Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-19
POLLY'S CHRISTMAS.
How COlOred Family Enjoyed the
Day.
By j. III. SWAIN.
Author of .'studies in Crayon." etc.

You would never have believed that
Polly Pipps could have been so bad on
Christmas morning. For the first time
in her life, perhaps, they forget to call
her to breakfast. and there she was in
her cage, all covered over with a thick
shawl, listening to Dan and May talking
of what Santa Claus had brought them
and thinking to herself of how cold the
coffee and cakes would be unless some
one remembered her. She had called
"Hello, hello!" several times without
attracting attention and, by and by, as
no one came, "Where's Polly, where's
Polly?' in very mourntul voice, which
stood no chance at all OF being
heard above all the merry clatter
in the dining room. 1 think
Polly shed a few tears IN the dark,
and when she found they did not help her,
then resolved coOlly and deliberately to
be as naughty as possible. When Sally,
the servant, began to clear away the
breakfast dishes. she noticed Polly's sau-
Ger and napkin lying unused near Mrs.
Pipps' plate, where Polly always stood to
dine, for she was well-behaved parrot
and possessed better table manners than
many children do. "An' to think l should
forget her on such a blessed morning."
cried Sally, Fastening to the cage and
bringing Polly into the dining room, with
many plying words.
Polly liked to be pitied, and she liked
above all things to pity herself; so she
commenced in very sad tone to say:
Poor Polly! Poor POllyl On Polly, poor
Polly" while Sally prepared her dish of
bread and coffee. II Sallie thought Polly
would eat bread for breakfast after she
had smelled the pancakes frying she was
greatly mistaken. No sooner had she lett
the room than Po1ly with a knowing look
walked right over the dishes, across the
table to the butter dish, in which was q
lovely golden pineapple Of butter with
which Sallie intended to grace her dinner
table. How Polly did love butter. SO she
stood chopplng the pretty mold, until
sally, returning from the kitchen, spied
her at It, and with an angry hand restored
her to her cage. Polly did not exhibit any
signs OF peniteuce, for she laughed so
heartily a the top Of her voice that Mrs.
Pipps came into the Kitchen to see what
amused sally. 'lDdeed, and it's Polly,
mum. l amt feeling much like lauRhiu'
with the lovely pineapple all spoiled"
said sally, explaining the birds msdeeds.
"Uh, dearl Bad Pollyl" cried Mrs. Pipps,
shaking her finger and looking very mucn
displeased. "B." SAID Polly, cooking her
head. "A"-''D'-"Bad, bad Polly"
Yes" said her mistress, who could not
help laughing at Polly's droll spelling
which she had taught herself. "Yes,
Polly, YOU are bad, when you should be
good to-day, OF all DAYS in the year."
"Hip-hip-hurrahl' screamed Polly,
very hoarsely, as Mrs. Pipps finished her
little speech, and opening the cage door
invited her to perch upon her finger. But
Polly was deter Id ined not to be good, and
instead OF going to her kind mistress, as
she usually did, she actually tried to bite
the soft white finger held out 10 her.
"Ba.tha-tha," laughed Polly as Mrs.
Pipps closed the Gaze door in dismay, and
"Rats!" "Rats !" "Ratsw continued the
bird, ruflling her green and yellow feath-
ers about her like porcupine and look
ing very wicked. "Sally, you must not
allow Irving to talk to Polly, for she has
not forgotten that naughty word he
taught her yet" ventured Mrs. Pipps,
after recovering from her surprise.
"Ies, mum, l believe that little niger
fills her with devilmeut, ] do. Polly
never acted so before"
Irving, the ''little niger" referred to-,
was chore boy at the Pipps house,
His mother. Mrs. Dennler, was a widow
living in tumble down shanty in Bagdad.
and possessed OF eight children, the eldest
OF them being Irving, who was barely
past II, but was almost father TO the fam
lily. All his earnings were used for pro-
vision, and hear IL was Christmastide and
he had nothing left to buy presents with.
sit makes me feel bad nanny to see all
dey's gettin' up TO de Plpps house fur dem
chilFen, and TO tink ours isn't gwine TO
heve nottln."