The evening world., 1894-09-29
THE COLONEL's ANTE.
How n Clever Parrot Assisted at
His own Auction

Going! going! for the third and last
time, gentlemen! Are you all done? Sold
Sold to the Colonel for $3.50. 1t was
good price, gentlemen. and We'll all have
a bowl"
These were the closing words Of the
auctoneer at the sale of parrot in the
apartments where the bird had been
conspicuous figure for years. says the
Chicago Tribune. He belonged to
man about town whose best-known
name is Captain" 1t seems an enor-
nous sum to be paid for a parrot, but
this is no ordinary bird, and the pur-
chaser thinks he has n bargain. The
Captain has a reputation for being one
of the best entertainers in the city, and
his apartments have been the scene OF
many merry gathering of the good
fellows" of his long list of acquaint-
ances. They have also been the rendez-
vous Of select coterie who have gath
cred there many times to play draw
poker. The parrot occupied prominent
place in the card room. and. when a
game was In progress. and player
passed or dropped out. he usually gave
some moments to conversation with him
and it is reasonable to believe true his
statement that he has vocabulary
that Is "A wonder
Some time ago Gap" announced he
was going to desert the ranks of the
| "undomesticated" and Join the ranks of
benedicts. He also announced that he
would desert his old quarters, and that
" any of the crowd whose faces were IA
miliar In them particularly desired any
object contained In the room In the way
| of memoir or more practical reason
| he might obtain the same by making
known his wants. At this announcement
| there was general request for the par
| rot. Everybody wanted him. The re-
quests became so numerous and decided
| that the Captain began to get worried
He consulted one of the crowd.
You see. can't give him to every
| body. and one Is as welcome to him as
another" said the Captain.
why not auction h,m of, them" the
friend suggested.
"W SThS S very ,ns thing" cried the Captain
He proceeded to NOTIFY the interested
ones to the effect that the following
Friday the bird would be auctioned off
the proceeds Of the sale to go to liqui
date some outstanding Indebtedness TO,
wet goods used in recent memorabl,
super Tbs norrot whose name Is Fa,s,an
as the crowd assembled. 1t was tn
gold end OF what had been a gold head
ed cane Its ends rested on two cham
payne bottles that sat on a champaign
cooler. battered and looking much tn
worse for wear. Poll was engaged fl
dissecting an old champagne cork whel
the Captain came In at side door
followed by his colored boy, who tool
Poll over to the end of the room nea
q statuette of Venus. The Captain thel
turned from a sideboard. suspiciousl
wiping his lips, walked over to wher
Falstaff stood, climbed upon a little DO
and faced the crowd.
Then the bidding began. Poll shippe
in his say every now and then, causin
outbursts of merriment and a more spin
tied contest for ownership. Finally, Jus
before the last bid, when there was
lag in offers, he shouted:
4 Its your ante, Colonel"' noddn
7 sagely ut a fat man whose bank accour
resembles himself. The Colonel laughe
& outright. Then he said:
q II bid S+5O!
And he took the bird away.