The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1872-11-16
4 CHAPTER ON PARROTS.
From AppLton's journal.

From Appleton's journal
We had two, both of the African
species, ash colored, with tip of rec
on their tail-feathers. OF "Polly,
who was bought at Leadenhall Mar
ket, IN 1856, [ gave an account in the
GALAXY several years ago. OF "Poll, ,
purchased to relieve poor tradesmar
from an execution in his house foi
rent, [ have less to tell. She had lost
her beauty by scald on the head, and
never possessed the winning ways oil
her companion. She would, indeed,
say, wher the reason of her bald pate
was asked, I've been scalded and
| whenever bald-headed gentleman en-
tered the room, she shouted to him.
you've been scalded, and then turn
,, to her friends, and changing her gram
mer correctly, would cry ont, to oul
infinite annoyance. He's been scald.
ed J" She could cry, clip, hip, hur-
rah J three cheers for Queenl" could
sing and dance to the tune of "Polly
put the kettle.on, we'll all have tea :
and would ask very peremptorily fol
her meals, "Thomas fetch my dinner
Polls hungry But she had nc
winning ways, made no friends, did not
discriminate character, and left the
memory of only a single trait worthy
of record. That trait was certainly
singular. She caught everybody
laugh. l never noticed the peculiarly
of laughs in my family till Poll began
to simulate them. From the feminine
giggle to the masculine gaffaw-from
the boisterous laugh of the children tc
the utter of the house-maid, catching
the gamut of every member of the
household, even to the suppressed hic
cough of Jamesthe footman, whose good
English breeding allowed only the
slightest demonstration of any senti
ment whatever-Poll would deliver by
the hour series of idiosyncratic laughs,
which, amusing enough at first, made
her intimations at last an intolerable
nuisance. When she once began hen
ordinations, nothing would stop her.
Indeed, when attacked by o govt that
ended her life, her very last breath
shaped itself into giggle, so true to
It's original that to those who stood
around her cage, mourning over her
death agonies, il. was irrisistibly ludic-
rous. Laughing herself, she died in
the order of laughter.
They tell a good story in Newgate
street, London, of a parrot, or of two
parrots rather, gray and green one,
belonging to Morley, tradesman in
the Old Bailey, Just opposite the pris-
on, which is vouched for as true in the
strictest sense. The man had won
derful "bird sense" and his power of
| training birds became famous through
out the metropolis. He had taught
his geen parrot to speak whenever a
knock was heard at his street door: but.
when the bell of the same door rung, he
had taught the gray parrot to answer.
The house, still standing, has one OF
those projecting pOrchcs that prevent
the second story from being seen from
the pavement. One day a person
knocked. "Who is there " asked the
gcen parrot ''The man with the
leather" was the reply. The bird an
swercd, ''All right " and then became
silent. After waiting some time, and
not finding the door opened, the man
knocked again. "Who is there? y
again asked the green parrot. "Who's
there 2 " cried the porter outside. cts
I, the man with the leather; why don't
you open the door " ''All right y
repeated the parrot, which so enraged
the man that he furiously rung the
bell. eco to the gate shouted a
new voice, which proceeded from the
gray parrot. "To the gate. repeat
ed the man, seeing no gate What
gate " "Newgate Newgatel re-
sponded the gray parrot. The porter
was enraged but, stepping across the
street, the better to answer what he
supposed to be the insolence of the
housemaids, he saw that he had been
outwitted and teased by couple of
parrots.
This same Morley had been employ
ed by gentleman, who had heard of
his knowledge of birds. to purchase
for him white cockatoo. The price
was of less Importance than the health,
disposition and breeding of the bird.
She was to use no bad language, be
subject to no fits of passion. have been
trained to handle by women and chill
dren, and to be Clearly in her habits.
Morley took great pains to please his
employer, and at last sent him home
perhaps the most perfect specimen of
the breed ever seen in London. As /
saw The bird ten years ago, nothing in
the way of ornithological beauty could
surpass it. OF pure, snowy white from
top of crown to tip of tail without IA
speck of lead, gray or crimson on a
single feather; free from all sign of
cross with paroquet or macaw; and in
shape, attitude, bearing, and action, as
distinguishable as a blooded horse
Beauty, as she was called, stood I'M
rivalled When she was sent home,
there was perfect satisfaction the en-
plover was pleased. as he we'll might
be; the family of daughters IN costa