Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1877-11-15
A Bird that Caused q Di-
vorce. M


nests with babies 10 supply th'
eaglets with their suppers, are re
garded as dangerous birds, but {
parrot-why, parrot will a
times, as | shall relate, wreck tbt
peace of a household and al
most drive its victims to suicide
Now, there used to be one ken
on Baltimore street, in Baltimore
in 1872, which led to a divorce
between as happy a couple as th'
Monumental City could boast
Mr.. and Mrs. Wood were parrot
lied. They owned a most won
derful bird-a large, gray African
which, for profanity, intelligerct
and mischief was unequalled
The first named habit, to be sure,
was tally cured, though not
unlrequently at the morning meaI
the family would be saluted with:
"D-n you, want my break,
fast" but the mischief, backed by
the intelligence, was what brought
woe to Mr.. and Mrs. Wood.
The wife was exceedingly hand
some, and had many beaux pre-
vious 10 marriage; she was still,
though it must be confessed, Civ
en- to flirting. Alasl that such can
truly be said of many of our
married ladies. Yet the tongue
of slander had not touched her
the human tongue, | mean.
Now, occasionally visiting Mrs.
Wood you would find there Gus
Leaning. The Leaning family
and that of Mrs. Woods father
had ever been the closest friends,
and Gus thought nothing of step
ping into Mr.. Woods to hold con
versation with the vile while the
husband was at his business place.
Against Gus Leaning this Af-
rican fend conceived an intense
hatred. The cause of his ami
mostly, ! fancy. grew out OF the
fact that Gus on one occasion put
his fingers through the bars of
the cage. when the bird fastened
on to one of them, and Gus was
compelled to rap it on the head
ere it would loosen its hold.
How it cursed him when he came
iato the room where it hung in its
cage.
The Woods oft thought Of part.
ing with this creature, but then
he was "too smart apd cunning
for the world"
Better thousand times had
they sold or given him away, for
ere long be raised a domestic storm
which wrecked two lives.
One day as Mr. Wood entered
the sitting room on his return
from his store-his wife and Gus
being there, while the parrot vas
in his cage against the wail-the
bird cried out, sharply:
"That man kissed your wiiel
That man kissed your wife,
The husband glanced at the
pair, and, Of course, they looked
confused and excited. The bird
again reiterated:
"That man kissed your wife!
That man kissed your wife"
Was there ever a man feeling
so aggrieved as Gus, so furious as
Wood, SO wretched woman as
as Carrie, the wife? 9Hil4n
The husband did not doubt the
truthfulness of the bird, for jeal-
ousy believes ever on the slightest
evidence. But at last The hus
band was appeased, or at least az.
peared to be.
Gus continued his visits
In less than a week, however,
Mr.. Wood, on coming into the sit.
ting-room where were his vile
and Gus, found that Toby, the
parrot, had been removed.
"Where's Toby?' be inquired.
"In the hall. | thought it a
more suitable place" replied his
wife.
81 prefer he should be in this
room," answered the husband.
'Why?"
Il have my reasons" coldly
said Mr.. Wood.
"Mr. Wood, think ] lunder
stand yon; but we will not talk on
this matter further now.
Gus rose quickly, anticipating
a scene, and bowing to the lady
and gentleman, passed into the
ball. Mr.. Wood soon followed
him, to go up the stairway, when
Toby cried out with a shrek; :.
THAT man kissed your wiles
In a day or two quarrel tol-
lowed about Toby. AIRS Wood
determined to be rid Of him-her