The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-01-08
DI MURSKA'S MENAGERlE.
Collection Of Animal Curiosities, Singing
Nice. Etc.


A noticeable peculiarly Of theatrical
people is pass sion for pets. Patti ls
con -tautly surrounded with dogs, Clara
Morrls has weakness for cats, ana
Madame Modjeska Is uisconso ate with
out her canary birds. lima Dl Murska
is no exception to the rule. Last even
ing a reporter called upon her at the ln-
ternational Hotel, wishing to explode
the story of the singing mouse. The re-
porter explained his business I'M
med ately.
"Mauame, have you singing mouse
in yuut p0SsesslOh!'
The lady went at once to the WINDOW
and produced little wire cage, in which
the vocal zng rodent nestled III u BED
of cottorisbatting.
"Dues he sing?'
"Certainly.'
"uaye the goodness to start him."
The cantatrtce trlpped up and down
the scale few times with the ease and
rapidly OF sohooi-boy running his
Lnumb nail along the edge OF fiue-
to0lh comb. This caused the mouse to
wiz gle his tail slightly aud stretcn his
hind legs spasmodically, but he did not
encore. Inc perverse animal was then
replaced on the window-sill, with the
assurance ON The part OF the owner that
he was liable 10 warble at any time.
The reporter then had an opportunity
to examine the other samples OF natural
history scattered about The apartment.
In TWO large wicker cages were couple
OF Australian magpies, which first made
their presence felt by running their bill 8
into the calf OF the reporters leg. AT
irregular intervals they whislled bars
OF music, and when the prima donna
scrambled up the scale they inflated her
exactly. One, however, with a fine
sense of humor, would begin a familiar
LII elody, then come to tull stop and
emit screech that would make ones
pulse jump TO one hundred and sixty
beats minute.
Presently Scotch poodle crawled out
from under the sofa and climbed into the
re porter's lap. He was immediately
! followed by Skye terrier with cropped
ears and little hairy spaniel.
| "Where Is your bull-dog~ inquired
the reporter.
"Getting doctored in San Francisco.
lie will be up in u week. You should
see him-he Is perfectly divIne."
"YOu HeP'
| Tuls somewhat blunt remark cam @
from p0ll-parrot in cage on the man
tel-piece. Madame Di Murska remarke ID
that she had purchased the bird in San
| tfauclscc, anu aC times III was Insult
ing.
| Here the bird gave the reporter a
touch oil his early training by blasphem.
ing IN most horrible manner, While its
mistress shook the cage ana tapped q
towel at it. The bird went into a
fury OF passion, and threw off a shower
! Of expletiyes that would have rejected
credit on sixteen-mule quartz team
ster. A glass OF water soused over it
finally brought the wicked bird to Its
senses. The Madame apoiogized for the
parrots conduct, and then troti ed out
The mouse again. This time the animal
was in better trim, and in response to a
little chuckling Oh the part Of it's mis-
tress ehirrupea and ehatted like bird
ior half u milute. That the mouse could
sing there was no mistake, but he was
by no means as accomplished per
former as either Of the magpies, and his
Voice lacked compass as we'll as volume
The Madame assured the reporter tn at
sue hadn't half her collection with her
most Of il was in San Francisco, and be
fore she left she expected to get ral
DOG from Jack Magee aud young beal
from Toin Bean. AS the reporter LEFT
the dogs barked, the magpies screeched d
like cross.cut saws and the parrots told
bm 10 "fake spin round the block."-
Virginia City Enterprise.