Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-10-08
BURIAL OF A PARROT
WHOLESALE MOURNING OVER A
MUCH LOVED HOUSEHOLD PET.

The Unfortunate Creature Said "By by, |
Lora, By By" and Yielded Up the
Ghost-The Funeral Was Large One |
and the Furnishings wero Gorgeous.
There was a strange scene in Noe
Valley, away out Castro street, on Thurs
day and those who witnessed it will not
soon tire tai king 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 i414%
Castro street stands n big empty bird
cage. Rising from the top of the cage
staff ON which flag, hois5ed half mast
high, tells the visitor that the one time
occupant is dead. All around the little
doorway where she futtered in and out
bits Of black and white still further
emphasize the fatal fact and bouquets
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, tais recent
dweller within those walls of wire, but
seldom has a bird left more sincere
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 in
the wilderness of Panama. John Stran-
Afghan, an honest sailor lad, came into
| e ,i,.1 %
wise trips and brought it to his uncle's
home in Noe Valley. Just one year ago
it was presented to Mr.. and Mrs. Au-
| gustus Tache, and in their pretty little
home on Castro street the bird really
began to live the life that has now so
suddenly ended. The parrots name was
Loretta, but owing to the difficulty par
rots find in pronouncing the letter I she
called herself Lora, and those who
knew her and loved her learned TO ac-
cept the abbreviation. Lora was the
pet of the entire neighborhood, but she
was the apple of Mrs. Tache's eye.
There were tears in both of Mrs.
Taches eyes last evening as she related
stories illustrating the genius and &C
complishments of poor Lora. In APP
pearance the bird had been quite like
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 a box 12 by B
inches" said no. And there stood the
box on pedestal just in front Of the
empty cottage" It was a dainty box,
more like young lady s glove box than
a coffin, covered with blue silk and line1
with the same IN quilted squares. YET
in it poor Lora had been laid out. By
the silken handles on either side the
pallbearer5 had carried it to the grave
side. and there in the darkened parlor
it now stands with tho other evidences
Of woman's strange devotion to the
memory Of q dead bird.
The lessons that Lora learned in her
home on Castro street seem all TO have
been good ones. She could not only talk
and whistle like other parrots, but as a
singer she had an enviable record. Her
singing Of the chorus Of "Auld Lang
Syne" is said to have made many Of the
residents of Noe Valley weep copiously,
and Mrs. Tache herself was very much
overcome last evening in endeavoring tc
! give the reporter an idea OF Lora's rem
dition Of Amid the Raging of Sea
! "She had "a sweet and lovely voice" said
this fond mistress of pretty pet, but
Mr.. Tache did not seem to agree witt
her. There was also slight difference
of opinion az TO the cause of Lora's de
p. mise. Both agreed that the parrot died
of cholera morbus, but Mrs. Tache de
clared that the disease was due TO Mr.
Tache feeding the bird on watermelon
, while the latter contended that deatl
had been due to too freqent bathing al
the hands of Mrs. Tache.
Whatever the cause, poor Lora wa
taken i'll on Monday last. She was "of
her feed" as Mr.. Tache puts it, all thu
afternoon, and when night came sht
could muster up no words from her vo
luminous vocabulary save Poor Lora
7 Poor, poor Lora." It should be men
r toned here that she never referred T.
e herself as Polly, and never made tn,
! stereotyped suggestion regarding th'
I proverbial cracker Just as Monday
: was turning into Tuesday Mr.. and Mrs
+ Tache, snugly slowed away in the adj
e Joining bedroom, heard a terrible scream
= They knew at once that Lora was on hei
last legs. Mrs. Tache promptly got ou
OF bed and went 10 the rescue. She alst
e uIu wnaC a morner would have done fol
+ a dying child She took the bird TO hei
: bosom and sat with it on her own bed
: Poor Lora lived but short hour longer
t After the one shrill scream there cam'
s but these words, "By by, Lora, By
q byT They we're the last words indeed
d Written by the afflicted mistress thes'
s words are still pinned 10 the wires o.
: the empty birdcage. The writer ant
her husband are as subdued in thei
/ grief as if child had been taken away
i The funeral took place at p. m. OF
e Thursday. The neighbors turned out Il
4 goodly numbers. The house at 14141
, Castro street WAC crowded and Their