American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-09-12
POHy's ReprOacIl.

AN English lady tells this funny story
about pet parrot of hers, and we copy
it to please our little ones:
MY parrot was brought as a present
to me some years ago. | don't quite
know how old he is. You know parrots
live sometimes to be very old-they have
been known to live for IA hundred years;
if my Polly lives to be as old as that he
may belong perhaps to my great grand
children-who knows? l am sure you
| would admire him very much; his wings
| are gray and his breast is bright red and
he has a beautiful long tail He is very
amusing, and is always making us laugh.
| All my little nieces and nephews are SO
fond of him, and feed him every day; he
copies everything we say, and when we
laugh he joins in heartily, which amuses
us very much; it seems SO absurd to hear
| "A parrot laugh just like we do.
"When he first came to live with us
he had been brought from long way off
across the sea, and having been for some
weeks ON board ship he had learned to
initiate all the sailors said, and to use
some very naughty words; so much so,
| that after the first week of his arrival l
was obliged to have him taken away
from the dining-room until he should
have learnt better manners. l put him
under the care of cook, who declared
she had little plan whereby she would
words that were used ON board ship by
rude, rough sailors.
"Now what do you think she meant
to do? l will tell you. She carried
him, cage and all, down into the kitchen,
and there he remained until he was
cured And this was cooks little plan:
Every time Polly began to talk and say
amusing little things he had learned
with us, or before he was put on board
the ship, nothing was done to Kim, but
directly he said what was not pretty
cook took some water in her hand and,
throwing it over him in his cage, she said:
That's for saying naughty wordsp AT
first Mr.. Poll did not like this at all, and
he rutfled up his feathers and talked all
the more; but after it was repeated sew
eral times he seemed to understand it
was meant as Il correction, for he be-
came very quiet, and after week or two
we began to think he might come again
to the dining room.
But now | am coming to the most
amusing part of my story. One day it
was warm and sunny, and l thought
Polly should be hung out in his cage ut
the back of the house, where he could
feel the warm sun and chatter and talk
to his hearts content. Now it happened
that the only place for him to be put was
a little way above a cistern full of water,
SO they hung up the cage and left him
there. l was sitting working at win
dow close by, also enjoying the sun and
fresh morning air, and not thinking at
all about Polly, when l looked up and
saw our neighbours great tom-cat come
creeping stealthily along the wall, look
ing earnestly at the cage hanging over
the ciStern.
IS had no fear for my parrot, however,
for | knew he was hung high and was
quite safe from pussy's claws; so l went
on with my work us before, when sud
denly l heard loud splash and then a
NEW, and almost Immediately Il queer,
sharp little voice (Which | knew to be
Polly's) called out: That's for saying
naughty wordsn
Il looked from my window, and then
/ saw poor puss struggling in the water
and Polly looking as wise rs could be,
with his head on one side. | could not
help laughing, in spite of poor pussy's
troubles, who no doubt had fallen into
the cistern while trying to reach the
cage; but l soon rescued him from his
dangerous bath.
No doubt the noise of the splash of
water had reminded Polly of -yhat cook
had said whenever she punished him;
but am afraid pussy did not take II les
son from Polly's reproach.' "-Chjldren's
Prize