The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-09-25

dish y dish and singing snatches Of song.
Whenever W moved about the room ho
retired % the top Of some picture frame
and Watched I'll Ne did. and Whenever he
medo up hfs mind that there was no harm
N what Ne were doing he would sing - II
g cay. That's I'll right; / an quite
happy"
The hrst night he roasted on the open
door OF little new cage that We he'd
purchased for him. bat the second night
b went inside Of his own accord. and q
W never closed the door he went in and
ont Of his pleasure in order to eat or sleep.
Very fond was he of bathing and never
sattsfied until drenched 10 the skin. He
thsn prevented most forlorn appearance,
with his vet clothes hanging about him;
but with constant bathing. good food and
care he soon improved in appearance and
regained his tail which. during his CAPTIVE
lty, he had entirely lost The first morn
INK altar his arrival he Was quite concerned
while We were attending to the small birds,
lest We should hurt them. He exhibited
great deal Of impatience, 6ew from picture
to picture and scolded, bending his BODY
up and down, in great indignation, but
when We had finished and he saw that the
birds were quite happy, he burst out into
loud song. showing his appreciation.
Whenever my husband came in with
parcels under his arm Bobby flor that is
what We called him) was delighted. He
would 6y to each parcel and sing to it, and
sometimes pick at the paper to see il there
were any meal worms or . bit of cheese, Is
sometimes happened, among the things.
We fastened, ct Christmas, q sprig Of
holly At the head Of our bed, and Bobby,
thinking 1t was meant for him, would wait
until Ne were asleep and then come and
perch upon it and sleep soundly himself
al night His confidence in as was COM
plets. After he had once gone to roost Ne
could move about - We pleased--he would
not stir. But Bobiny Was not content to
watch over the other birds and scold N
Whenever he thought We disturbed them
unnecessarily; hs took upon himself still
other and greater cares and obligations.
After he had been with rs : fortnight or
SO, he made up his mind that he knew all
our ways and habits, and il anything un
usual occurred he made great fuss about
It Especially was he angry II anything
kept Nc up later than usual, and regularly
= 10 O'Clock he would begin 10 scold, nor
would he cease until We were safe in bed
and the lights turned down. then he would
wait the usual time until We we're quiet
before he took his place for the night.
Bobby was evidently . bachelor. do
not think he had ever had . spouse. At
all events he was very selfish. On one oc-
casion some ono made MS present of two
robins. too young to feed themselves,
who. when they saw Bobby, followed him
oil about the room with bills wide open,
squeaking. and with wings all a-tremble.
MA VRyaan<1 . v~S<kr ~ nsn t~k
upon the door, and sat down to watch the
result, thinking our bird would make the
attempt. ct least to feed the poor little
orphans But Bobby ate up the worms,
one after the other, without seeming to
have the least fatherly instinct to divide
with the infants, and we had Just made up
our minds that he did not know better,
when l0i In the bottom Of the Jar lay
dead. dark-colored worm. stiff - needle
and hard a. bone. This Bobby now car
ried tziumphantIy in his bill and offered it
to the baby robins, but. alas. they could not
eat It. and the next morning they were both
dead.
Do not dislike Bobby for this He was,
after all. only bird; and Notwithstanding
his selfishness he was very charming and
attractive creature. When he stood before
the mirror, making love to his own image
in the glass, putting out all his feathers.
throwing back his little round head, sing
ing with all his might. as il his very soul
were in his song. you would have loved
him. When he came and perched on your
newspaper and began to sing while you
were reading, or If he few from the fur
thest corner Of the room to take meal
worm from your fingers, you would have
loved him. When he moped and was jeal-
Gus OF some other bird that you had talked
to. and hid away back in some corner, or
as If despising himself went and roasted
down on the rung of chair. quite out of
sight, you would have loved him. When
you put him into an aviary with other
birds and saw him stand apart, silent and
proud, you would have esteemed him, and
when he finally caught cold and died you
would have mourned for him. as we did,
and hoped TO meet him in better world,
the same dear, loving, egotistical. jealous
darling. with all his faults, just - you
knew him here.
There IL nothing left Of Bobby but his
wing and the memory of his acts and
words. He did not speak our language as
the parrot does. it is true, but he said just
~ plain ~ words can say, II love you. and
know You will love me. will not let you
love any other bird but me. yet want you
to be kind to all birds. Do be more regu-
lar In your habits; you see by my example
how regular and methodical am; have
certain hours for sleeping, certain hours for
singing. for bathing and dressing and love-
making. Do as do and shall be quite
satisfied with you." This was about what
Bobby used to say until he caught cold
and became i'll.
He learned to obey, to 60 to his cage
when told, and by wave of the hand he
would take the hint that you wanted him
to 20 from the room he was in TO the next
one. The morning he died he had perched
upon picture near the fire. 1t was raw
day, but as the little maid had come to
clean the room. ordered Bobby into the
cage with the other birds. The cage was
of immense size and we called it an aviary.
Ii was placed outside the window on q
balcony, and when the window was opened
the birds had access to the room; most of
them, however, preterring to remain
among the plants in the aviary, where
they could hide away and sing.
All the birds were very happy in the
avairy, except the robin. He never cared
to be among the other birds, and on this
especial morning I had to speak quite
harshly to him in order to get him to obey
me when waved my hand toward the
avairy. saying. "Bobiny, 60 in your cagef'
At last he obeyed me, although noticed
that he looked gloomy, and when theroom
had been put in order. and / went to the
window tn let him out there he was not