Los Angeles herald., 1891-08-27
A CANARY WITH TALENT
HE GREW UP AMONG FOUR GOOD
NATuRED BACHELORS.

Ol8agfoed One Oh 1hem Stoio h1m.
In a gilded cage in the top fiat of
big house in East Sixteenth street is
little ball of yellow feathers that is cared
for as tenderly as any baby in the land.
1t is only very tiny canary bird, with
the unpretentious 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 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
especial attention. Then he was re-
moved from the parental cage and pri-
vate cage was bought for him, and he
was sent down town under the charge
of a harum scarum boy as present to
four young men who lived in a fiat in
Ninth street.
He was accepted as 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 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 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
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 finger at him playfully. Dick
did not futter away in fear, but hoped
toward the finger, and with outstretched
wings, picked at it fiercely, 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 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 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
he piped forth few low strains, few to
the table, and began to peck loaf Of
bread.
II 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 te
his cage, and getting into the little swing
at the top Of it, would sway madly te
and fro, and sing everything he knew
That was regarded as an offering o1
praise, and quiet reigned during the per
formance.
| DICKS PRESENT HOME.
The trial came, when the young me1
failed to agree, and it was resolved tt
sever the family. Each of them wa
willing shat the other should take every
thing else in the fat if they would Civ
| Dick to him. But that was not to b.
| thought Of for a moment, and the younl
men kept together for a month longe
than they intended in order not to b
separated from their pet.
Finally one of the young men delib
erately carried Dick away and kept hin
in hiding for several months, and guard
ed him as carefully as miser watche
over his money. Then he rented the fla
in Sixteenth street, and few nights ag
invited his former companions to Sc
! Dick. AS he ushered his guests into tn
nall they were greeted with q burst Q
music. They recognized the voice Q
Dick The moment they entered tn
room where the little songster was b
few as near them as he could and cooe
softly and rufded his feathers gently.
There may be- persons in the worl
who would scout the suggestion of
bird remembering faces for so long
time, but there is not the slightest dout
that Dick remembered the young me
and that he was welcoming them wit
all his heart. During all the time the
were in the fat Dick sang all the ol
tunes. He stopped only whom one {
them spoke to him, and then he woul
be silent and cock his little head on or
|, side and peep intelligently.
The young men readily accepted a
|, invitation to remain all night, and th
next morning before they were out I
! bed they heard the magic music of Il
littlesongster. At breakfast he hoppe
on the table and topped in all the
glasses of water in order to let them 81
that all were dear to him. Before Il
three visitors left the man who had stole
! Dick from them made each one promi'
!. that he would not attempt to steal Il
bird.-New York Sun.
1it
! Not Theory.