hear the loud cry of the boatman,--
"'Over, master? Going over?'
"'Yes, I wish to go,' he answered, looking eagerly about.
"'Over, master? Going over?' was asked again in a more earnest tone;
and again he repeated,--
"'Yes, I wish to go as soon as possible.'
"The questions were repeated constantly, and yet no preparation was made
for granting his request. He began to be somewhat indignant, and seeing
no one near upon whom he could vent his wrath, he walked rapidly toward
a public house near by. Here his anger was speedily changed to mirth,
for on going near the door he saw a parrot hanging in a cage over the
porch, from whom all the noise had proceeded."
"Oh, father," exclaimed Minnie, greatly delighted, "that was a real good
story. Isn't there another one?"
"Yes; here is one where a man made his bird revenge his insults.
"There was once a distiller who had long suffered in his business by a
neighbor, who had several times reported him to the public authorities
as one who made and sold rum without a license to do so. At last he
became very angry at being interfered with, and, as no ready means
offered to revenge himself, he adopted the following singular method.
"He had a large green parrot, which could speak almost any thing. This
parrot he taught to repeat, in a clear, loud, and distinct voice, the
ninth commandment,--'Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy
neighbor.'
"Having committed this lesson satisfactorily, the owner of the parrot
hung him outside one of the front windows of the house, where his
troublesome neighbor, who lived directly opposite, would be able to
have the full benefit of the inspired words.
"The first time the neighbor came in sight, the parrot began, 'Thou
shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor;' and this was
repeated on every occasion, to the great delight of the neighborhood."
At this moment, Mrs. Lee opened the door, to tell Minnie that Anne, the
nurse, was waiting to put her to bed.
"It's too early," began the child, impatiently; "I don't want to go
yet."
Her mother only answered by pointing to the little French timepiece on
the mantel.
"I was having such a good time," sobbed Minnie; "I always have to go
just when I'm enjoying myself the most."
Hearing this, Poll instantly began to whine, "I don't want to go," and
then, putting her claw up to her mouth, sobbed, for all the world, just
like her little mistress.
Minnie wanted to laugh, but she felt ashamed, and did not like to have
her parents see her; so she said, "Keep still, Poll; you've nothing to
do with it."
This reproof only excited the bird the more, and in a loud, angry tone,
she went on,--
"Keep, still, Poll! don't meddle! don't meddle! Ah, Poll, what are you
about? Take care; I see you!"
Mr. Lee watched his daughter anxiously, to see whether she would recover
her temper, and was pleased to observe that she presently advanced to
the cage, when she held out her finger to say "Good night" to her pet,
as usual.
"Good night; say your prayers," repeated the bird, holding out her
claw.
She then gave her parents their good-night kiss, and snatching Tiney in
her arms, went gayly from the room.