New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-09-19
Grace Before Meat.

That gratitude which consists in lively
| sense OF favors to come is sometimes shown
| by the hum bleness OF Gods creatures.
An aged maiden lady had parrot, the
| solace OF her declining years, She bad
| trained it piously tbeing of u religious turn
herself, and tsug ht it to say the most beauti-
| full things out of the Bible. The bird was more
|, 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 y bird, so ready with a com.
| torting text when she felt sad liz never
eat cracker without pious : .culation
| between each bite. nor ever thrust W. head
| nj der it's wing without saying its prayers.
| But disease Is no reepector of persons or
parrots, and this exemplary bird fell sick
| one day.
The doctor was called in, but in all bis
| experience he said he had seen nothing like
| it. The neighbora were summoned. but
| uone 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 m aid
en-, whose wits were sharpened by the emer.
| geDcy. remembered an elderly sea captain,
| who lived not far away, aud who was be-
| lieved to know something about parrots
| AT her tearfu summonshe gallantly came to
| the rescue, and, after careful examination
of the symptoms, gave it as his opinion that
pining fer mate.
Not that you amt good enough company
| for the parrot, NUM- don't mean tina ="
saiG the captain hastily: "but then you
| know, mum, you both being of the same
| sex, num-" he continued, tuning very
red gentleman bird that's what's the
matter"
That was horrible sugg' ssion, but des-
| perate diseases require heroic treatment.
odd ha hirI IF hat ly;nl1 oil ho
had. And would he bring it overt Well,
| he would; but then he didn't know as he
| oughter, being as how his bird h al been
raised aboard ship, and wasn't a moral bird.
| from hearing the sailors talk. Did his bird
swear much' Was it 80 very wickedi No,
| it wasn't very heavy on the cuss words
but-and then the captain explained to the
agitated lady as delicately as he could that
seafarng men, long deprived of the refining
influences of female society, we're blunt OF
speech, and that the morals of the best
meaning parr ot' in the world were likely to
suffer in consequence.
But even as ne spoke the parloS had an.
otner fit, and it was determined to attempt
to save it's life at whatever risk of its morals;
SO, withu 1t delay, the nautical bird was
brought and pl ,ced in the cage.
"Avast there, mat!' said the feathered
son of Neptune.
The Lord be praised-for 10 the bride
groom cometh," feebly responded the sick
parrot.
You bet your he tom dollar on thst!'
said the disreput able bird. "Heave along
side"
And there we're twelve foolish virgins
who" continued the sufferer, still quoting
scripture.
Virgins be blowed ~ replied the ancient
mariner, who had travelled and observed
That's played out. Open the ha.cbway I!
Haul taut the stem sheets Starboard our
helm, and I'll"
At this moment shrek from the horri.
fed lady, who swt oned in the captains
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. '-BoSton
lSuf,ouay ETpresS