The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-10-22
A POLITICAL pARROT.
Frsm aLoHdon Papsr


l was on the shilling side Of Broadway" Il do
not know the origin Of this derogatory desgna-
tom on one OF those hot mornings In sprinp
when the metropolitan disposition to ice cream
impelled me TO a confeCtiOner's shop. The back
parlor Of former arstOCratic house was the re-
tTeshmcnt room.
Its large windows looked eastward, and tho
room was Hooded with sunshine, such rs never
busseB LOndOner nor is blinded with for there
are two sides even " the subject Of sunshine. In
the warm heart of the light there was u brilliant
green parrot, fastened by a silver chain TO a
perch, where she seemed % rest from pure choice.
She was singing rs | never heard parrot sing
with human naturaluoss and rolickiug joyous
ness The song, an ancient tavorite with certain
class in the land of its birth, had met favor with
all classes in the land Of its adoption
20, lts my delight on a shiny night, &C."
She sung it all, without once stopping or break
ing down.
The waiter, who wiped the small table where
had seated my self and handed nae the daily paper
fastened in machine, lest it should run away,
remarked, Twenty year old, if she's day"
gave my ordcr and then listened to the song
until II was flashed, as q respectful audience
should not interrnpting to applaud. Then said,
"Bravo, poyW
The parrot turned her head, and looking At me
sharply, said rapidly, whats your name Wha.
do you want Can you whistle :"
whats your name ~ / replied in Yankee
fashion, answering one question, Or three, with
another.
pretty Poll, pretty Poll, poor Poll Polly
wants cracker. Polly Brown, Polly Brown
Captain John Browns bird, ship Midas Bought
Of Niger king on the Gold Coast for a pair of
red breeches and roasting pig. Brought to
Philadelphia in eighteen hundred forty Don't
you know the DEVILS dead Cbokcd 20 death
with a Quakcr's head. Captain Browns bird
Captain Browns Wing, wears clean shirt"
This sent the parrots associations % sea- and
she proceeded to heaye anchor with a will, ching
ing mcrriy TO sailor songs till an imaginary
storm came on. Then she gave orders through
speaking trumpet, proving that she had been
forgotten and LETT on deck i'm a sluall and that
she bad not been so much frightened as TO inter-
rupt the progress OF her education. When the
storm was over, she took to the pump, and sang
with n tenderness and r-weathGr-alLCr-a-stOrm
sweetness -
Rock and roll mo over, one more day,
one more DAY, my darling
on rock and roll me over,
One more day.
The parrots usual sharp barking unhumanity
voice was not present in this specimen. She
spoke and sang like amusic-oying negro of intel
ligence and European training. Her first lessons
doubtless had been from such a master Captain
Browns bird began a running fire of nasty words.
As the Yankees say, "it would not be pretty" to
repeat this portion Ofthe birds performance. Like
good artist, she did not allow her audience 70
tire from the length of any part of her perform
ance. She came by sudden transition to the
rehearsal of political contests. She elected Gene
raj Harrison to the Presidency Of the United
Stetes with great eclot, singing
Have you heard the grea. commoilon,
Motion, motion,
Ihe country through
IL Is the ball a rolling on,
For rpPocanoo and Tyler too,
And with them wei b. at utt0 Van;
Van, Van Is used-up man.
The English reader may need TO be informed
that General Harrison, then candidate for the
Presidency of the then United States had once
upon a time fought with some Indians at place
called Tippecanoe.
A hero was wanted as candidate for the Presi-
dcncy. The "Hero of TippcCanoe" was selected,
and duly nicknamed "Old Tip," and was sung
into Office. "Tyler,to became Vice -Pretident,
because President involves the Segl,itlV of a
Nice-President. "Lttle Van, Van" who was ga
used-up man, was President Van Bureu ut the
time Of this election in the fourth year of his
reign over this great republic. The songs In this
campaign, which were all faithfully remembered
by the parrot, had great family resemblance
and were not too reycTent to be inconsistent with
universal suffrage and "the sovereignty of the
people" One ofthem, sung to the tune of o Su-
sanua alluded to the residence of Mr.. Van Bu-
rem, and the product Of his kitchen garden in
the culture of which he was supposed to have
great satisfaction.
! had dream the other night,
When everything was stiI,
dreamt saw Old Klnderlook
comm down the hll;
cabbage stump was In his mouth
A tear was in his eye,
Says he were beaten North and South,
But johnny, don't you cry.
Johnny was President Van Buren's only son,
ana celebrated DeInOCrlLlC stump orator. Ile
family residence was at Kinderhook.
The next "pTCsidcItial campaign" rchearsed
by the bird was that in which Mr.. Henry Clay
failed to be elected. The refrain Of one Of the
songs was sung TO the tune Of " Old Dan
Tucker
Get out Of the way, you're all unucky,
Clear the track for Old Kentucky!
Millions Of men, north, south, east, and west,
had sung the same doggerel TO the same negro
music, with the same bOst of torchlight process
sions and tar-barre bonfres, that the parrot was
now singing in the soft sunshine Of carly spring.
in the metropolis Of the great republic.
Captain Browns bird was n living history of
much that had not found record elsewhere. When
at last she ceased to sing, turned to the table, 10
find q melted ice cream and an iced sherry cob
bier awaiting my leisure. l paid proper atten-
tion to the legitimate tluid, and was paying my
score, when a young girl, as pretty as young
American girls often are, brushed past me, and
past her faded and attenuated mother who sat at
the receipt OF cash, evidently going to school;
for she had book and a porcelain slate in her
hand.
The parrot cried ont briskly, 'NIaggie, have you
got your geography Z" She replied, eyes, /
have,' and went her way. The feminine cashier
assured me that the parrot knew the meaning Of
all she said, and Of all that was said to her. The
prOprietress believed in her rational powers as
fully as the negroes believe in those Of the mon
key. II only wish" said she, "that she would
not say so many things that are not pretty"
Should the age of the parrot be correctly esti-
mated by naluralists, this same bird may live to
celebrate dozen more presidential elections; or
perhaps the Inauguration ofan elective monarchy.