Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-12-05
From the Evening Wisconsin.
My summer Guests.
BY SYLVIA WILDING.


Dick and Hattie were a very nice little
couple, far happier in each others affec-
tions than "made matches commonly
are, FOR am grieved to say that theirs
VAS wholly a match of convenience to
others, and in their union their own pre-
.evences were not consulted at all. But
here, for once, match-makers missed their
mark, and united two congenlal souls,
. who soon became all the world to each
other ds story writer's say. They dwell
in little cottage Of one room which was
kitchen, par or, dining-room and hall, and
-and-well if must tell it, they slept
on 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, aid the sight of their discom.
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 little cutie bone and
nice seed, and so little sand was thrown
into the filth at the bottom of the cage,
aad they were fed with the seed gathered
from the barnyard grass and wild-buck-
Theat-ail of which, had the cage been
clean, We're 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
.ues of distress.
And would you believe it?--all this
lime 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
halt a pound of powder touched off under
her chair-if it would wake her up and
l!d Mt hurt her much. | never saw them
% the sunshine but once, and that was on
cold, windy day IN early spring, and in
little while the sun got around the cor
her Of the house and left them in the
shade with the chilly wind blowing so
alrd that they could scarcely maintain
'aelr hold upon their perch, and they all
,Ie time utieIlag earnest cries of protest
ana dismay. | could not endure it any Ion
ger and went over begging them to take
,1em IN, trying 10 convince them thpt
.irds should never be hung in strong
iraught of alr-not even in the summer
tine.
AT last came day when our next
Aeishbors were going away for month,
NJ III the sweet June-time; and little
Elr! came over to ask, Would | keep
!lelr birds the while ?" OF course !
would So they brought them over with
-e surprising information that they had
been taken care Off We found little
ew seed mixed up with the old shucks in
lie seed cup, and the fresh watern was
Already thick and colored. Upon empty
z we found the sides of the cup perfect
; 5eslmed, while the bottom sui showed
violence that either through accident or
"me mistake n policy. the poor little
1'ass had appropriated it for an earth
set.
took dish of clean tepid water,
piece Of perfumed toilet soap, and a
" little wash rag, and comm enced
a@rahons, imagine the little victims
re reminded, ii they ever heard it, Of an
! saying otthe Scotch peasantry-" New