Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-01-28

| WITH MIN. anu 1ullmdteU GudG, DIS Ho, ana
his mother and sister expected to be en-
gagged during the day, should have the
bird pretty much to myself.
Accordingly to appointment, went ear.
ly and was ushered into the dining room
ny the servant. Breakfast was set, but
with the exception of Mrs. Trueftt, no one
had come down stairs. Poll was in his
usual place. and appeared to be very much
excited. got out my pocket book and
pencil, to be ready. 1--WE will take our
seats at the table," said Mrs. Truefitt; and
we had no sooner done so than Poll
perched upon one of the bars which ran
across his cage, and looking toward the
door of the room, shouted in clear voice,
"Peter, come to breakfast. Polly wants
his breakfast. Quick, you rascal" It be-
ing summertime, there was no coal in the
CRATE but hftilg the poker, Mrs. Truefitt
made feint Of stirring the fire, when the
parrot, in most pathetic voice, said: lis
II very cold?" When Mr.. Truefitt entered
the room. Poll more than surprised me by
bowling gracefully, and saying, Good
morning, Mr.. Truefitt; I hope you are
WE'LL" But when the auntie of the family
appeared, the joy of the bird was unbound-
ed. ''Auntie," he said, ''conansent uous
pertezuous9 What news in the Scotsman
this morning? Come and kiss me, auntie,
Come and kiss me, darling. Kiss me then.
. kiss me,'' This was uttered in a most
affectionate voice. l felt astounded, and
could scarcely believe my own eyes and
ears. Nor would he cease repeating the
latter sentence until the auntie approached
him and wished him good morning.
| What surprised me most was the appro-
priateness of the birds words to the cir
cumstances. OF course this was the result
of training; but how could bird, not pos
sessed of reasoning faculty, be trained
to know, but when to articulate them?
This was the question which puzzled me.
For example, when the cups were being
filed. he looked gravely down to the table
and asked: Are We wantin yer tea?" and
when we began to eat, he initiated the
smacking of lips, and pronounced it
good, nice, very nice.''
The fact of this appropriateness says much
for Mrs Truefitt, his sole and exclusive
teacher; but confess that have always
felt difficulty about it. We had sal
mon for breakfast, and some one having
asked if it was good. Poll said, ''Fine, fine;
taste it, taste it, and again initiated the
smacking Of lips, as if he were tasting it
himself.
J During the half hour or SO we sat at
breakfast, he seemed to know that [ was
there to hear him and report; at least
which is not a usual thing with him so
early in the day-he kept dancing about
the following: ''Mamm, Polly is going to
school. Mamma. he's going to college to
learn to be a doctor. Yes, my pretty bird
yes" Here he would pause little, and
then start another theme. Sometimes he
shouted like a mariner: "What ship?
What ship, ahoy? Mate there's man
overload, of the royal navy" This last
sentence he articulated most admirably
Then he was baronet, and candidate
for the suffrages of constituency
"Vote,'' he cried, ''for Sir Polly Truefitt.
l am a member. Major Polly Trueftt of
the British army"
And that he was interested in passing
events was evident from the fact that he
asked Mr.. Trueftt the following question:
''Peter, have you seen the great Shah p
Then, as he wished me to understand that
he was not altogether ignorant of litera-
ture, he quoted; s'Come on, Macduff, and
coauGrd be he who first cries hold, enough!',
A horse, horse, my kingdom for a
horse!" Orchard is himself again." He
repeated several other quotations which 1
neglected to take down, but I remember
that at the close he very emphaticaIly and
with dash of pride, pronounced the au
thor's name Shakespeare and shook his
head, as much as to say that he knew
| what he was about. After little silence,
he said in a scdcsome manner: "Poor papa,
poor papa; he is up among the little stars. :"
This he had picked up after. the death of
the late Mr.. Trueftt, who was very tond
of him. He repeated this several times:
and then naming terrier that once be-
longed to the family, he said mournfully:
Poor Butcher, poor Butcher is dead2
Then sharply: but Butcher was only
dog" and very proudly: But Polly is
good, good little boy. All, Jack,''-this
to the new dog-''you are bad boy. Go
to the kitchen, sir. Y gu are a bad boy:
yes. yes.''
After breakfast, was left alone with
the parrot, but not long. An old gentle
man called to see Mr.. Truefitt in his stu
do. He had boy with him eight years
Of age, who was put into the dining-room
to wait until the old gentleman came down
stairs. Tie boy sat down on the seat near
est the door, directly opposite Polls cage.
A few moments of silence occurred, and
then Poll, pulling herself up, addressed the
little stranger thus: "John, attend to your
master. John, fetch me a cigar. John, a
glass of beer with the chill off. John, put
the horses to the carriage; Polly wants to
drive in the gardens with lady Polly.
John, brush my coat; quick, you rascal. y
At the conclusion of this speech, which
was delivered with an air of authority, the
poor little fellow, whose name happened
to be John, was nearly frightened out of
his wits, and leaving the room he disap-
peared up stairs. screaming "Grandpa,
the bird in the room has been speaking to
me-. When the old gentleman came down
he would see this wonderful bird; and BIT
had no sooner made his appearance in the
dining room than poor Poll very sharply
asked: "What's your name, sir?'' The old
} gentleman literally sank into chair. my