Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1893-05-19
THE GRATEFUL BUILFINCH
Hut Major Mcndax's Enthusiasm
for II Was Not Returned.
New York Times.

with AibiOn's chosen beverage, brandy
and soda, taste for which he had
imported to this country with his
English wearing appeared.
" Yes, there's no doubt but that it's
good yarn, but it deals with snakes
Now, snake and fish stories-I won't
say whether justly or not-always
meet with a certain need of suspicion,
and for myself, l must say that story
~ worth nnlhing nnless it's veracity
IS absolutely unimpeachable-yes sir
absolutely unimpeachable."
Here n junior and irreyerent club
mate Uttered. The MAJOR glared al
him, and after a sip at his brandy
and soda to soothe his slightly rutlled
temper went on:
81 have had no experience with
snakes myself; nor do l wish to have
My experience, however, with beasts
and birds-I might add fishes, but ]
wish to run no risk OF being confound,
ed with the ordinary piscatorial liar
are most remarkable, and, | will make
bold to say, would fill a large book
One in particular occurs in my mem.
ory just at this moment"
Several of the majors hearers sud-
denly and simultaneously remem.
bered that they had important ap.
pointments. Major Menda1, however
in addition to his many military at.
tributes, possesses the magnetic ort
OF that most famous nautical gentle
man and yarn spinners, the ancient
mariner, and had no difficulty in
keeping these mal-contents in their
seats.
1T happened in the Christmas Of
1887" said the major, setting himself
in his rocker" was spending 8
few weeks with some relatives, in one
of the southern counties of England.
1t was Christmas Eve. / was dressing
for dinner in my room, the windows oI
which looked out on the old fashioned
English garden, in summer a very
Teunysonian idyl of loveliness, but at
the time bleak waste of snow.
"My thoughts were wandering, when
a tiny tap, tap on my window awoke
me from my reverie. The tapping
continued, like the patter OF small
hail, and l threw up the sash to see
what caused The noise.
ain hoped a half frozen and most
disreputable bullfinch, belated in the
winter weather, and q most miserable
contrast to the plump, rakish, stand.
and-deliver sort of figure IL well.to-do
bullfinch cuts.
Well, l played the good Samaritan
to the little beggar. thawed him out
gave him his grub, and we soon got on
the best OF good terms.
Bulltinches, you know, are birds
that, at the expense OF gooi deal OF
time and patience, can be taught tC
whistle correctly various musical airs
| have heard birds that were able tc
whistle eight or ten different melodies
with accuracy.
"The winter OF 1887 WAS long ant
severe. Myiniernal rheumatism KEEP,
me in the house and my chief amuse
ment was acting as music teacher tc
my little pet, who stuck stanchly tc
me. He made such progress that
by the time my stay was over, my
vanity as tutor and my patriotism
had the satisfaction of leaving behind
in the land of God Save the Queen
a little ruddy breasted rascal that
could wipe up The Star Spangled
Banner with the best of 'em."
Major Mendax pause solemnly and
took a long drink, while look of sur.
prise and relief that he had let them
down 80 easily crept into the eyes oI
his hearers.
Don't stir, gentlemen" proceeded
the major, the cream of my story is
yet to come. The Christmas of 1855
also spent with my English kins
folk. On Christmas Eve l was dress
ing for dinner when there came the
same tapping at my window that
had heard exactly one year ago, but
far louder this time. / threw up the
sash as before and there, gentlemen
there on the sill, on the word of an
officer and gentleman, was that iden.
tical bullfinch whose life l had saved
the previous winter with three com
panions. There was gratitude for YOU
and could have cried, begad! cried
like a child, when those four bull
inches, standing on the frosty sill that
starry Christmas eve, piped up. as q
Christmas carol to the benefactor oI
their race, The Star Spangle Banner
III part song, too, begadw
And the major is still indignant be-
cause all his hearers vanished from
the smoking room, directly the story
had been told, in mournful silence.
THE successful candidates in the