The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-12-16
GRACE BEFORE MEAT.


! lively sense Of favors to come is some
times shown by the humblest of Gods
creatures.
An aged maiden lady had a parrot,
the solace of her declining years. She
had trained it piously (being Of religi-
ous turn herselD, and taught it to say
the most beautiful things out of the
Bible. The bird was more to her than
words could tell she loved it dearly,
not because it looked like her, for that
she never knew, but because it was SO
good and pure bird, so ready with a
comforting text when she felt sad. It
never ate cracker without pious ejac-
ulation between each bite, or ever thurst
its head under its wing without saying
its prayers. But disease is no respecter
OF persons or parrots, and this exemp-
larry bird fell sick one day.
The doctor was called in, but in all
his experience, he said, he had seen
nothing like it. The neighbors were
summoned, but none OF them appeared
to understand the parrots case. The
poor bird grew worse, and did nothing
but repeat the book of Job. At this
crisis, however, the sorrowing maiden,
whose wits were sharpened by the emer-
gency, remembered an elderly sea cap
tam who lived not far away, and who owas
believed to know something about par
rots. At her fearful summons he gal
lantly came to the rescue, and after care
full examination of the symptoms, gave
it as his opinion that the bird was lone
some-in short, that it was pining for a
mate.
''Not that you amt good enough COM
pany for the parrot, mum-I don t mean
that" said the Captain, hastily; 'but
then you know, mum, you both being of
the same sex, num-" he continued,
turning very red-''gentleman bird
that's what's the matter -
That was horrible suggestion, but
desperate diseases require heroic treat
ment. Had he bird of that kind
Well, yes, he had. And would he bring
it over? Well, he would but he didn't
know as he oughter, being as how his
bird had been raised aboard ship, and
wasn't a moral bird, from hearing the
sailors talk. Did his bird swear much
was it SO very wicked? No it wasn't
very heavy on the cuss words-but-
and then the captain explained to the
agitated lady, as delieately as he could,
that seafaring men, long deprived Of the
refining Influences of female society,
were blunt Of speech, and that the morals
of the best meaning parrot in the world
were likely to suffer in consequence.
But, even as he spoke, the parrot had
another fit, and it was determined to at
tempt to save its life. at whatever risk
of it's morals SO, without delay, the
nautical bird was brought and was plac-
ed in the cage.
"Avast there, mattel said the feather
ed son of Neptune.
fsThe Lord be praised-for 10 the
bridegroom cometh," feebly responded
the sick parrot.
''You bet your bottom dollar on thatl"
said the disreputable bird. ''Heave
alongside -
''And there were twelve foolish viz
gins who, CONTINUED the sufferer, still
quoting Scripture.
virgins be blowed interrupted the
ancient mariner who had travelled and
observed. f'That's played out. Open
the hatchway Haul taut the stern
sheets Starboard your helm, and
I'll
At this moment shrek from the hor-
rified lady, who swooned in the Cap
tain's arms, drowned the remark. What
the abandoned bird said will never be
known but this was the reply of the
pious one:
''F'or what we are about to receive,
Oh, Lord make us truly grateful"