Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-08-16
AN .UNREGENFRATE POLLY.
IL Does Nothing But Swear and Will Not
Learn G00dlWOrdS.

It Does Nothing But Swear and Will Not
Learn Go0dlWOrdS.
'That's the wickedest polly in New
York" said the keeper of a Bowary ORD
store to a New York World reporter,
meanwhile pointing to an old gray parrot
that was sitting IL his cage with his head
cooked on one side listening. He blink
ed his eyes knowingly, and gave the harsh
shrek of his kirk in evident approval
and complete satisfaction of his wicked
ness. 81 bought him in a saloon on State
street in Chicago and [ can't sell him.
You see he don't do any thing but sWea -
As if to sustain his reputation the parrot
burst forth into torrent of the most
vigorous oaths. Then he relapsed into
profound silence holding his head on one
side as II waiting for applause.
81 sold him to a Sixth avenue bar
keeper on condition that he could return
him in week if he did not like him. The
parrot came back next day. JIM call
him swearing Jim-aidn't like the place,
so he sat up all day long damning the
lunch, the whiskey and the barkeeper
He swore at the customers, and kept up
such a storm of oaths that it scared out
all the customers out of the house. Next
[ sold him on trial to a gambler who was
running q poker room down town. The
gambler sat in the game himself that
night and hung Jim's cage up behind
him. The rattle of the chips annoyed
Jim, keeping him from sleep. and the
gambler says he never stopped swearing
all night. When Jim gets very mad be
says: "Blast your hearth He kept
screeching that out every minute that
night and between times got IN his regu
oaths. The gambler got ratified and lost
$500. He brought Jim back and said he
wouldn't take him as a gift. haven't
sold him again."
During the recital of this story Jim
kept nodding his gray old head and blink
ing his wicked eyes III perfect confrma
t1on. When his owner ceased talking
jim made some rem srks in a general way
about his soul and its probable destina
ton, and then became silent save an oc-
casional nOarse screech.
81 believe he's Cnlucky," the man went
on, and I'm getting afraid of him.
believe sometimes that he is devil. He
never says good word and l can never
teach him one. But let anyone use q
strange oath in his presence and he cocks
up his head and fires it back at him. A
Spaniard was in here yesterday, and
swore at Jim in Spanish. His old eyes
lighted up, ana he seemed to know he was
hearing some strange, new wickedness.
He just rolled it around in his mouth and
kept repeating it again and again. He
was happy all day. He was happy all
day, and whenever anybody came in, he
would especially delight to swear at them
with his new oath. He likes to startie
ladies. Last week a lady got out of her
carriage and came in to look at some
canarIes. When ladies come in l always
take Jim out, but this morning 1 forgo.
it. When the ladies were looking at the
canaries l suddenly heard a voliey of
oaths and l looked around. There was
Jim looking like devil, his neck stretch
ed out and his eyes swapping, swearing
his very worst. He knew the lady would
be frightened, and so she was. She ran
out of the shop and Jim swore till the
carriage drove away. My wife is a
church worker and her pastor comes here
to visit very frequently. The sight of a
preacher sets Jim crazy. He almost
frothes at the mouth. We have to hide
him when the preacher comes"