The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1889-02-08

OF the sink, and began on something
else.
Like every gentleman OF refined
tastes, he kept himself scrupulously
clean. II he had q chance, he took
thorough-gOing bath several times a
day, holding his head under water and
giving his neck and ears a rubbing
with his foot, q thing I never saw any
other bird do. As he dried himself in
the sun, every glossy feather was laid
in its place, and HIS toe-nails were,
one by one, carefully cleaned.
Jack was q dainty feeder, too. It
seemed almost a miracle that he was
so strong and active, he ate so little.
He was very fond OF fresh meat. but
took only a small mOrsel at a time,
holding it in his claws, and eating it in
the most delicate fragments.
Jack had been in the house about a
week. was in an adjoining room on
some house-keeper's errand. when I
heard an agonized 'sY-e-o-u-w!"
/. "SOme one is killing the cat!" l
cried, and rushed to the rescue. There
was no one to be seen but Jack, stand
ing on one leg on high shelf, pulling
his white eyelids over his eyes in a
drOll way he had, saying plainly
enough: Didn't fool you, thought"
took the joke with great enjoy
ment over his cleverness, and went
back to my work. In q few minutes
/ might have thought Jacks room
held a small menagerie. There was
the spiteful bow-wOw-wOw of a small
dog who Is being tormented, the neigh
ing OF a horse, the Growing OF a rooster,
the clucl1ing OF hens and the mewing
of cats, interspersed with explosive
sounds, like the pulling Of corks, all
ending up with derisive ha! ha! ha!
was speeches. with delight and
amazement at such an unexpected
show OF talent, and stood in silence by
the door waiting for the next. Moth
ing more was heard. After two or
three minutes some one said, in a
wheedling, eoaxing voice: Come on,
Jack! come on, Jack! Come on here!"
There" thought I, 'sOme boy is
trying to get him out through the win
dow! just as / expectedr' and tip
tOed to the door and opened it sudden
ly, to take the culprit IN his guilt
No one there but Jack. sitting on
the shelf looking solemn and indiffer-
emit
The rest OF the family were incredu-
lOus when / told them what l had
heard, and made some general re-
marks about the power of imagina-
tion; but before long we all of us had
our ears tickled with a good many OF
these funny rehearsals. But we had
to take our pleasure on the sly, for as
soon as Jack knew any one was listen
ing to him, he was silent. He had one
of those rare natures which delight in
art for its own sake, and not because
of the public admiration which it ex-
cites.
When he intended to give his full
programme. he usually began with a
loud screech. which was a signal for
every one who was within hearing to
come to the basement stairs and listen.
But frequently he praeticed only a
part of his repertoire. He would bark
for fifteen or twenty minutes, until he
was so hoarse he could hardly speak.
Or / would hear him rafting around
among his bottles, pulling corks"
and saying, Come on. Jack! come on,
JaclEi" with great variety of inhec-
| lions and emphases-
As time went on, Jacks Unborn love
OF mischief made us a great deal OF
trouble, though it never for a moment
| lost its charm.
It was no longer safe to leave any
small object lying about. for Jack was
sure to pick it up slyly, and lay it
away so carefully that no one was
likely to see 1t again.
! Yet he had his preferences even in
thieving. He was specially fond OF
snatching lead-pencils. The first thing
he did was to snap off the point, and
then. with two strokes of his power
full bill. he would split it in two. He
was always seolded for this. but ii
made no Impression upon him.
He would give few harsh crOaks,
and walk of with an impudent fiirt Of
his tail; for IL he was thoroughly con-
WINGED OF any thing. it was that men
were an inferior race, existing for the
sole purpose of keeping things com
Portable for crows.
When the spring opened, we turned
him out OF doors, and his happiness
was complete. He chose large pine
tree near the house for his abode, and
though he wandered all over the yard
this was his place OF refuge. his re-
hearsal hall. his chamber OF sleep and
meditation.
He went wild with glee on the first
sunshiny days. hanging down from 8
swRyed up and down, and filled the air
with his barking, mewing, neighing
and laughing.
| Rainy days were a special delight tC
him. He went trailing through the
wet grass. shaking his feathers and
croaking to himself. splashing in the
| tub set under the wood-bouse caves
until he was wet to the skin.
Sometimes when went out to call
on him he was nowhere to be found.
chirped and whistled and called, but
no Jack. just as / was well out o.
sight on my way back to the house, he
would scream out, probably from the
top Of the tree: Come on Jack! Come
on, Jackl Come on, here! Ha-ha-
ha-a!n
But usually he was delighted to see
me. and was ready for a game, for he
was q very sociable bird. His favorite
game was Catch" He challenged
me by picking up pieces of sticks and
stones and tossing them about.
II said; IAN right, Jack, catch it,
he stood of fifteen or twenty feet and
caught in his bill any thing threw tC
/ h im-pebbles, sticks, kernels of corr