The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1883-08-16


small things, which he throws out on
the floor, with always the possibility of
discovering what is still an enigma to
him, a rubber band to carry off for his
own use, as will explain further on.
The wills and the furniture under
stood, he proceeded with his studies To
the objects ON the table. A mechanical
toy interested him greatly. II moved
easily. and the wind of his wing, alight-
ing near il the first time, joggied it lit
tie He turned instantly. amazed to see
signs of life where he did not expect
them. Fora moment he stood crouched.
ready for flight if the thing should make
hostile demonstrations. Seeing il re-
main still. he touched it gently with his
bill. The toy moved. and he sprung
back. In moment. it was still, and
he tried again; and he did not leave il
till he had fully exhausted its possible
ties in the way of motion.
At another time he saw his bath-tub,
tin dish. standing upon a pitcher. He
alighted on the edge. 1t was so poised
that it shook and ratified. The bird
flew in panic to the top of a cornicc.
his usual place Of refuge, and closely
watched the pan while it Jared back
and forth several times. Apparently
seeing that il was a harmless motion.
he again flew down to the same spot;
and the rattle and shake did not drive
him away till he had seen if there was
still drop of water left for him in the
bottom of the dish.
One dav, in his travels about the
floor, he found a marble. 1t was too
large to take up in his mouth. so he
tried to stab it, as he does grape.
The first peck he gave sent i; rolling
of, and he hastily retreated to the cor
nice. When it stopped he returned and
tried it again. This time it sprang to-
ward him. He gave one great leap and
then. ashamed of his fright, stood and
waited for it to be still. Again and
again he tried to pierce the marble, till
he was satisfied that it was not practi-
cable, when he abandoned it for ever.
There is one mystery in the room
not vet penetrated. though it is a sub
iect of the deepest longing: it is my
waste-ba>ket; the contents are so varied
and so attractive He will stand on the
edge. hop all around it, and view it
from every side; but it is so deep and
narrow that he evidently does not dare
to venture further. Every day he goes
to the edge, and gazeS sadly and ear
ncStly. but is never satisfied.
This interest in my doings is always
intense, and at every fresh movement
he will come down to the corner nearest
me- if in his cage. or alight on the back
of nv desk. if out. and peer at me with
closest attention. One thing that seems
TO amaze and confound him is my APP
pearance in different dress. What
sort of a monster is this, his
manner will say. (which can change its
feathers so rapidly and so often ?'
Ii want him to 90 into his cage or
any part Of the room. | need only go
there myself and put some little thing
there. or even appear to do so; and as
soon rs leave he will rush over to see
what | have done.
Next to his curiosity is his love of
teasing. The subject furnishing oppor-
tunty for display of this quality is
a cardinal grosheak, which cannot be
coaNed to leave his cage. The latter is
the older resident and he did not re-
ceive the cat-birl very cordially. In
fact he grew cross from the day the
latter arrived. and snarled and scolded
every time he came near. The cat-bird
soon found out that his enemy never
left the care. and since then has consid-
cred the cardinal a fit subject for annoy
an"e. He will alight on the cardinal 5
cage, driving him nearly frantic; he
will stand on shelf near the cage, lock
in, AMI try to get ut tie food diSh-all
Of VIII oh i in the highest degree often
sive. and calls forth violent scolds and
screams of rage. Finally. he will steal
a grape or bit of fruit stuck between
the W res, when the cardinal will fairly
blaze with wrath. At one time the
cat-hird INDUCED in promenadcs across
the top of tn" care. until the eXaSper-
atcd res dent re,orted to severe meas
ures, and by nipping his toes succeeded
in convincing his tormentor that the
top Of his house was not public high
way.
Worse than all his other misdeeds,
however, was deliberate insult he paid
to the card nails singing. This ardent
musician was one day sitting down on
his perch. as he i fond of doing, and
singing away for dear life, when the cat
bird alightcd on the window sash, close
by the Gaze. The singer kept his eve
on him, tn. proceeded with the music
till the end of the strain, when, a. usual,
he paused. AT that inst mt the cat-bird
gave his tail one upward Jerk, "a if to
say: " Humph! | noticed the insult
ing air, but | was surprised to see that
the cardinal appreciated it also. He
began again at once. in much louder
tone, rising to his feet which he rarely
dOeS-lfting his cres, swaying back
and forth in perfect rage. glaring at
his enemy, and pouring out his usual
song in such flood of shrieks and calls
that even the calm cat-bird was dis
turbed, and discreetly retired to the OPP
pOsite window. Then the cardinal seat
ed himself again, and stopped his song,
but gave vent to his ind gnation in a
most energetic series of sharp "tsips"
for long time.
Quite different is the cat-b'r d's treat
ment of two English goldfnches. On
them he plays Jokes, and his mischiev-
Gus delight and his chuckling at their
success are plain to see. One Of them
Chip, by name-knows that when he
is in his cage, with the door shut, he is
safe, and nothing the cat-bird can do
disturbs him in the least; but the
other-Chipee-is just as flustered and
panic-stricken in her cage as out, and
the greatest pleasure of his life is to
keep her wrought up to the tiutterino