The Penn's Grove record., 1889-01-19
THE PARROT.

John Waller carefully timed his muir
derous visit to Daniel Jaggard's bung-
allow. Jaggard's negro. Quash, was
out of the way, picking oranges for the
market, from the grove by the river
side. There was no living creature
within half a mile Of them when he
stepped into the room where Jaggard
was sitting writing. A parrot did
not count of course. The bird wa in
a large cage in one corner of the room,
while Jaggard's table was by the win
dow fronting the pine forest.
'.You, Johnl'' exclaimed Jaggard,
laying down his pen. "Well, Pm glad
to sec you. Sit down."
"No." said Waller. "Reckon it's
not pleasure I'm here for; it's down.
right business. Once for all, will you
leave Sybil Macdonald to mey It's an
old tale by this time, and Pm not going
through il again. Before you came
she cottoned TO me, and no other man.
I'm mad on her. But It's different
since"
"My good man"
"None o. that-yes or nor"
"No."
"Then. by thunder, your last minute
has come, J%aggard."
They were both strong men at the
strongest, but Jaggard was taken una.
wares. Walters bowie vas In him to
the hilt before he could stand up. With
. sob of pain he sidled heavily TO the
ground. The stab was mortal lie
groaned, writhed, tried to lift himself
on his elbows. gasped out "John did
It'll" and died. Waller, who had mar
rowly watched the whole scene, shrug.
ged his shoulders, wiped his knife upon
his victims clothes, and left the house.
During the progress of this tragedy
the parrot had stood at attention, with
its head on one side. Only by an occa.
slonal quick, movement of Its
long tail did it show sign of life. But
when Waller had left the room and
stealthily glided into the pine woods
adjacent TO the house, then, with erect
head and a grand air, the bird mlmick-
ed the gruesome spectacle from begin
ming to end. 1t gave the various in
donations of the two men In their brief
Interchange of speech, and finished
with a wondrous mockery of the dying
efforts Of its master. This done, the
bird stalked to a piece of meat at M
end of its cage and dined to its content
ment.
Now, when this sad occurrence came
to be discussed, it seemed clear to every
one that Quash, the negro. had muir
dered his master. WhLJmore obvious?
Quash was a peculiar man, even for a
darkey. His emotion over Jaggard's
body was pronounced exaggerated. il
was indeed the sublime of black cum
ming. They carried him off to the pr
son house Of Waterville, and put his
very tears and wailing about the gooC:
ness of the man who vas dead in the
balance against him. There wa talk
about lynchiDg him. But that the city
marshal took pains to prevent. The
city marshal had a long white beard
and a broad brow. He was the Nestor
of Hernado county, and he said that it
was possible Quash was not the culprit.
This ~oracular ruling saved the negro.
Among all the orange growers round
Waterville, none we're more interested
in the murder than Mrs. Macdonald
and her daughter Sybil. They had
emigrated from England in 1884. Mrs.
Macdonald was a masterful woman.
Sybil was nineteen, with purpled eyes,
beautiful to look upon. notwithstand-
ing the swart complexion she owed to
the Florida sun. 1t WAS these purpled
eyes that had fascinated Waller. By
and-by when Jaggard arrived and took
land in the neighborhool, he also sacri-
feed to them. Sybil respected Waller
rs a shrewd, steady worker, sure of II
C Impotence in a few years. Jaggard