The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1886-02-12
BANTAM BOB.
The Story of a Little, Handsome and
Piucky Bird-His Ignoble End.

BAN AM DUB.
The Story of Little, Handsome and
Piucky Bird-His Ignoble End.
Bantam Bob was little. He did not
know it. At least he did not seem to
know it. He held up his head and
strutted in his gait as loftily as though
he were the tallest of the Shanghais!
Little dwarf! hardly larger than
robin, his weight less than one pound.
Little. but so plucky.
1t is said of his variety of birds:
''They are more courageous and pug
naeious than gamecocks five times
their weight and size-a beautiful ex-
| ample of great soul in a little body
Bob was a living witness of the truth
of this description seventeen times
day. Did he not attack, rout and put
| to flight every beast, every man,
woman and child-the owners, Frank,
Elmor and Carrie Marsh excepted
that crossed his pathp Yes, OF course
he did.
Bob was handsome. He knew it.
At least he seemed to know it. In the
adjoining dooryard was a vain pea
cock, the green and black of whose
back and wings, the blue of whose
neck, the brown, green and gold and
violet of whose tail made beautiful
! play of colors in the shifting sunlight.
Bob was every whit as vain as the
peacock, else he never would have We'd
with or aped him so. If the peacock
pronlenaded along the top of the board
fence with a naughty air, trying to daz-
zle peoples eyes with his lustrous
spleldor, Bob would strut up and down
the gravel walk with an air just as
naughty and twice as ridiculous.
He seemed to say: ..Look at the
coarse monster. His features are the
cofors of the rainbow. My feathers
are every one as white as snow. am
twice as pretty as he. Hear his harsh
voice. He can't crow. l can" Then
up he would fly to the fence top and
follow right in his rivals footsteps,
growing Justify, until, tired of being
crowed over by that little midget, the
favorite would vanish, tail and all.
Bob had accomplishments. He would
stand erect upon the palm of Franks
outstretched hand, and, at the word of
command, shut both eyes, hide his
head under his wing and pretend to be
fast asleep.
The Marsh children had SO many
pets that they played menagerie with
them on Saturdays. Admittance one
cent and always full house. Frank
had mustang pony, five rabbits, a
woodchuck and coon. Elmer had a
calf, guinea pig, lamb and dog.
Carrie, who was only four years old,
had only tabby and her five kittens.
Bob was a joint possession.
These pets would have formed q
'Happy Family" had it not been fol
Bob's jealousy. If Frank caressed his
pony, if Elmer patted his, calf, or Car
rie hugged Tabby, Bob would fly into
their faces like a small fury. Then
Elmer would seize and stroke him
Frank feed him loppered milk and Car
rie call him pet names until his ruffle6
feelings were smoothed and Bobby was
himself again. The children had theil
hands full to keep peace on his ac
count. Every member of the family
had something against him. He acted
! so. Katy Kos-ta-ma-lasky, the Bohe
mian hired girl told them ''he had torn
her new ball dress made of pink mo
squito-netting, and she meant to make
: pie of him, bake it in a patty-pan ant
eat that pie herself, hateful littl
t rooster"
I Frank and Elmer did not believ,
, Katy and said so. .rYes he had," sh
said, "she was at the we'll talking will
7 John Nikota when something cam
> whack up against the back of her neck
/ She ran into the house; the doc
: slammed to; her dress was caught AM
4 dreadfully torn, just ruined
: 'There, there, you did it yourself,
: cried Frank. Elmer said: mo busi
4 ness to wear such slimsy dress.
They began quarfeling, when Carri
: said: II know what made Bob tea
. Katy's dress" "Whatp" said all thci
0 voices in concert. "Cos Bob, he wa
, jealous of Katy's beau" This witt
: remark of Carries restored harmon
t at once, and, no doubt, saved Bob
!, life.
2 Mrs. Marsh was vexed at him an
s threatened to have him beheaded be
j cause he flew ON to the kitchen tabl
: and ate the top crust off her pies. A
G this threat Carrie seized and hid hir
!, under a sieve in the woodhouse chan
I ber, feeding him, in the meantime, S
: much rich fruit-cake he came near d,
d ing of dyspepsia.
/ The music teacher both feared. an
9 hated him because he was for eve
# shocking her nerves by jumping sue
it denly upon her shoulders and fyin
n into her face Unexpectedly. He ;hate
:. her because the noise of her plan
y drowned his crows. He wished alway
: to be heard. But the children b
J friended him and saved his life many
time. Once though they thought
was all over with their favorite. Il
e had not a spark of reverence in th
n great soul of his, not an atom.
1t was saucy to the minister. Let NJ
y Marsh hear of that it would be usele
n for them to interfere.
e Perhaps Bob was angry because tn;
: solemn-faced minister so frightene
the children that they had not pete
him since his arrival. AT any rate,
= never showed more fight OF rage in h
o ltfa than when he flew at the parson,