Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-02-07
Flaces for any small objects he hap

Flaces for any small objects he hap
pened to come across.
In one of the cellars there was an
open cupboard devoted to emptybottles,
and various odds-and-ends of crockery
that were not good enough to be of any
use, but too good to throw away.
When all other sources of amusement
palled upon him, he sought this epot
with ever new delight. He arranged
and rearranged the pepper-boxes and
teacups and salt-cellars, croaking
softly to himself as he ratified back
and forth. stopping now and then to
view the effect with an air of great
satisfaction.
He was passionately fond of play
ing in the water, and it did not take
him long to find out where we went
for it: He would fly up into the sink
twenty times day. where he always
found basin of water standing. After
walking back and forth through it for
few minutes, he invariably gathered
up all the small objects within easy
reach, and commenced washing them.
For instance, he took the comb in
his bill, and splashed it around in the
water. Then he carried it to the edge
OF the sink, looked it all over very
carefully, and if it was not clean
enough to suit him he carried it back,
and washed it again. If he thought it
would do. he dropped it over the edge
of the sink, and began on something
else.
Like every gentleman of refined
tastes, he kept himself scrupulously
clean. If he had a chance, he took a
thorough-going bath several times a
day, holding his head under water and
giving his neck and ears a rubbing
with his foot, a thing 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 dainty feeder, too. 1t
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
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 .'Y-e-o-u-wr'
''Some one is killing the cat!" I
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. though?''
took the joke with great enjoy
ment over his cleverness, and went
back to my work. In few minutes
I might have thought Jacks room
held small menagerie. There was
the spiteful bOw-wOw-wow of small
dog who is being tormented, the neigh
ing of a horse, the Growing of a rooster,
the clucking of hens and the mewing
of cats, interspersed with explosive
sounds, like the pulling of corks, all
ending up with a derisive ha! ha! ha!
was speechless 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, III a
wheedling, coaxing voice: ''Come on,
Jack! come on, Jack! Come on here!"
There" thought /, ''some boy is
trying to get him out through the win
dow! just as / expected" 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-
ent.
The rest of the family were incredu-
lous when I told them what I had
heard. and made some general re-
marks about the power of imagina-
ton; but before long we all of us had
our ears tickled with a good many Of
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 it's 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 practiced only a
part of his repertoire. He would bark
for fifteen Or twenty minutes, until he
was so hoarse be could hardly speak.
Or would hear him rafting around
among his bottles, pulling cOrks"
and saying. ''Come on. Jack! come on,
Jack!" with great variety of infiec-
tons 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