The evening world., 1888-01-17

room talking with him. She was pleased
enough to see her husband, but he seemed
sulky and vexed at something or other. He
wouldn't say much to Yang. who went out
pretty soon.
Sam had brought o bag full of things up
with him from the boat. Out Of this bag he
took the sharp dagger. which he had picked
up while he was away, at some place or other.
He put 1t on o chair in his room.
"He was restless, and kept moving around.
and once or twice I saw his black eyes rest
on Mrs. Lee. and then he would move about
some more. She didn't take much notice Of
him, because he was q very quiet man, and
sometimes used to 60 for hours without say
ing anything.
Tho Poll was a bird which he had
brought pack with him from one Of his voy-
ages. He used to be very fond of the bird,
and when he was ashore took care of him
giving him his water and things to eat. He
would sit and watch it pull itself up by its
beak and then twist its head around and
squint at him with its yellow eye.
He tried to teach him some Chinese
words, but the parrot was slow, or Sam
didn't repeat them often enough. Anyway
Poll didn't learn any Of them. Nellie, she
didn't take to the bird and used to call 1t
names.
II was sitting in the room in the forenoon.
Sam had been watching the bird. All at
once the bird stuck his head forward and
said Yang likee Nellie. Ha, ha, hal
This was the first time the parrot had
ever said these words. though he had learned
to initiate O laugh. and often used to give it
out in q harsh, rough way, as If he were
making fun of q fellow.
Yang Fon was q nice, pleasant fellow and
used to like to talk with Nellie. He didn't
talk much, but he used to say : Yang likee
Nellie,' and Nellie would laugh at him and
tell him he was o goose.
"The parrot had picked up the phrase
from Yang, but this was the first time he had
ever used it. When Sam heard it and the
laugh that came after it, and sounded so
much like making fun Of him, he sprang up
from his chair, ran into his room and caught
hold of the dagger. He came back, opened
the birds cage and held up his hand. Poll
was used to his f%ooling with it and stuck
forward his head slowly to catch hold of his
finger. Sam caught him by the neck, jerked
him out of the cage, and with O stroke of the
dagger cut its head clean off and flung it into
the room where Nellie was at work wettine
down some linen.
1t sort Of frightened her, I guess. to sec
how savagely her husband treated the bird.
I don't know whether she noticed what the
what did you do that forp Served the old
thing right, though
Sam was more fdgety than before aftel
this. He took the dagger back into his room
wiped 1t and stuck it in an inside belt that he
wore, so that it was over his hip. Then h.
came out and kicked the bird over towards
the stove.
~ didn't like the way he went around NUT
tering to himself, and I told Nellie I wa,
going out, and wouldn't be back befor,
evening. She said All right Chin and
went.
when I came back to Cherry street about
What's the matter with Johnp He's beer
around pretty cross, and has been filing VI
at the saloons.' So Sam was probably wors,
than ever when he went home.
a. said I didn't know. Guessed he wa
feeling out Of sorts. l concluded I wouldn'
go into the house until it was time for me t.
go to bed, because 1 didn't want to see hin
carrying IN like that, and I didn't like tn,
way he had cut POLLS head of. He looked
SO savage while he was doing it. So 1 wen
with some of the other boys around to a stor,
on the street.
II saw Yang .Fon going into the house
soon after l got back. He was latel
than usual. l told him to look out fol
Sam, and told him what he had done to tn,
parrot and the kind of dagger he had. Yanl
laughed and said he wasn't afraid Of his do
ing anything bad-that he was o quiet fellow
Then he went upstairs.
~ waited down some time longer. I saw
the lamp lit, and that seemed as If thing,
were going all right. Nellie used to com,
out on the sidewalk sometimes in the even
ing. But the first night after Sam gettip:
home she may not have cared to leave hin
and go away.
About ten minutes after 9 I concluded Il
go mp. Yang n l slept in thereon wher,
Nellie did her washing during the day. w,
had our meals in the front room and the room
next to that was Sans and his wife's.
~ walked up the stairs slowly and had go
to the landing. When I turned to go up tn
last five steps l stopped q moment to look int,
the room.
Nellie was sitting at the table and Yam
was next to her. Sam was not In sight. Thei
backs were to the other room. While I wa
looking and thinking l had:been a fool to &c
scared, as Sam had probably turned In an,
was sleepingal the soundsr for the liquor b