The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1892-11-03
BURIAL OF A PARROT
WHOLESALE MOURNING OVER A
MUCH LOVED HOUSEHOLD PET.

Lora, BY BY" and Yielded On the
Ghost--The Funeral Was a Large One
and the Furnishings We're Gorgeous.
There was strange scene in Noe
Valley, away out Castro street, on Thurs.
day. and those who witnessed it will not
soon tire talking of it. To most of those
who took part in it the occasion was
fraught with more of curiosity than of
deeper interest, but it was not so with
all. In a little front parlor at 1414lS
Castro street stands big empty bird
cage. Rising from the top of the cage
q staff on which flag, hoisted half mast
high, tells the visitor that the one time
occupant is dead. All around the little
doorway where she fluttered in and out
bits OF black and white still further
emphasize the fatal fact, and bououets
OF flowers fitted into feeding and drink
ing cups and hanging from the swinging
perch where Polly used to swing are
tokens to her memory.
1t was only parrot, this recent
dweller within those walls Of wire. but
seldom has bird left more sincers
mourners behind it, and many man Or
woman would be proud to think that
such an elaborate funeral was in store
for him or her. Less than two years
ago this poor parrot was Matched out i,
the wilderness of Panama. John Strau
aghan, an honest sailor lad, came int,
possession of the bird on one of his coast
wise trips and brought it to his uncle,
home in Noe Valley. Just one year ag,
1t was presented to Mr.. and Mrs. Al
gustus Tache, and in their pretty little
home on Castro street the bird really
began to live the life that has now 10
suddenly ended. The parrots name wis
Loretta, but owing to the difficulty pa.-
rots f1Id in pronouncing the letter T sic
called herself Lora, and those wlo
knew her and loved her learned to al.
cept the abbreviation. Lora was tie
pet OF the entire neighborhood, but sic
was the apple Of Mrs. Tache's eye.
There were tears in both of Mr.. ,,
Tache's eyes last ever ing as she related
stories illustrating the genius and &C
complishments of poor Lora. In an
pearance the bird had been quite lik,
any other green parrot with gold trim.
mings. Her size was roughly but kindly
stated by Mr.. Tache, who is a carpenter
"She just fitted into box 10 by
inches; !" sasiG he And tiers stood the
box on q pedestal just in front Of tie1
empty cottage" 1t was dainty box.
more like young lady's glove box than
a coffin, covered with blue silk and linel |
with the same in quilted squares. Ye;
in it poor Lora had been laid out. Bv |
the silken handles on either side tbe
pallbearers had carried it to the grave
side, and there in the darkened narlor
t now stands with the other evidence
'f woman's strange devotion to tn.
memory of a dead bird.
The lessons that Lora learned in her
home on Castro street seem all to have
'een good ones. She could not only tall,
IND whistle like other parrots but as n
inger she had an enviable record, Her
lnglng OF the chorus Of "Auld Lanp
'yne" is said to have made many of tle
esidents Of Noe Valley weep copiouslv
nd Mrs. Tache herself was very much
vercome last evening in endeavoring TO
ave the reporter an idea of Lora's rem
ltion OF amid the Raging of Sea
Sne mad a sweet and lovely voice." said
MS fond mistress of a pretty pet, but
1r. Tache did not seem to agree with
er. There was alsoa slight difference
opinion as to;thacause of Lora's de-
lise. Both agreetthat the parrot died
! cholera norbus;45ut Mrs. Tache de- .
Jared that the diseaSe was due to Mr..
ache feeding the Bird on watermelon.
'hile the latter contended that death
ad been due to too freqent bathing at !
,e hands of Mrs. Tache.
Whatever the cause, poor Lora was
ken i'll on: Monday last. She was ssoff
or feed" as Mr.. Tache puts it, all the
'ternoon, and when night came she
'uld muster up no words from her vo-
lminous vocabulary save Poor Loral |
oor, poor Lora." It should be men.
oned here that she never referred to
'rself as Polly, and never made the
ereotyped suggestion regarding the
'overbial cracker Just as Monday
as turning into Tuesday Mr.. and Mrs.
ache, snugly slowed away in the ad-
lining bedroom, heard a terrible scream
aey knew at once that Lora was on her
st legs. Mrs. Tache promptly got out
bed and went to the rescue She also
. what mother would have done for y
aying child. She took the bird to her
som and sat with it on her own bed.
nor Lora lived but short hour longer :,
ter the one shrill scream there came u
t these words, "By by, Lora. by g
Y They were the last words indeed. g
ritten by the afflicted mistress these q
'rds are still pinned to the wires OF =;
empty birdcage. The writer and +
husband are as subdued in their !
lef as If child had been taken away. k
The funeral took place at 4 D. m. on 6
ursday The neighbors turned out in N
odly numbers. The house at HAL hi
stro street was crowded, and there E
re more flowers than city officials y
ve sometimes been honored with. But l.
most unique feature of the occasion &c
s the hearse. The son of neighbor- r. r.
groceryman offered the services of th
goat wagon. Certainly nothing ct,
lid have been better suited to such q sMt
vice. The goat was a well trained e. e.
NAL and did not run away. Two lit "
girls, Gay Spencer and Maggie Del
re, carried the casket out Of the "
Use and placed 1t in the little wagon.
en taking their places, one on each