Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-08-08
The STORY Telter.
PARROTS.
Funny Things They Say.

Funny Things They Say.
Parrots are exceedingly interesting
pets at least that's what their owners
think when they first get them. AT:
ter owning them awhile, however, they
often change their minds as to this
The chief, and In fact their only at
traction is the fact that they can talk,
but like large majority of the beings
they.imitate, they seldom open their
mouth without putting their foot in to
it, or, rather, their owners foot. Like
most men, and women, too, for that
matter, they talk because they are able
to talk, and they too. often tell every
thing they know, without using any
discretion whatever as to what they
say. They may know better, and they
may not, but be this as it may, their
prattling tongue seldom fails to bring
trouble of some kind to their admiring
owners. On the other hand, some par
rots are endowed with good common
sense, and often render valuable SER
vice to their masters, and, like some
men, there are some parrots that pos
sess considerable wit. Some of the
characteristics of the polly are are H.
lustrated in the following stories:
n "BAcKl BAoKl" ~
In the year 1893 was an appren.
tice on the ship Cathcart, lying at
Moore's Wharf, Sidney N. s. w.,
which was discharging a general car
! go from London.
Our butcher was accustomed to
drive down to the wharf for his orders
and leave the meat required for the
crew. One day the horse and cart
were left on the wharf unattended,
and while the butcher was doing his
business on board an old parrot, which
was sitting in its cage on the poop,
commenced crying out "Back back 7"
80 successfully that the horse backed
the cart and itself over the wharf.
The horse was drowned, the cart bro.
ken, and the meat destroyed. What
the butcher said to the bird I won't
detail.
BREAKING 1T GENTLY.
Sometime ago a troopship was re-
turning from abroad, and among the
passengers was an old lady who had
a favorite parrot, which she placed
under the especial care of one of the
sailors.
On going to-attend Polly one morn
ing he was surprised to find the poor
bird dead, and, knowing how very
much upset the old lady would be to
hear of the death of her favorite, and
not feeling equal to imparting the in
telligence himself he employed a
brother tar who was famous for his
gentleness in matters of that nature.
Going up to the old lady with very
sad face, and touching his cap, he said {:
II don't think that 'ere parrot of
yours will live long, marm."
"Oh, dear!" said the poor woman.
"Why ?"
"'Cos he's dead !" was comforting
reply.
SMART, Ell?
Our parrot struck up great
friendship with a young policeman
whose beat was along our road and
when it came to his turn for night
duty Polly would be greatly con-
cerned during the day, frequently
asking: "Where's George?"
"When Polly became aware that
George was absent in the daytime,
several times she managed to get
out at night and talk to him from
the garden wall.
One night after all had retired to
rest, Polly became aware that man
was entering the house by way of the
coal cellar. Now, the correct thing
for parrot to do under such circum-
stances would be to say "Who's
there ?" or some such sentence, and
try to frighten them away; but not
so this Polly. She waited until the
burglar began to creep up the stairs
to the drawing room, and then, open
ing the door of her cage, hoped out
the way the burglar had entered, and
flying down the street met her friend
George. Perching herself on the wall,
Polly said:
"Hallo, George!"
"Hallo, Polly! What's up?"
"Robbers," said Polly; "come on !"
The policeman followed Polly, and
the result was the capture of the bur-
glar redhanded, and George got pro-
noted.
THE GAsPIPE.
A wellknown detective, in the course
of conversation, told the writer the
following curious story:
A. big robbery had occurred at
jewelers. in the West End, and had
been entrusted with the case. The
burglars had got clean away with the
jewelry valued at $4,000, and had left
absolutely no trace behind them.
Shortly after, a man was arrested in
the act of offering a diamond ring to a
pawnbroker, which was identified as
mart of the stolen nrODertv The man