Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-06-30
BIRDS TAKEN 10 BOARD.


BIRDS TAKEN TO BOARD.
A Mail and Express reporter saw
the card and stepped inside. A
hundred canary birds were singing il
different keys. Gorgeous parrpots
were chattering and swearing. A
small sized monkey with tlaring eyes
was gyrating on the bar of big iron
cage. he was trying his best to make
mincemeat out OF glass marble.
Have you a bird you desire to
board here, sir?" said thick set Ger.
man, with big red mustache and red
hair, to the reporter. "0h, you're a
reporter, and want to find out about
my business. Just then one Of the
parrots swore a blue shrek, the mon
key fell off his perch and cried piteous
ly, while a knocking bird trilled Dem
Golden Slippers"
ITS peculiar business, this, " said
the reporter, shouting to make himself
heard above the din. Very" said
the German. The pollparrots held a
consultation and profaned in one key.
During the SUMNER" continued the
man, Il have generally 70 or 100 birds
to take care of and feed" Then the
bird and monkey began to explain the
exciting occupation ofharboring birds.
In the warm weather, when the owners
of valuable birds go to the country and
Europe, they find it unsafe to leave
their pets to the care OF servants. 1t
would not do to leave them shut up
in house alone. For these reasons,
the man went on, the birds were
brought to him, and he saw that they
had all the comforts and luxuries that
the most exaoting canary could desire.
The charges are moderate, only twenty
cents week for canaries. This allows
for small profit Of rs per cent. Own
ers furnish their own cages. They
must be of nice, bright brass, No, the
man would not have his store disfg-
.ured with wooden coops. The monkey
munched his marble. The parrots
swore IN trebles. The din was almost
deafening. One who is stone deaf might
enjoy life 10 bird store. To man
with we'll preserved ear drum, the
confusion OF sounds there is heart
rending. When the noise had sub
sided the speaker resumed his talk.
he has customers from the iashiona-
bic halls Of hurry Hill, and expects to
retire rich. The reporter thought he
might on the Is per cent plan.
What is your price for boarding
parrots2"
Forty cents week.
What do you feed them on?"
We'll, they will eat anything, from
carpet tacks to boot heels, but am
very careful and keep such food away
from them"
Some parrots, the man explained
were very dainty. He had one that
would not eat his cracker unless it
had butter on it, and the butter had
to be good, too; no oleomagarine, il
you please. 1t was observed that this
conservative bird was very distressed
looking. She had blue eye, and re.
garded the monkey ardently. The
monkey did not regard her. He
chewed his marble and was happy
This parrot, the bird fancier explained
belonged to a rich old maid who had
gone to France. She RENTED heI
forty cents regularly, and sometimes
inclosed a piece of poetry, which she
requested the man to teach the bird
The old maid would have taken Polly
to Paris, but she was afraid the Pa
risians would teach it to swear. VERY
often the bird -fancier received par
rots that did swear, and beautiful
swearers at that. He had one ono,
that belonged to a politician. Tn,
bird used such profane language tina
it had to be sent back. Every mar
that came into the store was sworI
at in the roundest terms by tn,
politicians parrot. Such a bird wa
dangerous. 1t had taught a few
oaths to the old maids parrot
and the speaker was fearful O
consequences when the lady returned
With regard to the other birds takeI
on board, the speaker said that he re
ceiyed many knocking birds. Thesr
were very hard to take care Of. HI
charged sixty cents a week for board
Ing them. They we're soft billie,
birds, and their food had to be espe
cially prepared for them. At thi
stage of the narrative the monke
had cracked two or three teeth on th
marble, but he crunched away. Still
the parrots swore.
who bears the loss if the bird
die?" why, the owners, Of course
| take the best Of care Of them, but
,, they don't live it isn't my fault" H
said that it was a common thing 70
J the boarding birds to die, especiall
: parrots. He related sad case.
{, beautiful girl left her parrot for tn
summer and when she returned in tn
! fall the bird had died, having choke
himself with a piece of hard-tack
The young girl would not be com
fOrted, and wentinto convent. Their
we're tears in the dealers eyes as b
told this story. Even the monke
looked gloomy. But still the parrot
7 profaned. The dealer went on to ga
that on another occasion a lady lei
her canary with him. She had re
ceived it from her lover, who wa
! drowned at sea shortly after present
& ing it. The canary was sickly an
G died. The lady had it stuffed an
: wears it now on her best hat. I'll
= Babel OF canaries and parrots was vel
severe at this point. The monkC
y could be heard crunchiDg his marbl
IL He had broken several other teeth.
% rs that monkey a boarder
q asked the reporter. YES" was Il
e answer, "he belongs to an actress, wi
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