American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-07-04
Savings and DOings of a Famous
Parrot.

AT first, in our Ignorance, we treated
our parrot like an innocent canary, gave
him seeds and a china dish of water,
hung up his cage by sunny window,
and thought he would be contented
Very soon he learned to unfasten all the
hooks which held the cage together, and
we were several times startled by a crash,
and found the bottom of the cage on the
floor, the dish broken and Polly, not in
the least frightened, walking about the
floor whistling.
Our little Skye terrier. "Snuff," was
very much interested in the new pet, but
was rather jealous, for until now he had
had no rival in our affections.
Soon there was no doubt that Polly
could and did talk, for loud and clear
came the call, "Snuff! Snuff" and then
the peculiar whistle which was Snufi's
| summons would sound through the
/ house, bringing the poor little dog from
the farthest room, scampering down
stairs and through the hall, all excited to
.see his master at such an unusual hour
of the day. He would bounce into the
side, shouting Snuff! Snuff" and then
as he appeared Poll would say, "Why,
Snuff" in such a comical, surprised tone,
that we could do nothing but laugh,
while Snuff stood upon his hind legs and
barked and barked with wrath and dis
| appointment.
| After this Polly picked up sentences
very fast, and with one or two repetitiOns
from us would say almost anything. He
enjoyed being out of doors, and often
| would unfasten the bottom of his cage
and come to the ground with crash, then
| walk off with a triumphant whistle. One
| day he walked down to the duck pond, and
| was heard talking away to the ducks in a
most lively manner. They all stared at
him for a moment, then, instead of having
little friendly talk, which was all he
wanted, they came out of the water and
pecked at him with their great bills.
Polly defended himself bravcly, but when
F. ran out to the rescue he hurried
toward her, and began to climb up the
front of the dress by the trimmings, say
ing very fast: "Poor! Poor Poor Pollyl"
She took him on her finger, and he
whistled, tapped his wings, and with
congratulatory Pretty, pretty, pretty
Polly" went joyfully back to his cage.
We tried to teach Polly to say Mr..
Longfellow's poem, Take Care! Bewarel
She's Pooling Thee!" but he never would
say the last word of that line, and to this
day he will come out with fragments such
as, "Take care! Beware, Polly" or,
"She's fooling Polly" and once, when
F. called me to come down stairs, l
asked what she wanted; she answered,
Lunch is ready" and Polly screamed at
the top of his voice, "She's fooling!'
F. used, in summer, to dip him into
a tub of water, which bath he did not like
at all, and would come out all dripping,
Tapping his wings and cxclaiming:
=" Why, Polly! why-ee, Polly!" and two
or three times he added: Why, Polly,
do you want some water ?" A most unnec-
essary question, we thought.
He knows what water is, for he is used
to see people go to the ice-pitcher, and
when one of the family goes to the side
board and pours out glassful of water
he will say Do you want some water?"
and then initiate exactly the gurgling of
the water as it is poured from the pitcher.
He always asks for water when he is
thirsty.
1t is impossible to give to any reader o.
Polly's sayings any idea of their absurdity,
for the different tones and the almost
human way of emphasizing one or two
words of q sentence would make one
laugh, while the words themselves are
nothing. For instance, when he calls
Snuff, he will sometimes shout "Snuff !
Snuff !" and then whistle for him, as if in
q great hurry; sometimes merely say
" Snuff" in quiet tone, as the dog passes
the cage, just showing that he Is noticed;
some. imes, too, he will speak very affec- |
tionately, saying " Poor old Snuff !" in a |
very sweet, caressing tone.
At one time we were afraid that Snuf's |
jealousy would OverpOwer his wisdom
and that Polly would fall victim, for
several times when the bird had been
patronizing, or had brought
him down from the top of the house and
then greeted him with shouts of laughter
or tremendous barking, the dog had
sprung at the cage and tried to tip it
over. Then we would all try to get Snuff
away. Polly alone would sit perfectly
quiet, looking on with interest and stOr-
ing up the ordinations fOr future use;
and at last he was so fearless that he
Joined in with the rest, and when Snuff
bounced at him would sit with his head
on one side and shout: 'Snuff, go way.
Pick him up! Pick him up! Put him
out! Put himout" And now when he
leaves his cage and walks round the
room, he will run from whoever comes to
pick him up with: No! no! go way!
Shoe! ShoO"
We always know when Polly is tired of
STAYING in his cage and wishes to go up
stairs to his high perch, for he begins in
very lively tones "Want to take a walk,
Poily?" Then in a moment, if no one
takes any notice, he will say, very sweet
y, Take little walk, Polly?" Then he
becomes pathetic, and says: Poor Polly,
l
One day, as one OF the family was read
ing aloud to a friend who was making us
l visit, she was startled by sudden and de-
,ided "Go 'wayr' from the parrot, which
sat in his cage in the corner. She looked
over at him and saw that he was sitting
N his swing and gazing intently on the
1oor of the cage. Again he said, "GO
way go right awayr' she went to him,
md as she approached the cage small
mouse ran out between tie bars and hid
1nder book case near by. Surprising
his to be the end of tho scene, Aunt NJ.
vent back to her book, but in a moment
;ame Shoe! Shoe! go 'way!" and again
he rose just in time to see the little
mouse running away from the bits of
bread and apple on the cage floor, and
Polly excitedly swinging himself down
" the bars, putting his head through, on
he way, to say No! no! Go way"
Aunt NJ. unfastened the cage, and Polly j
)ustled over to the bookcase, squeezed
himself half under, and said, in the most
,nticing tones, Come! come! Want to
axe waikiki To this day, after two
-ears, his first walk, when his door is
opened, is to the book case, under which /
lie f1attens himself, makes a few remarks, ,
md finding that the mouse does not come ,
lie turns his attention to something else. /
he employs himself in trying
o take up the carpet, busily Juggling at )
lail till it comes out, then selling the +
dge of the carpet and turning it over as
ar as possible, then going at another nail
ill he is stopped. 1t is a pity to see so !
much energy going to waste. 1t would
,e invaluable if properly directed at ;
arlA rr,rr