The mountain Democrat., 1864-05-07


chick, chick, chick, chick =
could not help laughing heartily a
this appropos interruption, but the widow
never moved muscle.
If it dies you may keep the deposit
1t is bard, added she, with a sort of SpaSrn
that poor folks should be disappointed II
their rxptctotions, through no fault O
their own; but as for their giving money
back again, think nobody out to expect it
have nothing further to- remark cxcep
that the whole arrangement must be KEEP
dead secret. That may seem YER,
whimsical, perhaps. but then I am pre-
pared to pay for my whims. 1t will b.
better that one Of you two should botl
bring Dick to Pitt street and take hin
away again, and tor this trouble you shal
have a guinea extra She rose to lcav,
the room, but while | held the door opcr
for her, SIe suddenly observed 'Bv.the
bye, don't ike the name Of Dick nt
vulgar Have YOU any nice Ht,le boy al
home who has nothing particular to do
and will teach the parrot to speak Of him
self as Poor Tommy, Poor Tommy?' II
is very easily done, and here is a little
present for his future tutor
She was gone in moment, leaving in
my wlfc'S hand half-Sovcreign wrapped
up in silver paper; and all my appreh,
sions aSto the state Of her mind returned
10 me immediately with rcdoubltd force
She must be mad, thought |, TO scatt' I
h,,t, ,,ll - !, 1.
sion, aud to entertain the idea that Tom
my is a more aristocratc name than
Dick
Nevertheless, the method Of her mad.
ness being far from oljectiouable,an and her
references turning ont to be most salts.
factory, everything was done in accord
ancc with the widows desire. Our young
est hope, melted by the magnitude of bis
reward. never ceased his monotonous task
until the unfortunate bird was 50 far edn
Gated that il he did not substitute his nrw
name for lis old one, he at least used one
nS often as the other, and very often both
IN the sane breath and when the 9Th o
August came, took him in cab t. I'itt
street in high state of rXultation and
strong in language, and under the teiicf
as think, that he was about to be ship
ped for the West Indies. On the 18th,
brought him back again, as glossy aud
hri Lht as ever, and with the sum Of 81,
GS. in my wai>tcOat pocket. as well as tic
cost If :he two rides. Not feather ot
him was missing; he was as ugly, but
not at all mole eo--w hirh, indeed, wa,
scarce V possible than when he left us
What he had done t. cam his hire, V,
could not possibly im~gine. When we
asked him, he answered Fiddle Faddlr;' Il
reply which at first quite terrified us by
its sagaci"uS novelty, but presently VI
remembered that that had been the nam,
of the general whose honStkprper III,
widow had been, ana set it down mcrel,
as new acquisition tn Dick s vocabulary
For fifteen wears | tonk that parrot to PIT
street, and received the e'even guinea.
per annum, and although we suffered
much especially Lucy-fr from the pangs
Of unqualified curiosity, We had ccItainl,
cause to bless that sable bird. Our pccu.
mary correction with Mrs. Hubble did
not make US in any degree more acquaint-
Cd With her; She received and dismissed
me always with the same irigid puiitcnc<$:
and when | met her by chance in the
street, at otter time. she made two Ste
rrotyIed inquiries first after Tommy :
heath, aud secondly after that Of nv
vile.
In the sixteenth year after our first loan
of the parrot aud in the month OF July,
we received visit from two strange gep-
tlemen, which was even more cxt,aor,iina-
IN its result than that of the mvStr,iouS
widow, 1t took place upon Saturday
afternoon, vi hen ] WAS accustomed to leave
my employers hotSe AZ an earlier hour
than usual, so that happened to be at
home; had my wife been alone, she eX-
presses her opinion that the interview
would have been too much for her, and
have cost her her reason. As it was, her
hcad-to use her own words turned
round like a teetotum,' and she saw big
sparks, which it seems is prcmonitofy
sign OF mental alteration.
And judge now whether, under the cir
this was to be wondered at.
These two gentlemen. being strangers,
and attircd in sober garments, having
lung the bell, lifted down the parrot, whose
cage as usual hung outside the gruuud
floor window, aud brought it with them
into the parlor.
You must excuse our freedom, observ.
ed the elder of the two, VINO had stiff
white cravat, and looked like a family law.
yer; but Tommy is very old friend Of
ours, and we have known hIm great deal
longer than you have
Indeed, gentlemen = said I. 'Then
that must have been in the West Inuies.
4 knew him there intimately well, re-
turned the second gentleman, who was
tightly hutt"ned up. and carried his head
high, like military man. The general
won him ii piquet, Of the lieutenant gov
ernor Of Ba'baiocS. having staked, upon
his side. fifty guinras.'
And don't think he would have after
wards parted with him. major, for thou.
sand pounds, observed the other.
Dear me- said |. But could not
help thinking that he must have parted
with him for good deal less to nv broth.
er Dick, unless Dick stole him. This last
idea so agitated me that did not catch
quite clearly what was said for a minute
or two.
'Fhe gentlemen want to know how it is
that the parrot has forgotten the articles
of war, exclaimed my wife, touching my
chow; then added, in terrified whisper:
For heavens sake, get them out Of the
house, George; they are both stark, sta
ring mad
'The articles of war; said I; 4 never
knew he had learned them. Dick, Dick,
why did you never repeat the articles of
WARP
Pooh, pooh! Kill the captain !-scut-
tic the ship!' chuckled the parrot.
Now, ttrat's very extraordinary, too
remarked the military stranger. Where
could he have picked up all that sea slangp