Arizona silver belt., 1895-11-30
NOT so GREEN AS IT LOOKS.
An Intelligent Parrot Takes Revenge and
 Breaks Up Marriage Engagement.

Breaks Up a Marriage Engagement.
 Parrots are all right and very anus ing unless they happen to be too in telligent. They are charming crea- lures so long as they will repeat only what you teach them, but when they begin to think for themselves, and to voice their thoughts, the matter changes complexion and may end as seriously as did an affair at Stamford, this state, the other day.
 One of the brightest and most at tractive young women in that town is the owner of an unusually precocious parrot; incidentally, she thought a great deal of a young farmer of the ncighborhood, so much, in fact, that they were betrothed But this young farmer has always hated parrots, and that has been the one sore point be- tween him and his promised wife. He has especially hated the parrot in ques- ton, and has repeatedly warned the young lady that the thing was not so green as it looked, and that it would surely cause trouble between them. We can easily believe that the bird being beloved by his mistress, was al- ways at hand during these little talks, and it is as easy to believe that no well-ordered, intelligent parrot would put up long with such sighting re- marks as the young farmer was in the habit of making. If memory serves aright, the bird did once rebuke his mistress sweetheart, but very mildly, simply calling him a sassy thing" On that occasion Polly was promptly punished by his mistress, who snapped his head with piece of whalebone and covered his cage with paper for an entire day. This was added insult, but nothing was to be done except wait for an opportunity to get even. The opportunity soon came.
 A few nights ago the young farmer entered the house of his life's light, and asked for the flame She was prinking, but would be down in short time, and would Frank try to make friends with Polly2 So Frank turned into the room where Polly sat on his perch munching cracker and grooming jungle ditty. Extracting a chocolate caramel from his pocket Frank moved toward the cage. There are tides in the affairs of men and like wise parrots, and this bright, if green, pet realized that the flood of his tide had come.
 Hello, young hayseed" he shouted.
 There was a moment of intense silence. Then the cage was struck to the floor and the room was filled with feathers and hair. A moment later Polly's mistress entered the room.
 What is the trouble, Frank?"
 Some one has taught this parrot to call me a young hayseed," answered her lover, flushed and angry, "and I will not stand it."
 Did you hurt poor Polly?" picking up the maimed creature"
 1T tried t6 kill the thing"
 The young woman vigorously up- braided her lover, and hurriedly slip ping her engagement ring from her finger and handing it back, said.
 "A man who loses his temper on such slight provocation cannot be my com. panion for life, The engagement is broken and you need not call again. "- Buffalo Courier.
 Had to Do It That Way.
 On New England farm not long ago it was necessary to count a flock of geese, and Pompey, colored boy, was stationed at a little gate through which the geese were to be driven and was told to count them as they passed. "One, two," began Pompey, loudly, tree! Oar goes anudder! Oar goes anudder! Oar goes anudderl" What do you mean by that!" demanded the farmer, hurrying up to the excited darky. Why" said the innocent boy, 'I cyant count no furder dan tree in numbers, massa, SO I hsb to do it dat way"