Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-01-24

i
things to body only to snatch 'em
away again when body offers to take
EN-. But they can't play any more
OF their tricks on me, thank good
ness! l know them too we'll. I've
studied 'em for three generations.
But this child, as l said before, was
lovely. She had eyes the color of my
brightest blue feathers, hair like my
brightest yellow ones, lips like the
crimson one on top Of my head, and
skin like the down on my breast.
loved her from the very first, and |
loved very few. We parrots are ex-
| elusive"
Exclusive" repeated the mocking-
bird.
Eyes, exclusive" said the parrot.
Don't you like the word, or don't
you know what it means % But the
mocking-bird making no reply, she
| went H: 1.-THE crackers and cakes
and sugar and fond words that child
used to give me would have melted
| the heart of the exclusivest parrot
that ever lived. And what patience
she had! Why, she had the patience
of job"
job" said the mocking-bird
"who's he %
ITO tell you the truth" replied
Mrs. Parrot, 81 don't know, but I've
heard of him great many times.
| Snowdrop--that's what they called
her, though her real name was Mildred
spent hour after hour teaching me
the English language, until l knew
more OF it than any of our family ever
knew before or since, and our family
is by far the cieverest in all Bird
land.
The mocking-bird began to dance on
one leg and whistle, but stopped sud-
denly as Poll opened her cage door.
Poll went back to her perch and her
story again.
81 can, as you well know, Mr..
Mocking- Bird, ask for my breakfast,
dinner, and SUPPER
And crackers between meals" in
terrupted the mocking-bird.
YES, and crackers between
meals repeated Poll, in sharp tones,
land it's none Of you business if |
do | can call by name everybody in
shout Fire -
Fire! fire! firev' shouted the mock
ing-bird.
Silence' screamed the parrot:
"you idiot. Doyou want to alarm the
whole neighborhood ?"
Alarm the whole neighborhood ?"
said the mockingbird. "By 10
means. / forgot myself"
Don't do it again." said Mrs. Par
rot, severely. and then proceeded with
her story in herAsual tone "Snow-
drop wasn't the only child. She had
two brothers, but, bless you! no more
like herself than you are like me, Mr..
Mocking Bird
''Am to take that for a compli-
ment 2 asked the mocking-bird; +" you
know you said, and insisted upon it,
that you were old and"
"Take it anyway you please"
snapped Poll, "but don't interrupt me
again. won't stand it. Snowdrop's
brothers were both older than she
was, and though they loved her dear
ly, they hated each other Yes, they
actually hated each other, and vet
they were so much alike people often
took them for twins. Black eyes,
brown skins, straight dark hair, and
frowning brows. They began quarrel
ing when they were nothing but ba-
bies, and, us they grew, matters be-
came worse and worse, until by their
wicked conduct they almost broke
their mothers heart. Little Snowdrop
alone had any influence over them.
She used to coax them, and kiss them,
and pray for them; but though she
prevented many fight, she never
could make them kind to each other. |
Wen, one Christmas Eve--I had been
here just three years the brothers
and their dear little sister were all in
this very room. Snowdrop was pratt |
ting about hanging up her stocking. !
John, the younger boy, looked up at |
her Che was lying on the hearth-rug) |
with a smile-he scarcely ever smiled |
except when looking at Snowdrop-
and said: l think I'll hang up my
stocking, too DO, you milksop' |
said his brother, you're just baby |
enough for that Better be a baby !
than "A liar and thief, said the other. |
A liar and thief?' repeated Charles,
jumping to his feet and ilinging his
book at mis- brothers head Yes, you
stole my ball, and lied when mother |
asked you about it, said John, also
springing to his feet, with flashing
eyes. IN have your life for that
shouted Charles, and he looked SO ter
rible that for once John was scared, |
and ran from the room, knocking
down chair or two as he went. Il