The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-09-01

n
There was parrot for sale at the Sanitary
Fair then being held in our CITY, . most
beautiful and accomplished bird, from Mell's
account, with green.yellow back and blue
purple breast. 1t had been the, property Of
. soldier, and was found after the dreadful
day at Chickamaugs, without an owner. II
was an extremely handsome bird, but did
possess an amiable temper; parrots never do
believe, and poor Nell tried in vain to win
from il any show of affection. Saucy Poll
repulsed all her gentle advances, unless &C.
companied by something nice in the eating
line, and Nell was for too proud always to
buy its regard. Little Alice succeeded bet
ter than either of her sisters in tanning the
ffeathered shrew. 'sh sse y7svz
Polls cage was badly battered, and really
unsafe: so, one day, after some hints from
the small banditti, a fine new cage, made in
the strongest manner, was brought in. Up.
On her first introduction into 1t, Poll showed
the utmost contempt and displeasure She
made fierce plunges at the bars with her
beak, and glared venemously at all the little
fixtures and arrangements made for her
comfort But bye and bye, when Alice
dressed her cage with flowers, instead of
tearing them in pieces, as we all expe tied, /,
she winked very knowingly, and said:
"Poll's soldier. Poll likes flowers y
We thought this very cunning. and won.
dered il the poor fellow who slept at Chick
amauga taught her Alice, feeling that she
was in tsvor. went and brought her some
hard army crackers, which had been exhib
tied the Fair, and offered them to her, but
the creature cast them OF in scorn. screech-
ing at the top Of her voice:
"Poll's soldier. Polls worn her teeth
off,"
Next morning, as Neil was bringing in
the papers from the doorstep, her eye fell
upon the name Of Gen'l Butler in one Of the
headings, and she read il aloud. Imagine
our astcnishment at hearing the words
caught up by some invisible tongue:
Buffers brute! Old Abe's scare
crow! Little Macs slow coachl Hurrah
for jeff Davis !"
The truth flashed upon US. Our parrot
was rebel, and most violent one, it seem
ed. Josie's eyes flashed angrily, Alice look
ed grieved. and Nell terribly mortified
What could We do? Let the uncanny crea-
ture shout secession from our piazza to all
passers byP Never! we said, and 40 tried
our best to convert her. But in vain Alice
filled her ears with Union sentiments, and
Nell punished her with dark closet, and
Josie threatened her with Fort Lafayette
Poll continued to scream treason till she was
tired of it, which did not happen for several
days. Then she became good-natured, and
whenever the cage door was opened, she
would leave it, and go foraging all over the
house. When she saw company coming in
she would walk up my lace curtains, hide
herself on the middle bar Of the window, and
when they were fairly seated. starte them
with the hideous cries Of:
"Look out! Polls going to shoot Polls
a soldier!"
She clawed great holes in my chair tides,
using them for ladders to climb to he. favor.
lite perches on the tops Of the rocking chairs
She stole the food from our plates, the hair
pins from our hair, and the strings from our
shoes, and was altogether as great nuisance
as pet could be.
But the strangest part Of the story is yet
to come. One day there was an arrival al
our house. Papa had found soldier at the
depot, VINO had lately been released from a
rebel prison, and was on his way to his home
in Western State. He had stepped off the
cars at the station, and. in getting on again,
his poor weak limbs had somewhat failed
him. and he fell. receiving severe injury
The poor fellow begged SO hard not to be
sent to the hospital, that papa just took him
in the carriage and brought him home to be
nursed by naums and the girls.
We.got him comfortablyIn bed, and lef'
him to try to sleep, with the door Of the
room little open. Very soon missed Poll
and fearing some mischief, went to the room
and peeped in. Would anv one believe IL
There sat the parrot, close to the soldiers
face, feeding him yes, actually picking tn,
bread out Of glass Of toast water near, by
and dropping il into his mouth The young
fellow seemed greatly pleased witL tbe pro
ceedings. and talked to end fepdled the
bird, as fit we're au old friend.
swell, Frank, see you have . new
NURSE" said I, stepping in. .asaa u s
His face, so thin and white. flushed
brightly Is he answered,
"Yes. Poll and are old acqua,ntances =
I lost her after the battle Of Chickamauga .
"Is it possible." cried. .that Poll is you
property Why she Is the veriest rebel i
in the land p ssc4r5s 4,
1 ~ know it, be answered. laughing. 81
never could stop her impudent tongue
though once she came near getting me sr
rested for treason. Poll is 4 southern bird
and must have had = thorough sscsasior
training" si o .!sa's9e +. !, 80 ~
| Then he related how, when With his reg
iment in Mississippi, he had gone un fore
ging excursion into the country apd foup'
. planters house deserted by its inmates
and the bird nearly starved in the cage.--
j How he had carriad II hack To cannn. AMI