Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1873-08-23
A Horrible Case Of Depravity.

Last winter Gratiot street saloon
keeper went to Cincinnati on a visit, and
while seeing the town he came across
saloon sporting the wickedest old parrot
which ever learned to speak the English
language. Gratiot street stood by and
heard the bird strip and tear" for
| straight hour, and when he came home
that parrot came with him. All the way
up here the purchase "went for" brake
men and baggagemen, ripping out oaths
which Captain Kid couldn't have handled,
aud the further north he came the more
wicked he grew. Reaching Detroit, his
cage was hung in the saloon, and " Jack'
has been there ever since, up to Friday.
1t was poor day when he didn't learn
some new oath or slangy expression, and
| finally he became so that nobody but a
hardened villain could talk with him. He
was sold last Friday for $40, and his own
er kept him about an hour and then sent
him as present to minister's wife who
had been attentive to his family during
sickness. She was very grateful, having
often thought how nice it would be to
have talking parrot around the house.
"Jack" seemed put out by the change OF
owners, and he sat on his perch all Fri
day night and refused to say word. Sat
urday morning the minister's wife started
for Pontiac, and she carried "Jack's''
cage into her husbands study that neither
might be lonesome. She had been gone
about an hour. and the good man scrib-
bling away, when all at once the parrot
shouted:
Hearts is trumpp'
The good man gave jump and looked
out of the window, thinking that a cou-
pie of bad boys were n1aying euchre un-
der his shade trees. &c 6could see no one
and supposing that he was mistaken hi
seated himself and began to write again
when the parrot shouted:
"Not any gin, thank ye!"
Horrified, the clergyman looked around
and he saw Jack" trying to wink a
him. Half-doubting if it was the birt
which had spoken, yet determined to fint
out, he inquired: ssWhat?" =.
/ "Shut up, or I'll put head on yer
replied Jack, hanging to the cage by ont
claw and shaking his feathers.
SIS 1t possible?" exclaimed the goo'
man, drawing nearer to the cage.
aChampagne Charley was his name
Champagne Charley was his name"
sang g jack" swinging furiously on tn
| stick.
"Vile bird, you shall go out of here !!
: said the minister in an excited voice, :"
, would as soon harbor highwayman."
"Rouse NIT him !" cried Jack, and the
he chuckled and cackled as if he wa
laughing heartily.
, cit is q sin and shame that men hav
i, taught an innocent bird to use such Ian
guage," continued the good man as h
: picked up the cage.
, "Hit him with beer tumbler," reptile
/ the parrot, trying to fasten his claws int
7 the ministerial leg.
! "Little did my wife dream what wipe
she was bringing into the house," muse
? the man. II shall hire some boy to carr
you away"
1 "Send for the Black Maria," reptile
: the bird, and while he was being carrie
4 out he continued, s'Who stole that whee
( barrowY'
: The minister reached the stoop an
a called to boy who was playing mumbl'
ty-peg on the grass.
"Here, bub," he said, as the boy can
up. ''Take this bird of somewhere an
give him away, and I'll give you two shi
> lings."
n .Oh, dry up now!' growled Jack,
It seeming to know that he was To chang
e places again.
+ "Give him to any one who will tai
g him." continued the minister. i ha'
J, received shock which fairly makes a
If treuble.'
II aohuck him under the table!'' CALI
d the bird, as he went through the gate, al
a when he was nearly block away
h could be heard singing:
p ''we won't go home till morning
n Till daylight doth appear"
a -Dsfroit Free Press