The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-08-29
, V.4RIETY,--HUAHOUR.

lom Moore, the linen draper OF Fleet street,
standing at his door one day, coutryman came
up to him with anest of Jackdaws, and accosted
him, says; Measter, wool ye bouy nest of
davis /" No, don't want any I" " Measter,
lreplied the many I'll sell'm all chape you shall
have the whole nest for noirpence."t "I don't
wantem answered Tom Moore, so go about
your business"i AS the man was walking e.
way, one of the ';laws popt up his head and cri
ed Mauk, Mauk." Damn it, (says Tom
Moore, the bird knows my name Halloo, coun.
tryman, what viii! you take for that bird p
+" Wloy, you shall have him for three-pence."
Tom Moore bought him, had cage made, and
hung 1t up in the shop The journeymen, took
much notice of the bird, and would frequently
tap at the bottom ofthe cage, and say, e" who are
you who are you ," and Immediately reply,
" Tom Moore Of Fleet street.""I In short time
the Jackdaw learnt these works, and if he
wanted victuas or water, would strike his bill a
ganst the cage,turn up the white OF his eye, cock
his head, and cry, who are you Tom Moore
OF Fleet street" Tom Moore was fond of gam
ing & often lost large sums of money. Ending his
business neglected in his absence, he had a
small hazard table set up in the one cornerof his
dining room, and invited party of his friends TO
play at it. The Jackdaw had by this time. be.
come familiar, his cage was left open, and he
hoPt into every part of the house sometimes he
got into to the dining room, where the gentle
men were at play One of them being con-
m.
how lie nicks'em !" The bird learnt these words
also, and adding them to the former, would CALL
- who are you who you Tom Moore of
Fleet strcet-damn it how he ncks'em ~ Tom
Moore from repeated losses and neglect of bust
ness, failed i'm trade, and became prisoner in
the Fleet. He took his bird with him and lived
on he masters side, supported by his friends in
a decent manner. They would sometimes ask,
" what brought you here 20 When he used to lift
up his hands and answer, e" Bad company, bv
C." The bird learnt this likewise, and at the
esd Of the former words would say wha,
brought you here % and Go initiate his master, J
lift up his pinions and cry, Z" bad company, by
c." Some of Tom Moore's friends died, o.
theirs went abroad and by degrees he was to-
tally deserted, and removed to the common side
OF the prison, where the goal distemper had
broken out. He caught it and in the last stage
of life, lying on straw bed, the poor bird (who
had been two days without food or water) came
to his feet, and striking his bill on the floor, cal.
led out" who are you who are you Tom
Moore OF Fleet street, Tom Moore of Fleet
street Damn it how he nicks'em damn it how
he nicks'em! What brought you here what
brought you here Bad company by G., bad
company by c." Tom Moore who attended to
the bird, was struck with his words and reflect
ing on himself cried out '' Good God to what a
wretched situation am 1 reduced my father
when he died, left me good fortune, and an es
my business, and am now dying IN a loAthsom.
goal, and TO complete all, keeping that poor thing
confined without any support. iii endeavor to
do one piece of justice before l die, by setting
HIM at liberty" He made shift to crawl from
the straw bed, opened the easement, out the
bird flew A flight OF lackdaws from the tenn
pie was going over the goal, and Ton Moore's
bird mixed among them The gardeners were
then laying the plats of the temple gardens, and
as often as they placed them in the day, the lack
DAVIS pulled them up by night They got a gun
and attempted to shoot some of them but being
cunning birds, they always placed one as a watch
in the stump Of hollow tree who, as soon as
the gun was levelled, cried, "Ma,lk, Mauk, !"
and away they all flew; so that the man could
never shoot one of them. The gardeners were
advised to get net and the first night it was
spread, they caught fifteen. Tom Moore's bird
was amongst them. One of the men took the
net into the garnet of an unnhabited house, fas-
tened the door and windows, and turned the
birds loose. Now (says he) you black rascals,
I'll be revenged on YOU" Taking hold of the
first at hand, lie twists his neck and (tro wing
him DOWN cries, "tlIere goes one" Tom
Moere's bird, who had hopt upon beam in one
corner ofthe room unobserved, as the man laid
hold of the second, calls out, !" Damn it, how he
nicks'em!" The man dropped the bird he had
IN his hand and turning to where the voice came
from, observed the other with his mouth open &
calls out, i" WAC are you 20 to which the bird
answered, Tom Moore Of Fleet street." I" The
devil are you And what brought you here %
Tom Moore's bird lifting up his pinions, answer.
ed. &" Bad company by c., bad company by
c." The fellow, frighted almost out of his
wits, opened the door, ran Gown stairs, and out
ofthe house, followed by the birds, who by
this means saved their lives and gained their LTD.
erty.
SINGULAR PHENOMENON.