St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-03-23
"A STORY FOR CHILDREN.
The History of a Parrot.
BY HIMSELF.
1.-THE Churchman.1

| MY grandparentS lived in the hollow OF one
OF those large trees which grow on the banks
of the River Murray, in Australia. They be-
longed to the tribe of white cockatoos which
were the glory of the country. The family
increased so fast year by year that it became
necessary for grandfather to find some fresh
hollows for his descendants.
One of the very best he gave to my father,
| who was just married, saying, MY chill
dren, it is fine hollow; make there your
nest.''
The nest was hardly completed when one
day there appeared three little eggs at the
bottom of it. Father has often told me what
charming eggs they were, and l noticed
| mother never contradicted him. / was in
the shell of one, and mother covered US so
warmly, and father brought her such nice
fruits and roots and insects to eat, and took
such good care of her in every way that we
were not long in coming to light. was the
| first to break my shell, and the following day
my brother and sister made their appearance.
One lovely morning father flew away for
our breakfast, and we were all asleep, when
terrible cries behind suddenly awakened us;
mother flew by so quickly we could hardly
see her, and placed herself very firmly on
the edge of the nest, her crest bristling,
ready to defend US from a large serpent that
was very fond of young parrots, and whose
head appeared in sight of the nest. My
brother and sister, half dead from fright,
had fallen to the bottom of the nest; but
kept my head where could see all that was
to be seen. Father, having heard the cries,
soon appeard, fastening to help US, and the
next thing saw was the serpent in his beak
being carried far away.
We grew very fast and soon we were able
to leave ournest, and under our fathers care
would make little trips to the neighboring
trees and nests of our friends. One day we
saw strange thing leaning against our
tree, which mother told US was gun, and
beside it was man, who was looking at us
very sharply. Mother was very much fright
| ened, and said he was trying to find young
parrots to send to foreign countries, and
whenever we saw him, to fly away as fast as
we could, for he was even more dangerous
than the serpent / tainted, and when l re-
| turned to consciousness, was in cage
with hundsed more prisoners like myself.
| OF that long voyage l remember very little,
l was SO sick. We finally landed at Hayre,
and from there went to Paris.
| We must have been long time on the
water, for l had grown into quite large par
rot. l was sold with a lot of other birds for
the great aviary in the Garden of Acclima-
| ton. was very happy there, for was in
the midst of many beautiful birds, some with
| lovely voices, and others with beautiful
| plumage.
My joy did not last long, for the next day
an old man, great judge of parrots, bought
me and carried me home, where he put me
in room all by myself, and 1 was very
homesick and unhappy. My master, Mon
Lott toip IF l,af ha
was in constant fear would be lost or stolen,
and kept me on perch, with a chain at
tached to my feet
Monsieur Fountaine would constantly ask
me, care you happy!" ''Have you had
your breakfast, Jacquot?" Then / would
answer, certainly, have had my breakfast
l breakfast from morning until night. -
Some times l would answer him like an
echo-'Have you had your breakfast, Jak-
| quot?n That always delighted him. Again,
when did not feel like talking, would put
| my head between my claws and say, IL have
| headache, let me alone" At last the
| loneliness and inconsistencies spoiled my dis
| position; the links of the chain made my
| legs ache, and grew cross. was fed with
all kinds of dainties, and would not eat.
threw my dish on the floor "This is very
stranger said my master, she used to be so
gentle"
| One day he felt my head, and found it so
hot he sent for a celebrated doctor, who said ::
| 'Poor little fellow, he is not to blame; if you
had to pass your time perched on stick,
with your feet in chains, guess you would
not be very gay.n He concluded by unfast-
| ening my chain, and ordered my legs bathed
| in sweetened wine. Then the windows and
doors were closed, and was told I was free,
| but / must not abuse my liberty by trying to
get away LIBERTY it was a strange liberty
it was prison, though a comfortable one
| How longed for branch of a tree and a
Whit of fresh air Still, it was very pleasant
| to get ground the room, and
went from one corner to another,
| behind the curtains, under the
| sofa, on the table, where 1 found the bottle
containing the sweetened wine for my leg.
Immediately drank it up, and in few min
utes had the strangest feeling in my head.
| leaked around to find some one or some
thing to fight; not finding anything but
some billiard balls, I threw them in every
| direction with beak and claws, but was not
satisfied. On the bureau I fonnd another
bottle, and tried to drink the contents, but
my beak was too large; and then l was SO
| angry I threw it over my head onto the
HUT. anu Was Wei puuloucu, III IL was d
| bottle of ink, and 1 was covered with 1t; my
| beautiful white feathers, of which l was so
proud, were black and horrible.
When Monsieur Fountaine came into the
room and saw the dreadful condition was
in, he again sent for the doctor, and said,
'tThis is your work; what shall I doc" The
doctor quietly looked aroutd the room until
he found the empty wine bottle, and then he
said, "Ah he has been drinking all the wine,
and it has gone to his head. He will soon
90 to sleep and wake up all right"
''True, true," said Monsieur Fountaine,
81 love JacQuot; his plumage was so snowy
white; he was so beautiful. If he always re-
mains like this he has lost all value in my
eyes"
The good doctor laughed, and said he would
restore my plumage if monsieur would let
him take me out in the garden and put me
under the pump, to which monsieur agreed,
and to the garden | was carried, and what a
siege | had My master held me and the
doctor pumped the water over me. 1t took
away my breath. l struggled to get away, but
they held me too tightly for that.
The ink was all washed off, but my left
eye began to ache. suppose some of the
ink had dropped in it. In the morning it
was very much infamed. 1 rubbed it, and
soon it was as red as fire. Another visit from
the doctor, who wrote prescription. The
servant was sent to the druggists and soon
returned, his hands full of little bottles and
small pieces of folded paper. When found
that these were medicines and that 1 was to
take them, was very much troubled. How
ever, submitted, and the doctor called me
''good Jacquot."
The doctor, who was a wise as well as a
good man, treated the mind as well as the
body, and said l must have a companion.
My master said he would bring me his
dog Medon, and he Immediately went for
him. He proved to be white, curly-haired
dog and my happiness was complete, for we
iofa haoa no hacf IF fri dc