Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1891-07-24
A CANARY WITH TALENT
HE GREW UP AMONG FOUR coon
NATURED BACHELORS.

He Gould Sing and They Taught Him
Many Airs-Each Man Became At
tached 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 only a very tiny canary bird. with
the unpretenhous name Of Dick. but in
spite OF its size and its name it is the
master of a great wealth Of music.
Dick never knew the pleasures Of lib
erty, having been born Of captive pa
rents in another g;lded cage in another
big flat farther up town. Up to the
time when he was months old he
never did anything that was worthy OF
especial attention Then he was re-
moved from the parental cage and pri-
yate cage was bought for him, and he
was sent down town under the charge
of harum scarum boy as a present to
y II
Ninth street.
lie was accepted as a matter Of cour-
tesy, and the cage which imprisoned him
was hung on string in a rear window.
! and the servant was instructed to feed
| INN whenever it became necessary. Tie
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 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
neighbOrs' 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 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 trilIed
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 fayOrite and one Of the young men
poked 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 fiat.
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 AL 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 sg of Dicks cage
was opened, and he Iue out and looked
ABOUT nm with i great expression OF
wonder in his little bead like eyes, Then
he piped forth a few low strains, few to
the table, and began to peck a loaf Of
bread
4 wish he was bigger, 50 l 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
/ fOrmanCe
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