The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1886-07-17

though he talked we'll and learned very
easily, yet he was not faVorite, like
his gentle comrade. As soon rs he ar
rived, Johns father gave orders that
the two birds were never to be Let out
of their cages at the same time. When
Jocko took his airing, Polly King must
stay behind the bars; and when Polly
King was out for walk, Jocko must
be prisoner.
The two cages hung in the dining.
room, and sometimes it was very funny
to hear the birds talk. They seemed
to enjoy each other greatly, and each
learned something from the other. One
day John stood outside the door-for
they talked best when alone-and
heard his bird sing the first lines OF
the favorite song: pretty pretty
Polly-Hop-kins, How do you do-oo
how do you-doP"
To which, with great care, as if the
lesson were rather new, Polly King
sang in reply the next two lines:
II am pretty WE'LL thank-you-
How are you-oO-how are-youP"
Then Jocko said, as had often been
said to him:
kiss me, Polly, pretty POLL"
And the other bird replied with the
funny cork-drawing noise that he had
learned from Jocko, and which was
called in the family kiss.
1t was all very amusing, and John
laughed, heartily. Suddenly he clapped
his hands together and said:
Il wonder if those birds would real
ly kiss each other if | let them out to-
gether on the tabler'
Then he remembered that papa had
forbidden that, and his face fell
But the little tcmpter who is not far
away from us when we want to have
our own way whispered in his ear:
your father won't care. He
thought they would hurt each other,
and you see they are the best of
friends"
"Of course they arer' answered
John, out loud. That's just what
papa meant, and now, as long as L
know they won't hurt each other, he
will not care" And, without stopping
to let his conscience answer, he walked
into the room, took down the cages
from their hooks, set them on the big
table, and opened each wire door.
For few moments neither bird
seemed inclined to take a walk, but
after little they swung themselves
down by their beaks, stepped out, and
began to side toward each other.
John was delighted. "Oh, good"
he shouted. 'Fhey are going to t:ss
each othern'
But, alas! there came sudden whir
of wings, and Polly King darted at
poor JOcko like little fury. Their
beaks met in the "kiss' for which
John had been so anxious, and the
next instant Jocko stood as if stunned,
with the blood dripping from his
tongue. Polly had bitten it almost
through, and now stood with raised
crest and fluttering wings, as if trying
to say: "Ict me do it again."
John was dreadfully frightened, but,
at the risk of bite, he seized his
grandmother bird and put him back
in the cage; then turned to poor Jocko,
who was now screaming with pain,
and fairly dancing on the table.
By this time mamma had heard the
noise, and ran downstairs to see what
it all meant.
"Get a glass Of water, john" she
said at once, and John went sorry and
ashamed at tine result of his disobedi-
ence.
When the water was brought, Jocko
put his bleeding tongue IN 1t and held
it there until the blood had ceased to
drip from it.
GAS sinsible as a Christian, mum"
said the cook, who stood in the door
way, watching him.
Then he submitted to be put back in
his cage, and what do you think he did
to cure his wound2 He plucked out of
his own breast the soft little down that
grows underneath the feathers, and
fairly plastered his tongue with it, and
for three days he sat very still and quiet
on his perch, eating nothing, but
drinking a good deal, as if he were
feverish. His tongue was swollen, and
hung from his beak. but he kept it con-
stantly covered with down, which acted
as lint would on a wounded man. Who
do you think taught him that secret?
We allfeared he would die, and John,
who had confessed his own part in the.
little tragedy TO his father, was pun
ished enough at the thought of losing
his pet through his wrong-doing.
But JockO did not die. He got well,
and we called him DIR Jocko." and
laughed at his treating his own case so,
successfully
/ The lesson was good one for John.
and as for Polly King, he was never
let OUT of his cage again during the
visit, and think he felt he was in dis
grace, and did not like his punishment
-- Gene Il. Underwood, IN Christian
UntO2.