Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-09
MICKEY AND THE MACAW.

away. There was a deserted air about the
place that told the mistress was away. The
red roses she left in the Indian bowl were
faded, and there was dust on the gay little
bisoue figure of Love that stood at the side
of the mirror. He was kissing his hands
with the same merry gesture, but no ono
could see in the dusk that four fingers OFF
each hand were gone. No one but the mncawl
he had bitten them off He had stepped
slyly into these unexplored regions and had
been having high jinks. The head of the
Spanish muieteer lay on the ground like a
gay ball
The bird stepped gingerly about, and
looked for new mischief to do. Montmor-
ency Jackson, the new waiter, had heard the
crash, and now opened the door rather tim
idly. Re was superstitious, and had no
knowledge of the ways of the strange bird.
s'Got to get dat debbil back to him roost, !"
eaic Monty 'How gwine do it, blame 4 I
kuowI"
He moved cautiously amid the gold and
white chairs, easels and fancy tables, while
the bird kept fierce eye on him
1t did not retreat; it was ready for attack
1T made q dash at his heels, crying:
"Nigger, niger, niggerF
eff you was man, I'd knock yo' down"
said Monty 'Reckon jess welt till Polly
come home She know de ways Of dat buhd
OBJ Satan better"
So Monty went out, forgetting to shut the
door carefully, and the macaw followed in a
few moments, and stepped out into garden.
Intoxicated with liberty he went farther.
The sun and the spring together made even
Shantytovn beautiful Tho fresh green
grass was toothsome TO the ninble goat that
sprang from rock to rock. Knots of white
daisies starred the emerald sod, and gold but
tons of buttercups CLEANED richly every
where, as Il some spendthrift had scattered
his wealth broadcast.
Mickey Driscolls blue eyes were dim, and
his little freckled face was very sad.
''Yis, me bye" the mother was saying
sadly, as she rubbed away in the steaming
suds, and held up one of Mickeys shirts to
see if il was white enough, ''the crathur has
TO so. know yen miss the milk av her,
but yer poor father won't do q hans turn for
a month yet, and Nan must be sold"
Nan was browsing on an old newspaper
lust then, but seemed to have an eye on the
speaker, and came nearer as though to hear
more.
'.It's the drugs does be running away wild
the money. bad cess to it,n said Mrs. Driscoll /;
s'an, the more he does be takin' the worse
he is.
''But there's places where ye can git loads
and lashin's Of medicines for nothin'," said
Mickey. with a CLEAN in his blue eyes. 81
know: / seen one t'other day--diSsipashuns I
think they calls 'em-"
'Oh, no, Mickey; that's not it, sure" said
Mrs. Driscoll, with sad smile. But how
is il that We don't lave a button on yer
shirts2n
Mother" cried Mickey, "don't sell Nan
today. Sornethin' good might be happenin'."
II WON'T said Mrs Driscou. Sure she's
loike one av the family. See her now atm
ay that old Trybune wild all the relish in the
w,rrruld. tho crathur. Shes Iarnt manners
wonderful, and niver touches the wash now,
since she swaIyed me hist white aprin; but
that was in the lasht winter, poor crathurr'
Mickey wandered out rather forlornly, for
want had crept into the poor little home and
made itself felt. Nan followed him, but
sornething came up in his throat, and choked
him when he tried to speak to her. He stood
leaning on the deserted pig pen. which had
now 10 pig in it. Hard questions surged
through his small mind. His father had
worked SO hard, and his mother did not waste
her time gossiping at the neighbors as some
did. and yet now they had scarcely enough
TO eat, and Nan, poor Nan, had TO go
I'm goin' to earn that money meself," said
Mickey, Strengthening himself and looking
flercely about him. I'm s years old"
As be spoke out loud, he heard queer
voice behind him cry shrilly, ''Shut up"
Ho started end his heart beat fest. The
words seemed to come from the inside of the
pig pen.
not sound like Patsy Hymns voice, yet he
SEARCHED the rocks for that red headed
urch;u He was hiding behind one Of them,
no doubt
ssrd loike to hit somebody" Mickey said
rs be went back to his place and leaned
against the pig pen. kicking at stone with
his coppertoed shoe.
''Oh, give US q rest, /" said the voice within
the pig pen
Mickey turned and looked. Then with a
startled cry he ran to the house.
Mother, mother" he cried, his eyes di-
lated and his hair standing up on his head,
''come quick and seel There's something
alive in the pig penn
lis it a pig, Mickey, darlin'F' cried the
poor woman, thinking perhaps miracle had
been worked for her, or that some good Sa-
msritan had been moved TO give her a pres
srIt.
"a pig with feathersl Oh, mother, an il
taIks-sure it speaks like a Christian cried
Mickey, shivering.
Tho mother hurried on breathlessly.
s.Sure it's O bugspd," she said in moment,
IAN be the token, Dim thinking Owe seen
Tho loike in show. Arrah, Mickey, NE
boy. it's a great fond nowl But lux at the
serce eye az it, and the Crane feathers.
Sure it's grandee among the burruds, an ii
has tho air CIV an inperor"
The rnscaw eyed the two people sternly. 1t
moved toward them, and they fell back
"CAl it, Mickey, agra" said the mother.
SAN what viii be afther calm It'll" asked
Mickey, taking up a stick, at which the
clacaw looked with f1e in bis eye
Thin vans l seen was parrots. but this
s. Quare an different" she said "Whin ii
talks SO ihgant, perhaps it can tell US its
ra,naH
4 scissors grinder stopped in the road just
then, and Mickey called him
SAY he cried, whats the name Of this
burTud, dun nor
The man stopped the whir OF his wheel and
went over to TIE pen.
ssDot." said he in broken English. dot vos
/. macaw. Re is wort twenty dollar We're
eou git him, ehan looking suspiciously ct the
two.
"Git oud wild yer blathersFisin,- said Mrs
Driscon. "Your cav, indadeI An how did
it come to be your cav, ye Dutch spalpeen
It's my cav"
The man looked angry and puzzled.
81 did say SO alretty," be muttered; ina
raw"
Don't be repatin' your hes" cried Mrs