Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-21
THE TOPICAL TALkER.
A Canary,s Death Song.

ine tUrlCM ihLhLh
A Canary's Death Song.
There was some pathos about the explosion
and fire which wrecked the pretty little station
house at Quaker Valley, on the Fort Wayne
road, few nights ago. Two luekless hunting
dogs wers tied mp In the burning house. and
their cries we're most piteous. They were soon
put out of their sufferings. however. A canary
that hung at the parlor window in brass cage
saw nothing to fear in the bright flames dancing
before her, and as the fire grew she broke into
q full song. Trill upon trill and the merriest
piping she knew came from the poor little bird
as the flames crept nearer. Those who heard
this strange death-song are not likely to forger
1t. There was no way to save the singer, and
her yellow throat was still throbbing with
melody when the flames reached the cage. She
thought she was saluting the dawn. 1t was her
matin song and her requiem.
A Pillar of Fire.
Travellers on the midnight c. & P. express en-
joyed something over and above the usual de-
lights-how many they arel l-of journey by
night. After leaving Bellevue q strange yellow
light. like that which succeeds the gray of
dawn, began to steal over the hills and the
river with its burden Of ice foes. As the train
few westward the yellow nght grew, and the
.
country began to appear in as distinct outline
as il it had been actually day. Sleepy passen-
gers rubbed their eyes and then the moist MIN
upon the windows, that they might speculate
upon the source Of the illumination. Not till
the trainhad passed Glenfield was this revealed,
and there the light was so strong tnas sne
coiors OF the Landscape we're discernipie; tnat Is
70 say the grass on ssven-Mhe lslana looseu
Green ana tne nils IN tue oacAgrounu nAinM.y T.
piacA Ano "nise VIII tnin snow anu Iiee''
"loie scene nau an unnatural iooK.
IN new minutes .ne cause Oh tnis N Iulnihsuou
ptoAe INTO view. oroao mass OF orahse na~e
WIN n4iuiy unge oi SMOKE purslus .ron Ine
siopes nea, NolAopohs. gas "e,i WHICH Ssme
~ On monuas nau esush' nre, anu On 'ne pa. :.
" Sue to"n ~uu amons loie's VI uel.AS
mas peen stnce oeicnins iortn name az tase
tnas MAKES Tue man neart acne Wnen 10 mas
Just paiu MS gas DILL IL was sun burning iASs
nign.
In SeWickley, where everyone Is as nervous
aooul nre JUST now as aying sinner, INC ie
lection OF the burning well gave rise 70 q gooa
oeai OF anxiety TIL the cause was iearned-
"
Two Theater Cats'
A big gray cat walked across the electric
footlights from the Duquesne stage on satur-
day night when the opera was in full swing,
and with great deliberation seated himself in .
vacant chair in the right hand proscenium box.
The cat did not acknowledge the presence Of
Messrs. 8. A McClung and D. 7. Watson In
the box; never looked at them in fact, but
turned his eyes toward the audience, ex-
amining 1t much as manager does
when he has an idea that he's
not getting his full share of the receipts.
The calmness of the cat amused the audience
very much but the cat did not allow himself to
few moments he retired again behind the
scenes. where he is shown all the respect and
attention due to theater cat. He is the
Duquesne's official cat.
the Columbia Theater In Chicago. who, for one
night, played a star part upon the boards. One
afternoon the cat chanced to stray into the
scene painters gallery. and the artist, who
was at work there, with more humer than
humanity caught poor puss and painted him
red, white and blue In broad stripes. Tne cas
ran off, but of course the paint stayed on.
In the evening Wilson Barrett and Miss
Eastlake gave "Clio," as usual. At most
pathetic and powerful climax in the last act,
when the stage was fairly dripping with blood
and tears, and MISS Eastiake was wringing
the hearts of her auditors, suddenly
there appeared an apparItion which
looked at the first glance like tri-color
flag with four legs and tail, Ctto saw the
horrid thing and was aghast the audience saw
it and trembled on the brink OF laughter. russ
cerned. He walked across the stage with tail
proudly erect, the glare OF the footllghts lllu:
minating his gorgeous coat. Reaching Ctt0s
side he arched his back and moved toward ner
spotless white dress crao-fashlon after the
afec.ionate manner OF good-nnmored cats.
Miss Eastlake shrank away ana buried ner
face in her hands, and tne auolenee zen owe.
tne preclpice INTO au aOyseo Va .Ausnol y 49, -
and long tnat tne cat anhsn'eo rAn on 'ne
stage, andtne play went On.
Royal Chime.
The other day jeweler showed me pretty
neat little bangle Of gold- with three bells hung