The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1870-05-12
A Wonderful Parrot.

Some years ago, but within the memo
~ OF man, parrot cage hung IN a
baker shop in the good old town of
Salem. The parrot was handsome one
with gay plumage, and being given to
accident or otherwise, was quite the
pride and attention of the shop,
! But Poll unfortunately, although
! bird, had some human weakness. and the
/ baker being only human, it sometimes
fell out that they got into difficulty;
quarreled, you might even say, if the
| truth were to be told.
Though as Poll had for her own part
a forgiving disposition, and used, at such
times. alter keeping discreetly quiet for
while, TO come out suddenly with some
very wise or droll remark, that set all the
| shop laughing, these troubles ordinarily
blew over before long.
1t happened one day that the city
welsher came in, according to custom. to
examine the bakers stock of bread, and
ascertain whether it agreed with the
weight prescribed by law. Everything
was found to be right, and the weigher
was just about to leave the shop, when
| Poll who had been narrowly watching
| the proceedings from between her bars
called out:
Light bread under the bed Light
bread under the bed -
I he Weigher, taking the hint, turned
and passing into the back room he found
concealed large number OF loaves of
light weight, which he Immediately se;zcl.
imposing also heavy fine on the shop.
lie was no sooner gone than the baker
IN rage, seized Clipper Of hot water
and threw 1t over the parrots cage
fortunately, lie was too hot himself to
aim very well, and only small part Of it
reached the luckIess Poll That, how
ever, fell upon Der guilty head, AID took
off al its brilliant red feathers, her es-
pecial pride.
They did not grow again for long
time, and then only IL a ragged, miser-
able way, and poor Poll seemed
to carry the scar Of her disgrace in her
very heart. She droopped and hung
her head, and seldom spoke, unless at
twilight. whan she seemed to feel that q
kindly veil was thrown over her deiorm-
ity.
Things had been in this way for year
or more, when cue day gentleman came
into the shop who had lost almost all his
hair, presenting a round, shiny pate, with
only very narrow i'm OF curls around
the back and temples.
Poll looked earnestly at him, turning
her head from side to side, and winked
knowingly through her bars until he
turned to so, when she croaked cat in a
sympathizing tone:
Been saying light bread! been say.
ing light bread?'
Not long after this it fell out that Pol
was guilty Of some misdemeanor which
SO entirely exhausted her masters pa.
tlence, that Selling her by the head he
wrung her neck, and threw her into the
gutter tor dead
But Pol had no idea Of giving up fol
such a tribe she lay quite still for an
hour Or two, until her injured feelings haJ
somewhat recovered, when getting slowl,
and sorely. upon her ugly feet, she began
looking about fer consolation She soor
found it in the shape Of some corn, whicI
had been spilled near by, and was com,
iorta5'y picking It ~, when lank, wick.
cd-looking cat got sight cfher, and plan
ned a new and last calamity.
Poll .;sw her draw nearer and nearer
one noiseless step at q tmc, hut went
quietly on WITH her cora, keeping SHARP
lookout, however. unt;i .iust as the cat
vas drawing Itself fer spring. Then
rUfliiEg up aer faathers with a flightiu
pull, and making dart toward the cat
with her beak, she cried out in terrible
voice:
Seat, gou Jeastr
With one terrified turn, and dash
round the corner, such only as a cat car
MAKE. iab5y disappeared forever, and
the baker, who lad watched ,ho proceed
ings, vas so irrasistialy amused, that be
laughe himself into good humor, and
bringing Poll in, hung her up in hen
cage Cuce more, where she finished hel
days without further serious misfortune.