Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-03-03
The Story Of a Parrot.

quiet town oil Fast lldNtIHllli MASSACHUSETTS, D
much respected Quaker family by the
name of Whittier They were hard-working,
thrifty farmers, and their home was known
to all the poor in that section; no one was
ever turned away from their door unpitied,
unclothed, or wnfed.
Even the Indians had respected grand
father Whittier in the stormy times of the
Indian war. Among Mr.. Winters children
was a boy named John, who had a very feel
ing heart and quick mind. lie was
Woodworking farmer lad, who knew more of
the axe. the sickle and hoe, than the play
things of childhood. Indeed, New England
children had but glimpse at the sunniness
of youth in those hard times; no long daised
walks stretching far into life, they could
call their own.
His early education consisted Of few
weeks schooling for number OF winters in
the district school. 4 queer sort of school
it was, kept in private house. John
loved the master, aud spoke a kind word for
him when he became man.
In the library there is n beautiful poem,
called " Snow-Bound, ia very good poem
for good people to read. Now the boy lived
in lust such a home Us is described in that
poem, and his boyhood was passed among
Just such scenes as are pictured there. You
NAV like to read it some day, so we need not
try to tell what has been told so well.
lie was a poet in boyhood. lie did not
know it. There are many poets who do not.
lie used to express his feelings in rhyme /;
how could the boy help IT. lie one day
wrote one OF these poems on some coarse
paper, and sent 1t privately to paper called
the Free Press, published III the nelghporlng
town OF Newburyport.
Al
! The editor OF the paper whose name
was Garrison William Lloyd Garrlson-you
may have heard the name beiore-iound the
| poem tucked under the door OF his oihce 10y
the postman, and noticing that 1t was writ
| ten III blue INK, was tempted 10 throw II
into his waste basket But Mr.. Garrison
| had good, kind heart, and llked TO give
| everyone chance IN the world. lie read
the poem, saw there was true genius IN 1t,
and so he published It,
Happy was the Quaker iamer-boy when
he saw his verses in print. lie felt that God
had something IN store IN lie Tor INN that
| he was called IN some way to be good ana
useful TO other. lie wrote other poems, and
sent them to MIR, Garrison
They were full OF beauties-these loems.
MIR. Garrison one day asked the Postman
IRON what quarter they came
% am accustomed to deliver package OF
papers to farmer boy IN East liaVerhil'
guess they come from MN
MIR. Garrison thought he must ride over
to East liaverhlll and See
SO he went one day, and found slender,
sweet-faced farmer-boy working with his
plain, practical father ON the farm. The
boy modestly acknowledged that he had
written the poemsi at which his father did
not seem over well pleased.
" You must send that boy to school, Friend
Whittier, SAID MIR. Harrison
Friend Whittier was not 50 surei but the
good counsel OF the Newhuryport editor IN
the end was decisive The boy was sent to
the academy
John is an old man now, almost sixty
years of age, lie lives at Amesbury, near
the beautiful Nerrimac, that he loved IN
youth Almost every boy ana girl IN the land
can repeat some oil the poems he has written
lie has no wife anu children, yet his home
Is cheerful and social, and Is open to the
stranger, Ike his fathers and grandfather
oil old.
In common WIN most men oil genus, h'
Is very fond oil pets and among these favor
ties, llttle animals and BIRDS nave their place
IL Is OF one OF these household pets that We
nave story To tell.
respectable branch oil the parrot family nance
Iolly:: ROXY succeeded among her master
iavontes, smart little bantam VINO once
lad the freedom OF me house. ana VINO per
lshed, we thihk' IN an unequal contest VIII
an eVll-dlsposed cat
loily' 100 hau the lreeuoii, oi 'ne hous'
at times' ana used 70 SIT ON the paok Oh th'
poet Glaif at ms means, ana lne lwo some
times heia very profound anu cohhuen'ia
Conversations nv, tosether w
ne Poet Is a pions man, We haHe secl
'le NIUE S"ahur eluIoi' ", w. Mhi,n ne zoe
regularly on SuiloaYs anu inuisuays iof 81
lent worship ~ Is = luie' ruIai iahe, ahS
SENS sem llhe nt''9 sonJoi,ouSe II, ine MoIu
lony' Mno n"u peun .,, 9ady olousne ~, oe
caIlle uelhuIe anu wen oer"'eu l,,''igu'a'el,
al'sr ~ nsr "uop'ion 80, lor tiIne, Tue poe
""1 Io',y MeIg III PETTY slrnPs'hhsii III.
ohe o9p . I"s, ioiiy, WIZ l'an uou2 ,'
,ess ,,' i iuI" apus =" III" I'm Wv
tote a somewhat LARGER view Of the world
So az the neonIe were going IN church sb,
cl;mhed unnn Tie ton of the bonse and 60,
mon the ridge-nole II then oocurred /,