River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1872-12-06
From the Evening Wisconsin.
My Summer Guests.
BY SYLVIA WELDING.

b1 SILVA WlLDlNGs
Dick and Hattie were very nice little
couple, far happier in each others affec-
tions than "made matches" commonly
are, FOR am grieved to say that theirs
was wholly a match of convenience to
others, and in their union their own pre-
ferences were not consulted at all. But
here, for once, match-makers missed their
mark, and united two congenial souls,
"who soon became all the world to each
other" DIS story writer's say. They dwell
in little cottage Of one room which was
kitchen, parIor, dining-room and hall, and
--and-well if | must tell it, they slept
on a perch overhead for Hattie and
Dick were canaries.
Of course, they could not keep their
own little house, and, am sorry to tell
you, they suffered from shameful and cruel
neglect. They belonged to my next
neighbor, and the sight Of their discern.
fort so sickcned me that whenever was
obliged to run in of an errand, made
short call assure you. Their cage was
Uttered and their water opaque with age
and unwholesome accumulations their
perches rough and bedaubed, and even
their dainty little feet clogged and laden
with offensive dirt. Their keepers were
too economical u presume they called
ito buy them a little cutie bone and
nice seed, and so little sand was thrown
into the filth at the bottom of the cage,
and they were fed with the seed gathered
from the barnyard grass and wild-buck-
wheat-all of which, had the cage been
clean, were well enough in their place.
Never the slightest variation of diet
never any green thing, or dainty little tit
bit, did these poor little prisoners ever get.
They looked rough, dirty and uncomfort-
able; and would hop around and around
on the wires Of their hateful cage for
hours together, uttering sharp, impatient
cries of distress.
And would you believe it?-all this
time her serene highness, their mistress,
would sit as happy as though all the world
were as comfortable as herself. Oh how
| did hate that self satisfied smile, in the
presence Of such distress. 1t was wicked,
| know, but should have enjoyed seeing
half pound of powder touched off under
her chair-if it would wake her up and
did Mt hurt her much. | never saw them
in the sunshine but once, and that was on
cold, windy day in early spring, and in
little while the sun got around the cor
ner of The house and left them in the
shade with the chilly wind blowing so
hard that they could scarcely maintain
their hold upon their perch, and they all
the time uttering earnest cries Of protest
and dismay. could not endure it any lon
ger and went over begging them to take
them in, trying 10 convince them thpt
birds should never be hung in strong
draught Of air--not even in the summer
time.
At last came day when our next
neighbors were going away for a month,
all in the sweet June-time: and little
girl came ovog TO ask, "Would keep
their birds the while 2n OF course I
would. So they brought them over with
the surprising information that they had
been taken care Off We found a little
new seed mixed up with the old shucks in
the seed cup, and the "fresh watern was
already thick and colored. Upon emyty-
ing. we found the sides OF the cup perfect
ly beslimed, while the bottom still showed
evidence that either through accident or
SEINE mistake policy, the poor little
things had appropriated it for an earth
closet.
We took dish of clean tepid water,
a piece Of perfumed toilet soap, and a
Snowy little wash rag, and comm enced
Operations. | imagine the little victims
we're reminded, if they ever heard il, Of an
old saying Of the Scotch peaslnry--" New
lairds, new laws