Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1876-11-10

| the same condition, lnelr next move was 10
hop on 10 the fender, and flutter and gaze
pensively into the FIRE; and two more mel
ancholy looking, ragged wretches you new
or saw. When they began to dry, then
they began TO dress and In few minutes
Richard was himself again, aud so was his
wife.
Starlings have their own natural song,
and a strange noise they make, too. Their
great faculty, however, Is the gin of imiia-
ton, which they have In wonderful de-
gree Of perfection. The first thing that
Dick learned 10 initiate was the rumbling
OF carts and carriages on The street, and
very proud ho was OF the accomplishment.
Then he learned 10 pronounce his own
name, with the prefix "Pretty," which he
never omitted, and TO which he was justly
entitled. Except when sitting on their
perch, singing or piping, these two little
pets were never tired engineering about
their cage, and everything was minutely
examined. They were perfect adopts at
boring holes. By inserting the bill closed
and opening 1t like pair of scissors, 10
the thiHg was done. Dicks Iule of con-
duct was that he himself should have the
first of everything, and be allowed first 10
examine into everything, to have the high
est perch and all the lit-bits in a word, to
rule, king and priest, in his own cage. l
don't suppose he hated his wife, but he
kept her in state of inglorious subjection
10 his royal will and pleasure. "Hezeki-
ah' was the name he gave his wife; don't
know why, but am sure no one taught
him this, for be first used the namo himself,
and then it was only 10 correct his pronun-
cistiun.
Sometimes Dick would sit himself down
to sing song, aud presently his wife would
join in with few simple notes of melody,
upon which Dick would stop singing in
stantly and look round at her with iudig-
nation. "Hezekiah Heck iah I" he would
say, which, being interpreted, clearly
meant, "Hezekiah, my dear, how can you
80 far forget yourself as TO presume TO in
ierrupt your lord and master with that
cracked and quavering voice OF yoursf"
Then he would commence anew, and Hez-
ekiah, being so good -natured, would soon
forget her scolding, and again join in. This
was loo much for Dicks temper, and Hez-
ekiah was accordingly chased round aud
round the cage, aud soundly thrashed. His
conduct altogether as husband, am sor-
ry TO say, was very far from satisfactory. l
have said he always retained the highest
perch for himself; but sometimes he would
turn one eye downward, and seeing Heze-
kiah sitting so costly and contentedly on
her humble perch, would at once conclude
that her seat was more comfortable than
his; so down he would hop and send her
Off at once.
1t was Dicks orders that Hezekiah
should only eat at meal-times; that meant
at all times when he chose 10 feed, after he
was done. But suppose his poor wife was
Oflen little hungry in the interim, for she
would watch till she got Dick fairly into
the middle of a song, and quite Oblivious
of surrounding circumstances, and then
she would hop down and snatch.a meal on
the sly. But dire was the punishment for
the deceit II Dick found her out. Sometimes
/ think she used 10 long for a little love and
affection, and at such times she would
jump up on the perch beside her husband,
and with a lond cry sidle close to him.
"Hezekiah! Hezekiab - he would ex-
claim and IL she didn't take that hint, she
was soon knocked 10 the bottom of The
cage. In fact, Dick was domestic tyrant,
but in all other respects dear affectionate
little pet.
One morning Dick got out of his cage by
undoing the fastening, and flew through
the open window, determined to see what
the world was like, and leaving Hezekiah
to mourn. 1t was before s on a summers
morning that he escaped; aud saw no
more of him until, coming out of the
church that day, the people were greatly
aslonished 10 see bird fly down from the
steeple and alight upon my shoulder. He
retained his perch all the way home. He
got so we'll up to. opening the fastening OF
his cage door that had 10 get a small
spring paddock, which defed him, although
he studied 1t for months, and finally gave It
up, as being one of those things which no
fellow could understand.
Dick soon began to talk, and before long
had quite u large vocabulary of words,
which he was never tired OF using. AS he
grew very tame, he was allowed to live Ell
ther out OF his cage or in 1t all day long as
ho pleased. O1en he would be out in the
garden all alone for hours together, rum
ming about catcning flies, or sitting up in a
tree repeating his lessons to himself, both
verbal and musical. The cat and her kit
tens were his especial favorites, although
he used 10 play with the dogs as we'll, and
ol,en go to sleep on their backs. He took
his lessons with great regularity, was an
arduous student, and soon learned 10 pipe
"Duucan Gray" and "The Sprig of Shille-
lab" without a wrong note. / used 10
whistle these tunes over TO him, and it was
quite amusing TO mark his air of rapt at
tention as he crouched down TO listen.
When had finished he did not at once
begin 10 try the tune himself. but sat quiet
and still for some time, evidently thinking
II over In his own mind. In piping 1t, If
he forgot part of the air, lie would cry
doctor, doctor !" and repeat the last note
once or twice, as much as to say: "What
comes after that2" and would finish the
tune for him.
"Tse tse tsep' was favorlte exclama.
tion Of his, indicative OF surprise. When
1 played tune on the fiddle to him, he
would crouch down with breathless atten-
tion. Sometimes when he saw me take up
the fiddle, he would go at once and peck at
Hezekiah. don't know why he did so,
unless TO secure her keeping quiet. AS
soon as had finished he would say BRA
vop' with three distinct intonations Of the
word, thus; "Bravoi doctor; br-r-ravoI
bravo r.
Dick was extremely inqulsitive and must !
see into everything. He used to annoy the |