The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1895-01-18

as glossy ana Ur1gnG as ever, anu win I'll,
sum of 96 6s. in my waistcoat pocket a.
we'll as the price of the two cabs Not
feather of him was missing He was al
ugly, but not at all more so-which, in
deed, was scarcely possible-than when he
left us. What he had done to earn his hire
we could not possibly imagine. When We
asked him, he answered, Fiddle Paddle, u
a reply which at first terrified us by its sa
gacious novelty, but presently we remem.
bered that that had been the name of the
general whose housekeeper the widow had
been and set it down merely as new ac-
QUESTION to Dicks vocabulary. For Ia
years took that parrot to Pitt street and
received the II guineas per annum, and
although we suffered much, especially
Lucy, from the pangs of unqualified curl
| osity we had certainly cause to bless that
sable bird. Our pecuniary connection
with Mrs. Hubble did not make us in any
degree more acquainted with her She re-
ceived and dismissed me always with the
same frigid politeness and when met her
| by chance in the street at other times she
made two stereotyped inquiries-flrst, aft
er Tommy's health, and, secondly, after
! that of my wife.
uf the parrot, and III the month of July,
| We received q visit from two strange gem
! tleuen which was even more exrraordi
nary in its results than that OF the mys-
| terious widow. 1t took place upon a Satur-
| day afternoon, when l was accustomed to
! leave my employers house at an earlier
| hour than usual, SO that / happened to be
at home. Had my wife been alone she ex-
presses her opinion that the interview
would have been too much for her and
have cost her her reason.
As it was, her head-to use her own
words-''turned round like teetotum, "
and she saw sparks" which, 1t seems, Is
premonitory sign of mental alteration.
And judge now whether, under the cir
cumstances, this was to be wondered at.
These two gentlemen, being strangers
and attircd in sober garments, having
rung the bell, lifted down the parrot,
whose cage, as usual, hung outside tho
ground floor window, and brought it with
them into the parlor.
lyon must excuse our freedom" OBJ
served the elder of the two, who had a stiff
white cravat and looked like a family law
yer, but Tommy is very old friend of
ours, and we have known him u great
deal longer than you have"
Indeed, gentlemeni" said /. ''Then
that must have been in the West Indies"
Il knew him there intimately well, - re-
turned the second gentleman, who was
tightly buttoned up and carried his head
high, like military man. The general
won him at piquet off the lieutenant gov
ernor of Barbados, having staked upon
his side so guineas.'
"And don't think he would have aft
erward parted with him, major, for 91.-
000," observed the other.
Dear mel" said I. But I could not
help thinking that he must have parted
with him for good deal less to my broth
er Dick unless Dick stole him. This last
idea so agitated me that did not catch
quite clearly what was said for a minute
or two.
"The gentlemen want to know how it
is that the parrot has forgotten the articles
of war;" exclaimed my wife, touching my
elbow, then added in terrified whisper:
For heavens sake, get them out of the
house, George They are both stark, star
ing mad"
1.-The articles of warl" said l. II never
knew he had learned them. Dick, Dick,
why did you never repeat the articles of
war;"
Pooh, pooh! Kill the captain! Scut-
tie she ship!' chuckled the parrot.
Now, that's very extraordinary, too,
remarked the military stranger. Where
could he have picked up all that sea slang?
Sir Fiddle was SO very particular. He
kept him in his own cabin all the way
home, and nobody under gunroom rank
was allowed to associate with him..
"Some young scamp of midshipman
must doubtless have done it on the sly"
returned the other. But may ask Mr..
Wilson, why you call him Dick?"
Because that's his NAME" observed l
simply. II have no other reason what
ever"
But it's not his name" remarked the
white cravated gentleman confidently
His name is Tommy and has been such
for these 40 years. He is denominated
Tommy in the codicil. 1 am sure Fiddle
would have been very unhappy at the no
ton of his being called Dick. You must
not encourage the bird in such senseless
extravagances. The wishes of the departed
should be consulted as though he were ac-
tually alive. We have nothing, however,
10 complain of in your custody of the bird,
Mr.. Wilson Quite the reverse. Indeed
poor Mrs. Hubble informed US that she
knew of nobody to whom we could intrust
the faithful creature with greater conf
dence. When we have called upon her by
accident and not at the specified time, we
understood that you had poor Tommy in
keeping for the benefit of his health, and
certainly you always sent him back to
Pitt street in high feather. Now that
Mrs. Hubble is dead Ibid you not hear of
1t? Yes; the sad event took place more
than ten days ago. we do not know any
body filter than yourself to whom to trans
fer this sacred charge. We came here to-
day merely to identify the bird. In future
we shall visit you every 12th of August
1t was the generals whitest day in the
year, major, and aptly chosen. Even para
disc can be hardly a more charming spot
to him than was his Perthshire moor. We
wish you a very good morning, Mr.. Will
son. Permit me to congratulate you upon
this first installment of what trust may
be long annuity to you and yours"
He pressed an envelope into my hand,
and then he and his starched companion
took their deliberate departure. l watched
them walking slowly up the street. They
were evidently not in tho least apprehen-
sive of being followed and seized as mad
men. One presently called cab and babe
goodby to the other in studiously cour-
teous manner, just as though they had
been about some business which brought
them together periodically and made them
acquaintance, without their ever becom-
ing intimate friends. In the meantime
my wife was within a sob or two of hyster-
les while 1 remained standing with the
envelope in my hand, and a crossed check
inside of it for hundred guineas, payable
to myself or bearer!
Nothing out of the "Arabian Nights"
where purses of sequins are flung about
with such reckless prodigality, was surely
to be compared to this adventure.
whats o'clock" cried the parrot, as
tonished at the stupefied silence into
which his master had been plunged.
Excellent Bird" returned I, your
words are the words of wisdom. 1t is half
past 2, and the Messrs. Child close at
O'Clock. There is not moment to lose"
1 arrived at the banking house in time to
present the check, and it was cashed with
out the least hesitation. took my way
back with more money in my pocket than
had ever possessed there in my life. My
possession of it was a little mysterious,
certainly; but, then, had not my father
foretold that Dicks legacy would prove a
blessing to US and babe me mark his
words? Twas inclined to accept everything
in the past and in the future with CRATE
full heart that was not disposed for ques-
ton or analysis. 1t was saying of my
revered parent, when our cousin, the
brewers clerk, used to send us kilderkin
of rather inferior ale at Christmas time,
that you should never look gift cask in
the bunghole. If had found queens
messenger waiting for me at home with q
patent of nobility made out in the name
of Wilson, by reason of my proprietorship