Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1895-04-30
An Cpportunc Remark of the bird Evoke
tile Taking Bid.

tile Taking Bid.
"Going going for the third and
last time, gentlemenl Are you all
donel Sold Sold to the colonel for
$3.50. It was good price, gentle
men, and Wen all have a bowl"
These were the closing words Of the
auctioneer at the sale of a parrot in
the apartments where the bird had
been a conspicuous figure for years.
He belonged TO Il man about town
whose best known name is Captain.
1t seems an enormous sum to be paid
for n parrot, but this is no ordinary
bird, and the purchaser thinks he has
a bargain.
The captain has q reputation for
being one of the best entertainers in
the city, and l. apartments have
been the scene of many a merry
gathering Of tho good fellowsn Of
his long list of acquaintances. They
have also been the rendezvous Of o
select coterie who have gathered
many times to play draw poker. The
parrot occupied a prominent place
in the cardroom, and when a game
was in progress and n player passed
dropped out he usually gave some
moments to conversation with him,
and it is reasonable to believe true
his statement that "he has a vocabu-
larry that is a wonder"
Some time ago 'cap" announced
he was going to desert the ranks of
the ''undomesticated" and join the
ranks of the benedicts. He also an
nounced that he would desert his old
quarters, and that if any of the crowd
whose faces were familiar in them
particularly desired any object con-
tanned in the room in the way Of q
memoir or for a more practical rea.
son he might obtain the same by
making known his wants. At this
announcement there was a general
request for the parrot. Everybody
wanted him. The requests 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 him off, tlen4"
the friend suggested.
'The very thingl" cried the cap.
tain. "We1l do that
He proceeded TO notify the inter
ested ones to the effect that the fol-
lowing Friday the bird would be auc-
toned of, the proceeds of the sale TO-
20 to liquidate some outstanding in
debtedness for wet goods used in u
recent memorable supper.
The parrot, whose name is Falstaf.
sat pOmpously on an elaborate perch
as the crowd assembled. 1t was the
gold end Of what had been gold
headed cane. Its ends rested on two
champagne bottles that sat on q
champagne cooler, battereda and look
ing the worse for wear Pon wns en-
gagged in dissecting an old cham
I pagne cork when the captain camo
IN at a side door, followed by his col
+ orel boy, who took Poll over to the
/ end Of tho room near a statuette Of
Venus. The captain then turned
from asideboard, suspiciously wiping
his lips, walked over to whore Fal-
staff stood, climbed upon little box
and faced the crowd.
Then the bidding began. Poll chip.
ped in his say every now and then,
causing outbursts Of merrimeut and
a more spirited contest for owner.
ship. Finally, just before the last
bid, when there was a lag in offera,
he shouted:
ITS your ante, colonell" noddine
sagely at a fat man whose bank ac
count resembles himself The colo.
nol laughed outright. Then he said.
u bid Sib0w
Aud he took the bird away. ~