The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1872-02-08
CHARLIE:
STORY FOR VERY LITTLE CHILDREN.
BY L. BARBER.

When was quite little girl went to
say some time with an Aunt of mine
She had no children, but had canary
bird, Z" Charlie" which / thought most as
good as any little play mate. He was a
pretty bird bright yellow, and dark
brown When I first came he did not
seem to like me very well. think he
was really jealous, for if Auntie combed
my hair, he would fly round her head,
and scold, as well as canary bird can
scold-chirp as sharp and cross! But he
soon got over that, and as I fed him ana
cleaned his cage every day, giving him
fresh water and seed and a lump of sugar,
he learned TO like nae better than his
mistress had some flax seed, which /
never gave him, unless he would come,
and eat it in my lap. | used to sit down
on the carpet and call Charlie, come get
some seed - and he would answer me as
quick as q bird could flying down to the
foor-and standing little way off look
ing at me. I would keep calling softly:
=" Come. Charlie, get some seed, Charlie,
and he would answer me and hop a little
nearer, turning first one little eye up to
me and then the other, till at last he was
close to me and then he would fly up and
light right ia my lap, to pick up the seed
| used to De so pleased, I could hardly
keep from laughing, and would call out
very softly, "Oh, Auntie, sec him Do
look quick"
He would eat few OF tue seeds, and
then take one in his bill, and fly off to
his cage to eat it there. Sometimes we
could coax him on to the table while we
we're eating, but he never would come If
there was man at the table. Sometimes
when we were eating, we would drop
crumb on the floor, and say: "Charlie,
60 find it." and he would chirp in answer
and down he would go and hop round till
he found it. Once found him perched
on the plate Of cookies standing on the
tea table helping himself Every morn
ing used to put fresh sand into his cage,
but he seemed TO like mud the best, for
il we came into the room from out Of
doors, he would ny round US and tease in
his plaintive little chirp till we sat down,
when he would alight on our shoes and
pick away at them. One day the minis
ter called, and while the big folks were
busy talking, I was deeply amused watch
ing Char e The minister's boots
were all muddy, and Charlie sadly wanted
to get pick at them, but was afraid to
come near to a gentleman. He flew round
him, lit on the floor, and looked at the
mud then few off again, then back again
a little nearer, till at last no hoped close
to his boot, when the minister saw him,
and not thinking what he was after,
moved the point OF his cane towards him.
This frightened the little fellow so that
he did not try for the mud any more.
One day big cat jumped up on the out
side of the window, trying to get at him.
He flew right straight to me, Lit on my
shoulder, and did not move till the cat
went away. $50
But what used to amuse me the. most
was when he took his bath. Every morn
ing | used to put "a saucer Of warm watsr
on the floor, and then open his cage door.
Out he would fly, and soon he would see
the water and go tot. He would walk
all around the edge OF the dish, then dip
in his bill, then step in and jump out, as
if it was cold, but at last he would get in
and give himself good washing, spat-
tering the SHINING drops all round then
he would hop out and light on the round
of a chair to dry himself and fix his feath-
ers-that is. dress himself, but would
say:-"Oh, Charlie, you are not half