The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-04-02
just below his room, because you fancy
that those blessed birds are dying of too

|
much or too little air. +
"But, jack" said, "the poor things '
are setting. and they need constant care.
You wouldn't have me let them die, /
would youe" ..a ..-. /
"rd have you consider the comfort {
of human beings before that of animals" '
said Jack. "However. the thing is done s
now. Nothing would induce Uncle !
Philip to spend another night here. He !
has business to attend to in the city, s
though, and has taken board in Ninth
Street for few weeks" ...
I was sorry that Jack was vexed, of
course, but really could not feel very
unhappy at losing a guest so utterly I'M
feeling and inconsiderate. Beside,
Aunt Clarice had written to ask when it
would be convenient for us to receive
her, and she could now come as soon as
she felt inclined. .,., ,n-.-.
1t was the very day after Uncle Philip
left that | found Jou-jou, the female
bird, lying dead upon the floor. My first
idea was that it was mean piece of
vengeance upon Jacks part, and TAXED
him with it, but he denied it indig-
nantly. o~.s... ~
"l'm not such brute as you seem to
think, Madge," he said. II don't like
the birds, but l wouldn't hurt feather
of their tails. Look here, though" as
he poked out with the point of his pen
knife something that had lodged in the
tiny beak. "IIere is what did the, mis-
chief. Stolen from my desk, too, by
Jove! A clear case of poetic Justice"
1t was tiny bit Of red wafer which
he held out for me to examine, and of
course ] had to acknowledge that it
alone had caused the catastrophe. l
buried my little pet mournfully, and
thought Of bringing another to replace
her, but Jack put his veto upon any
such proceeding. I'D,
"But, jack said, "Bijou will die
of loneliness" To
"Let him." said Jack, savagely, and
that was all. LIZA
Well, Bijou didn't die of loneliness.
On the contrary, after rejecting on the
situation for a few days, he plucked up
heart, and launched himself into such a
torrent of rollicking song that Jack was
more frantic than ever. Not even the
melancholy sight of the nestful of cold
little BLUSH speckled eggs seemed to
dash his gayety in the least: To tellthe
truth, J. was slightly disguised Though
l would have died before l would have
told Jack SOY, for try as I might, I
could not pursuade myself that that tri-
umphant, rollicking, gurgling song bore
l. the slightest resemblance to q wall of
!, despair. - '..,''' '.',-
We saw Uncle Philip tolerably often,
: though he no longer staid with US. I
7 noticed, however, that he could with
3 difficulty be persuaded to enter the back
, parlor. Even the sound of Bijou's sing.
g ing, which penetrated the closed doors,
! made him start and vince in a manner
D which was simply absurd, though he
: never said anything. ., ,
n We were in daily expectation of Aunt
4 Clarice's arrival, the date of which wa!
not quite certain, as she was staying
h with friends who continually urged hel
q to prolong her visit. 7. After the day fo
). her coming 10 us had been three time
|. fixed and is often postponed, l made W
:! my mind not to expect her until I saw
her. Consequently I had dismissed al
Q thoughts of her from my mind.
i l was sitting at my sewing one morn
e ing, when Jane came up to tell me tina
a lady was in the parlor, who declined
I to send up her name. '''.
h IAN agent, no Doubt said. I"
: : wish you had asked her business, Jane
J. But no matter; l must go down soon, t
|. shut up Bijou, in any case"
Of So Isewed on TRANQUILITY until I ha
n finished the piece of work on which
is was engaged, and then ran down stairs
hummingJ q blithe little tune as I wen
he I never finished that tune, though; fc
,ir the first thing my eyes fell upon in th
Va hall was Aunt Clarioe. Yes, Aunt Cla
20 ice, sitting demurely in the hall chat
he but with no very demure expression VI
on her face. On the contrary, it was
"a much agitated and dishevelled Aul
AZ Clarice upon whom I looked-an Aul
y, Clarice who appeared equally divide
en- between tears and Indignation, and wi
nd met my astonished gaze with one full
II wtathful meaning. 80 @l"', 49, ~
rlv ."Dear Aunt Clarice!" cried. xvi
nd ever dreamed Of seeing you to.da,
mt Why in the world didn't you 90 into Il
lat parlor, even if Jane hadn't sense enou{
,as to take you there? That girls blunde
Eat are really beyond anything" w
in. "Don't scold the GIRL" said aAu
rue Clarice, grimly; "it's not her fau
lin She took me in there fast enough; but
II people will turn their parfors into me
MT. ageries, they can hardly expect TIL
,p., friends to stay in them" GIg
"Menageries! Dear Aunt Clarice
I cried, II never thought you Won
the mind poor Bijou too. You're as bad
hat Uncle Philip" = a. .auaat' = a
Aunt Clarice turned slightly red. g
ed that's your idea of abyou," she 50
ne. II have noImore to says" and she
gan to gather up her belongings as if
lou meditated instant flight. 80 :
90. "But, dear Aunt Clarice," cri,
ali "don't be so ftightened!, I was j
lcle, going to shut him up, for he has be
dy, out quite long enough (!1 should thi
as so," said Aunt Clarice). "But l me-
h a knew that you minded birds so mucl
lcle 8, Birds!" said Aunt Clarice, with
" indescribable information. s'But l.
mo. mind birds very lmuch-such birds
lar this : birds that walk on four legs, 8
heir, wag their tails, and make grabs at y
An. ankles" at
hey "Aunt Clarice,"l cried, Tits d
,nly that you mean-Jack's great, hor
the dog. Do you mean to say that he j.
the parlorp Oh dear! what shall I
ope- Jack says that there is no harm in h