Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-11-09
THE STARTLING.
FROM THE FRENCH, BY A. z. O.

birds he can speak the most distinctly.
"He caR," says Button, learn TO speak
with equal facility, French, German,
Greek and Latin, and to pronounce
very long sentences.
James, the cObbler, whose little shop
Was in an angle near the corner of one
OF the principal streets of Paris, had
raised one of these birds which was
very merry and talkative, ,notwithstand.
ing the fact that he was confined in an
old willow cage. He was the delight
of his masters heart, and constantly
repeated all that he heard. "Where is
James?" often asked customers who
did not find him at work. ''At the
wine shop round the corner" immedi-
Gtely replied the startling.
"How mi ch do l owe you, Father
James?" another customer would ask.
Twenty sous exactly" the bird would
reply.
At length, be became so famous in the
neighbOrhoOd that the business of
the cobbler increased to such an
extent that he found himself
in very comfortable circum-
stances. Overlooking the cobbler's s
shop were two windows, leading to a
balcony, the property of Captain of
cavalry, distinguished man, who had
a daughter, Flora, twelve years old,
who took great pleasure in listening to
the Startling. She spoke of it to her
father, and urged him to buy the bird.
The Captain, wearied with his daugh-
ter's opportunity, at length asked
James one morning if he woul sell the
bird. "Sell nv birdl' cried the cob
bier; mo. Captain, | would sooner sell
my life. He has brought me ali my
customers and the many pleasant peo-
pie who come to my shop; TO him / am
indebted for my music, my wit. my
health, in short, all the happiness 1 en-
JOY. All the gold you possess, my Cap
tain, would not pay for my starting"
''Do you hear, my daughter" said
the officer; ''this worthy man cannot
part with bird so dear to him, and l
quite approve of his refusal"
James returned to his shop more
joyful than ever, coBgratulating him
self on having kept his dear startling,
who seemed to have understood the
conversation and desired to repay
the affection that his old master bore
him by repeating what he so often
heard in the street: 'James,
worthy man, James, worthy man" 4"
ACCOn hAlcE llllb luS CODDlef WAS
told by the Captains servant that the
child still wanted the bird. 1t occurred
TO him that she would be disgusted with
the startling if he taught him to repeat
words indicative of her character aud
habits. II she found fault with SER
want one day, on going to the window
next day she heard the startling say
"Flora is naughty, Flora is naughty"
no laaafv-al Inr E,kI, -
kindness and confidence, she heard the
starting say, "Flora lies, Flora lies >
Thus each time that she did wrong she
was sure to receive from the bird a
lesson which was particularly morti-
flying to her pride, as all in tie house
could hear what the bird said. What
James had anticipated happened;
Flora hated the bird even
more than she had loved it.
She carried this hate so far as to
complain TO her father of the audacIty
Of the cobbler, demanding that he should
be punished for what she termed his
lnsolence, 1t so happened that at the
very time Of her complaint the bird re-
peated several times, Flora is
cried, will you permit your daughter
whom this ugly bird malIgns, but you
also" "Fora liesl" Immediately said
the bird.
These words, that only chance caused
the starting to repeat, threw the child
into terrible fit of anger, and at the
same time ope ned the eyes of her IA
ther, who, cUncealing b:s surprise, de-
termined to turn to advantage this
singular circumstance. Not lona after
this the Captain was obliged to leave
home for a few DAYS on a matter of
business, and when he returned he
learned that during his absence Flora's
old nurse had come to visit her, but
had been treated with the greatest in
clVllltY. The worthy woman, deeply
wounded, had gone away weeping, and
said that she would never come again
20 see the ungrateful child, whom she
had nOnrished and cared for 80 tender
ly. Martini, this was the uurse's name.
had concealed her modification aud
tears from the servants in the house,
for she d.d not wish to inlure Flora-s
reputation with those by whom she
was surrounded, bnt On returning to
her home sue could not refrain from
relating her grievances to her neigh
bors.
The story soon reached the Captain,
who, indignant that his daughter
should have proved herself SO un.
worthy, arranged secretly with James
TO give Flora a lesson which she would
never forget.
One day the Captain entertained a
larg0 number of guests, and it being
very warm they adjourned after dinner
n "a hal 81
by the laughter and conversation that
he heard above his cage, began to lab
Der with ali his might. One OF the
guests paid Flora very pretty com
pliment; the bird quickly cried out:
''Flora is wicked"
''Wbat insOleut person dares so in
sult Miss Flora?" said one
at Is mat Tiilainous starting that
you see down there, lora replied,
led With spite and anger, ''he tries to
iuJure me every day, but il Is IN vain
for every one knows what | am worth.
Twenty cents exactly cam the
ready answer. Flora bit her Iiys and
her eyes BlR2ed with anger "Hear
him. she said looking at her father,
''the lnsolent cubbler, in ord.r that
should not want to buy his bird has
taught him to repeat a t. ousand lies. -
''Martha weptl' cried the bird very
distinctly. "P or nur. %
At these words Flora stopped hort
hsd b. anne very pale. Poor nursel"
c'Ied I's bird S, Il louder Martha
N.pt' flora is wicked" Twenty
els s'%d dly" do you be'i.v- that
e startling repeats lies?' said the
C~<tsin looking sharply Mt hi. :..8h-
TT. Father, replied the Young girl
81 plainly that tins is your plan to
puniss mo for fault which h,s very
hs-v. upon NY heart. and that 0agkt