The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-10-30

That gratitude which consists in a
lively sense. of favors to come is some
times shown by the humbleness of Gods
creatures.
An aged maiden lady had parrot, the
soiace of her declining years. She had
trained it piously (being of religious
turn herself), 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 be-
cause it looked like her, for that she
never knew, but because it was so good
and pure bird, so ready with comfort
ing text when she felt sad. 1t never ate
a cracker without pious ejaculation
between each bite, nor never thrust Its
head under its wing without saying Its
PRAYERS. But disease is no respecter OF
persons o. parrots, and this exemplary
bird fell sick one day.
The doctor was called in, but i'll all
his experience he said he had never 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 to repeat the book of Job. At this
crisis, however,-the Borrowing maiden,
whose wits were sharpened by the emer-
eency. remembered an elderly sea cap
tain, who lived not far away, apd who
was believed to know something about
parrots. At her fearful summons he
rallantly came to the rescue, and, after
careful examination of the symptoms,
gave it as his opinion that the bird was
loneseme-in short that it was pinlng
for mate.
"Not that you amt good enough COM
many for the barr 1t, NUM- don't mean
that said the captain hastily; but
then YOU know, mum, you both being OF
the sex, num-" he continued, turning
very ed-"gentleman bird that's what $
the matter" >,
That was horrible suggestion, but
desperate disease require heroic treat
ment. Had he bird of that kind !.
Well, YES, he had And would he bring
it over? Well, he would; but then he
didn't know as he oughter, being as how
his bird was raised aboard ship, and
wasn't moral bird, from hearing the
sailors talk. Did his bird swear much?
Was it so very wicked? No, 1t WASH
SO very wicked Oh the cuss word-but-
and then the captain explained to the
agitated lady as delicately as he could
that seafaring men, long deprived of the
refining influence of female society, We're
blunt of speech, and the morals OF the
best meaning parrots i'll 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
its morals, so without delay, the nautical
bird was brought and placed in the cage;
"Avast there, mate ~ said the feathered
son of Neptune.
.sThe Lord be praised-for 10. the
bridegroom cometh," feebly responded
the sick parrot.
"You bet your bottom dollaron that.''
said the disreputable bird. 'Heave
alongside?'
-"And there were twelve foolish virgins
who'-continued the sufferer, still quot
ing Sculpture.
EVirgins be blowed!" replied the an
cient mariner, who had travelled and OBJ
served, That's played outl Open the
hatchway! Haul taut the sheets. Star
board your helm, and Pip
At this moment shrek from the hor-
rified lady, who swooned in the captain
arms, drowned the remark. What the
abandoned bird said will never be known
but this was the reply of the pious one:
"For what we are about to receive,
Oh! Lord make us truly grateful"