Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-11-28


And .wo long since have passed away
Into the happy land.
Our Young Folks.
From tho Evening Wisconsin.
My Summer Guests.
BY SYLVIA WELDING.
Dick and Hattie were very nico little
couple, far happier in each others affcc-
tions than "made matches" commonly
arc, TOR l am gricved to say that theirs
was wholly Il 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, aud united two congcnial souls,
"who soon became all the world to each
other F." as story writer's say. They dwell
in little cottage Of one room which was
kitchen, parIor, dining-room and hill, and
-and-well If I must tell it, they slept
on q perch overhead for Hattie and
Dick were eanaries.
OF ooarsS they could not keep their
own little house, and, am sorry to tell
you, they, suffered from 1hanefitand cruel
neglect. They belonged to my next
neighbor, and the sight Of their discern
fort 80 sickoned me that whenever was
obliget to run in Of IN errand, made q
short call I assure you. Their cage was
Uttered and their water opaque with age
and unwholesome eccumulations; their
perches rough and bedaubed, and even
their dainty little feet clogged and laden
with offensive dirt. Their keepers were
too economical"- presume they called
ito buy them q little cutie bone and
nice seed, and so little sand was thrown
into the filth at the bottom of the cage,
md they were fed with the seed gathered
from the barnyard grass and wild-buck-
wheat-a}l of which, had the cage been
clean, were we'll enough in their place.
Meyer the slig htest 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
I did hate that self satisfied smile, in tho
presence Of such distress. 1t was wicked,
l know, but ] should have enjoyed seeing
half pound of powder touched off under
her chair-if it would wake her ND and
did ut hurt her much. l never saw them
in the sunshine but once, and that was on
q 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 tho chilly wind blowing 80
hard that they could scarcely maintain
their hold upoa their perch and they all
tho time utteriag earnest cries OF protest
and dismay. Icould not endure it any lon.
ger and went over begging them to take
them in, trying 10 convince them thst
birds should never be hung in strong
draught Of air-not even in tho summel
time.
At last came day when our mex
neighbors were going away for month
I'LL in tho sweet June-ti,ne; and q it'll,
girl came over to ask, "Would kee,
their birds the while ?" OF course
would. So they brought them over viii
the surprising information that they ha,
been taken care Of" We found q littl,
new seed mixed up with tho old shucks i,
the seed cup, and the fresh water" wa
already thick and colorcd. Upon emyty
ing. we found tho sides Of tho cup perfect
~ besiimcd, while tho bottom still shove,
evidence that either through accident o
some mistake policy, tho poor littl,
things had appropriated it Tor an earth
closet.
We took dish Of clean topid water
q piece Of perlumed toilet soap, and ,
snowy little wash rag, and comm encet
Operations. l imagine tho little victims
were reminded, il they ever hoard it, of q,
old saying Of tho Scotch peasan,ry-" New
lairds, new laws.'
We put them through an ametue,
"Turkish BATH" rinsed them thoroughly
and lot them 60 in the dlning.room Will,
wo put the cage through q simillr cleans
ing process. There they shook and plum
ed their robes to their hearts content
and they evidently admired themselves
especially their clean feet, after their tot
lets were completed.
There was an old atlas in stairs. a nc
as birds, especially canaries, arc delichtc,
with bright colore, wo brought it dowr
and cut it up into carpets with scallopeC
edges, aEd laid one in tho bottom of the
= cage, and filed the polished crystal Gun,
with clean seed, and pure clean water
We gave them bunch of tender vouno
nVe'1orever some mustard stalks cciled
up loosely so they could get at the gree,
pods, were thrust between tho wires vf
tho cage; a little bread, a dainty little Il,
bit OF fruit cake, some boiled egg &c., wero
put In, and then we went to get tho bird.
INTO their new abode. We, forgot to
tell you, means my help" JENNY the
good" But Mr.. and Mrs. Canary nreCer.
req liberty to the old cage, lapd We were
obliged to drive tho birds into a corner
and throw cloth over them. But when
they were 6a.ly housed. and hung ont
on the porch in the golden sunshine the;r
happiness was complete.
They Huttercd and twittcreC and fitted
rom one thing to another, tasting OF
Everything Oh the whole hill of fare. and
praising al, evidently congratulatipr each
other on the turn affairs had takdu.
Dick sang and sang his sweetest md
gladdest songs, while Ha,tlc;s soft musical
notes came in triumphantly on tho solo.
They were carefully led and tended.
and OF course grew plump and glossy
every day; and every morning We let
them out i'll the dining.room Tor their
bath, and thus they soon learned to use
their wings to good advantage, for when I
went to coax them back into their clcc.
they said, No, thank you, We enjoy Til,
very WELL" Then if 1 went to catch them
tho cunning little creatures would ny
around to where the dining-table always
stood, out in the room with tho leaves al.
ways up in summer, and fit around and
around; always keeping on the opposite
side from mo. If 1 undertook to creep
under, they would dodge of till l was up
again: and then back at their old trick Of
running around tho table, till Jennie would
have to be called to help secure them.
But At length their old mistr.ss returned
and took them home, and they were soon
living in the old, dreary way .gain-hang.
ing in dingy corner with little to cat and
wading in. litter and filth. Whenever I
went in Tor moment the poor little erea.