The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1865-05-18
MAY IS, 1865.



and my little Nell-she's the blue eyes
came in She walked up to me rather
slowly and kissed me on the cheek. Now
tant mischief was brewing. It's in
varibly the case when Nell kissed me in
the middle of the day. Pretty soon she
said:
Am blue eyed banditti, MAJ
What in the world thought I, wonder
ing if it were possible that the little
mischief, who reads everything she can
lay her hands on, from Mr.. Beecher's
Sermons down to Jenny Wren, had been
sucking poison from yellow backed nov
els
Ma. mean to give you "Longfellows
Children for your album. Did Mr..
Longfellow mean them when he wrote
that verse that says:
"Do you think. o blue eyed bandissi,
Because you have scaled the wan,
Such an old moustache as am
Is not = match for you all.'
Undoubtedly he meant then," said I,
"but now Melt, let me know what you
want" And then it came out
There was parrot for sale at the Sani
tary Fair, then being held in our city;
a most beautiful and accomplished bird,
from Melrs account, with green yellow
back and e-purple breast. 1t had
been the property Of soldier, and was
found after the dreadful day Of Chicka-
manga, without an owner.
"Most likely its owner was killed."
said blue eyes with a sober look 81 ex
pect it loved the soldier dearly, and was
a great pet I should like to have it love
me for the soldiers sake was added
tearfully
s.Oh, don't know, Nell they are tor
menting creatures
wv ell this one has been sick and ont
of spirits, the man said, and doesn't talk
much now. But heard her talk some"
What did she say p I inquired.
40, she said Little Mac is a slow
COACH answered the little witch watch
ing my face.-"She says it beautifully"
Il think we will have her, if papa is
willing. The 'moustache' is to be con
suited you know, and he may prove q
match for you"
Josie has been to see him already"
Josie is the black eyes-s.and he has no
objections, if you are willing
SO at evening, the parrot was brought
and soon made itself at home among us.
1t was an extremely handsome bird, but
did not possess an aimable temper-par-
rots never do, believe-and poor Nell
tried in vain to win from it any show of
affection. Saucy Poll repulsed her gen
tie advances, unless accompanied by
something nice in the eating line, and
Nell was too proud to buy her regard
Alice-she's the brown eyes-sueceeded
better than her sister in tanning the feath-
cred shrew. Poll cage was badly bat
tered, and really quite unsafe; so one
day, after some hints from the small
banditti, fine new cage made in the
strongest manner, was brought in. At
her first introduction to it, Poll showed
the utmost contempt and displeasure.-
She made fierce plunges at the bars with
her beak, and glared venomously at all
the little fixtures and arrangements for
her comfort. But by and by, when Alice
dressed the cage in flowers, instead of
tearing them to pieces, as we all expected,
she winked very knowingly and said:
'.PolIs a soldier. Poll likes flowers"
We thought this very cunning, and
wondered if the poor fellow who slept
at Chickamauga had taught her. Alice
feeling that she was in favor, went and
bought some hard army crackers, which
had been exhibited at the Fair, and offer
ed them to her, but the creature cast
tucm Oh AL SCO-D. SCIecCulHg
Polls a soldier. Polls worn her
teeth Off
Next morning as Nell was bringing in
the newspaper from the doorstep, her
eve fell uson Gen. Butler's name in one
of the headings, which she read aloud.
Imagine our astonishment at hearing the
word caught up by some invisible tongue
Buffers brute Old Abe's scare
itfIa Macs slow coach Hur-
rah for JEFF Davisr'
The truth flashed upon us. Our parrot
was a rebel, and most violent one it
seemed. Josie's black eyes flashed
Alice was grieved. and little
Nell terribly mortified. What could We
do? Let the uncanny creature shout
secession from our piazza to all the pass
ers by? Never, we said, and so tried
our best to convert her. But in vain
Alice filled her ears with Union songs
and sentiments, and Nell punished her
with q dark closet, while Josie threatened
her with Fort Lafayette. Poll continued
to scream treason till she was tired of
it, which did not happen for several days.
After this she became quite good natur-
ed. and when the cage door was opened,
would leave it. and go foraging all over
the house. When she saw any company
coming, she would walk up my lace cur
tains, hide herself on the middle bar of
the window. and, when they were fairly
seated, s.artle them with hideous cries
of,
Look out Polls going to shoot
Polls soldier"
She clawed great holes in my chair
tides, using them as ladders to her favor
ite perehes 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 al
together as great a nuisance as pet can
be.
But the strangest part of the story is
TO come One day there was an arrival
at our house. Papa had found a soldier
boy at the depot, who had lately been re-
leased from Southern prison, and was
on his way home in q Western State
He stepped off the cars At our station,
and in getting on again, his poor weak
limbs had somewhat failed him, and fell.
receiving . severe injury. The poor fel-