The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-07-03
Whit! Eagle
A CANARY WITH TALENT
HE GREW UP AMONG FOUR GOOD
NATUREO BACHELORS.

he Could Sing and They Taught Him
Many Airs-Each Man Became At
tsohed to the Bird, and When They
Disagreed One of Them Stole Him.
In gilded cage in the top fiat of a
big house in East Sixteenth street is a
little ball of yellow feathers that's cared
for as tenderly as any baby in the land.
1t is onlya very tiny canary bird, with
the unpretentious name of Dick, but in
spite of its size and its name it is the
master of great wealth of music.
Dick never knew the pleasures of lib
erty, having been born of captive pa
rents in another gilded cage in another
big fat farther up town. Up to the
time when he was months old he
never did anything that was worthy of
moved from the parental cage and pri-
vate cage was bought for him, and he
was sent down town under the charge
of harum scarum boy as a present to
four young men who lived in fat IN
Ninth street.
He was accepted as a matter of cour-
tesy, and the cage which imprisoned him
was hung on a string in a rear window,
and the servant was instructed to feed
him whenever it became necessary. The
young men were free and easy, and it
was their habit TO lean out of this win
dow in their idle moments and whistle
at Blind Tom, who used TO exercise on
the rear piazza of a house on Eighth
street, and at other times to whistle at
the neighbors' daughters in the nearby
buildings.
Blind Tom responded with a whirl-
wind of music on the piano, and the
nGighbors' daughters frequently showed
their appreciation Of the attention be-
slowed on them by the young men by
singing. One of the young men occa-
sionally played on a tin flute, while an
other whistled an accompaniment.
DICK BEGINS TO SING.
Nobody paid any attention to Dick
until one morning when the sun shone
on him, making his yellow feathers glow
like FURNISHED lump Of gold, he trilled
a bar or two sweet enough to attract the
young mems attention. One of them
whistled, and he instantly caught the
refrain and turned it promptly. Moth
ing more was needed to make him a
great favorite, and one of the young men
poked a finger at him playfully. Dick
did not fiutter away in fear, but hoped
toward the finger, and with outstretched
wings, picked at it fercely, and at the
same time pecked his way into the hearts
of all the occupants of the fat.
After that incident it was a wonder
that Dicks health and morals were not
ruined, for the young men insisted
on feeding him all sorts of stuff and
whistled all the vulgar airs Of the day.
But no matter what kind of food was
offered to him, he ate it promptly and
seemed to thrive, and no matter how
vulgar the air that was whistled, he re-
peated it with a sweetness and clearness
that would have filed the authors soul
with delight.
One morning the door of Dicks cage
was opened, and he came out and looked
about him with a great expression Of
wonder in his little bead like eyes. Then
be piped forth few low strains, flew to
the table, and began TO peck loaf of
bread.
Il wish he was bigger, so could pet
him" said one of the big men.
Every morning afterward Dick had
breakfast with the young men. He
would hop on the table, sampling every
thing he came across, and bathing fire.
quently in the goblets of ice water.
Breakfast over, Dick would fly back to
his cage, and getting into the little swing
at the top of it, would sway madly to
and fro, and sing everything he knew.
That was regarded as an Offering of
praise, and quiet reigned during the per-
Torrance.
DICKS PRESENT HOME.
The trial came, when the young men
failed to agree, and it was resolved to
sever the family. Each of them was
willing that the other should take every
thing else in the fiat if they would give
Dick to him. But that was not to be
thought of for a moment, and the young
men kept together for a month longer
than they intended in order not to be
separated from their pet.
Finally one Of the young men delib-
erately carried Dick away and kept him
in hiding for several months, and guard
ed him as carefully as a miser watches
over his money. Then he rented the fiat
in Sixteenth street. and few nights ago
invited his former companions 10 see
Dick. As he ushered his guests into the
hall they were greeted with a burst of
music. They recognized the voice of
Dick. The moment they entered the
room where the little songster was ne
few as near them as he could and cooed
softly and rutfled his feathers gently.
There may be persons in the world
who would scout the suggestion of
bird remembering faces for so long a
time, but there Is not the slightest doubt
that Dick remembered the young men
and that he was welcoming them with
all his heart. During all the time they
were in the fiat Dick sang all the old
tunes. He stopped only when one of
them spoke to him, and then ne would
be silent aud cock mis- little head on one
side and peep inteIhgently.
The young men readily accepted an
invitation TO remain all night, and the
next morning before they were out Of
bed they heard the magic music of the