Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1877-02-12
Mouths Oolumn.
THE PINK PARROT AND THE
GRAY BOY.

plume in his crested cap. =.
And there was boy; and | knew
him. He wore a gray suit. There
was shiny silver buckle on his cap.
The Gray Boy owned the Pink Par
rot. The Pink Parrot owned nothing
nothing now, not even itself. 1t was
great change, L tell you, from forest
to cage, from choosing his own fruit
and nuts to waiting for them upon the
pleasure of a Boy. The Pink Parrot
judged all Boys by the Gray Boy, and
he hated Boys. He ofteu sat on his
ring, silent, motionless, and hated Boys
by the hour.
The Gray Boy would bring in grapes
and berries and nuts, and lay them down
IN plain sight, but out of reach, saying
to the Pink Parrot, "Wait-a-bit! wait
a-bit !'' And the Pink Parrot would
wait, and while he waited the Gray Boy
made faces.
Parrots have hooked bill, and the
upper jaw is hung with a hinge, like
box-lid. Did you know 1t?
The Gray Boy would stand before
the Pink Parrot, and draw his chin in
to look like the hooked bill then he
would work his mouth like hinge. In
deed, the Pink Parrot was never certain
of his breakfast, as to time nor quaint
ty. Ten to one, when luscious grape
was all but in his bill, the Gray Boy
would 60 out of the room carrying the
grape with him. He would say, "Will
you have it now, or wait until you can
get it?" Maybe he would come back,
and maybe he wouldn't.
But the Pink Parrots day came at
last.
The Gray Boy had a watch lately
given him, lovely-O! little darling
of a gold watch, that would tick, and
need to be real "truly" wound up at
charmsEa a ef5 a affiaslb -chain and some
and arrows, mimic sketches and ball
bats,-everything, in fact, that would
interest boy, and render his lite per-
! fectly delightful, was attached to the
Gray Boys fob-chain.
The Gray Boy, one morning, the
twenty-fourth of December in fact, was
to take the half-past-nine train, all by
himself, to join his papa and mamma at
his grandpa's in the country. He had
been left in town, with the housekeeper,
until school should close.
The Gray Boy had breakfast, and
was now all ready to 60. 1t had been
a hasty meal, but was there not to be
stuffed turked and cranberry sauce fol-
dinner? He had hidden the housekeep
er goOd-morning and had gone up-stair;
for the bunch of dollhouse rosebuds anC
the Harper'S Magasine he was to take
out to his mamma, and to brush hi:
coat and put on his watch.
He had left them up there on the sit
ting-room table, in readiness, all together
moment-ago. And now, how could h,
believe his eyes, that his watch was no
on the table The Gray Boy was il
double dismay. 1t was near train-time
and then the idea that a sneak THE
had been in the house! He ran up 4
his room, to see if he could have left his
watch in its case; he ran down, calling
aloud to the house-keeper as he went
But she had stepped out. He ran bach
again, and stood still, looking blankly
at the table.
All at once, high over his head, there
was shrill cackle of laughter. The
Gray Boy looked up. He gave an an
cry cry. There, in the ebony ring which
had been attached to the ceiling for hi,
swing, high out of reach, swung Pinl
Parrot. The gold watch was between
his claws, the chain glittering as i
hung. AS he met the Gray Boys eyes
he cackled again and laughed malici
ously.
"Wait a bit! acait a bit :" he shrek
ed.
The Gray Boy danced with rage
While he was dancing he heard tn,
whistle of the half past nine train. HI
wildly flew down to the kitchen. TIL,
housekeeper had not returned. He flew
upstairs again, and, tears running dowr
his cheeks, he few out into the street,
"WSH you haze 1t noaO. or acait anti;
yOD can get it?"
This is what the naughty Pink Par
rot shrieked after him, cackling will
derisive laughter until he nearly fell of
the ring.
Just Sobbing with helpless rage tn
Gray Boy rushed up the walk toward
tall man in blue with star on hi
breast. "P'lice l say, p'lice p
The policeman was greatly puzzle
by the queer, half-understood request
but he went into the house. And whethe
the Pink Parrot had been used to seem
policemen in the green forests of Aus
tralia and knew him at once, l cannc
say; but know he started, dodgeC
and nearly tumbled out of the ring whe
thev entered and carafullu tol,;po, +b