The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-13
UNION DEPOT EMPLOYEES HAVE
SOME AMUSEMENT WITH AN
ESCAPED PARROT.
MOUNTED ON A HIGH BEAM
HER FEET AND JABBERED AT
THE CROWD.
AN EMPLOYE CLIMBED FIFTY FEET
when Near the Bird Polly Yelled
sect Out of Here and Jumped
to Another Rafter.

The employees of the Union Depot
company to the number of about 80,
and half hundred passengers on a
belated Great Northern train, were
furnished infinite amusement yesterday
afternoon, and no end of exercise in
capturing an escaped parrot.
One Of the articles which was check
ed into the depot from a North Dakota
point was live and very talkative
parrot of South American extraction
The parrot had been sputtering all the
way down on the train, probably oW-
ing to the cold weather and the I'M
accustomed surroundings Of the cars.
When the gay feathered bird reached
st. Paul, it was in bad frame of mind,
saying so in words of choice hue. 1t
was a very intelligent bird and had a
reasonable amount Of brains
In some manner the cage which held
the parrot was knocked over in the big
baggage room, but the fact was not
noticed. The bird was foxy. very. He
sat in his little swing and blinked dis
gustedly until the employees had turned
their backs. The time was ripe for
execution, and the parrot walked out
of his cage, looked around for a few
moments in a dignified way, and then
made for the open door. Half flying
half running, the bird cleared the great
baggage room in trice, and was soon
at liberty under the towering roof of
the great train shed. An American
eagle could not have been prouder of
It's liberty. The parrot was dread
fully cold, but as it lifted it's wings
for a final flight the wise bird let forth
jeering "Ha, ha, ha, ha, well, WELL
WE'LL" that rang like a shrill note Of
defiance through the train shed. A
great steam locomotive was directly
under the bird as it started upward
The escaping steam frightened the
bird which alighted upon one of the
aerial iron beams under the roof of
the train shed. From it's perch the
bird gazed down, jabbering and swear
ing like a trooper
We'll, well, well, poor Polly. Poor
Polly 1a, ha. ha, ha, poor Polly"
The parrot was commencing to feel
the cold. The crowd of spectators
watched the proceedings with great
interest. Finally, the frigid chill OF
the iron beam struck into the marrow
of the poor birds feet. Polly gingerly
lifted one foot, looked at 1t moment
and then tucked it under her wing
Get out and shut the door, get out
and shut the door, WELL well, poor
Polly" screamed the bird Historically.
She then removed the foot she had
been warming under her wing, and re-
placed 1t with the other cold member,
repeating the process as often as 1t
was necessary The crowd beneath
asked Polly all kinds of questions and
offered all kinds Of advice, but the par
rot was sublimely ignorant of the fact
and paid attention to nothing except
the locomotives and the cold. Finally
a bell rang and a train started to pull
out of the depot. Puff, puff, went the
engine, and Polly resumed her scream
ing.
Get cut of here, get out of here
and shut the door. Well, we'll well,
poor Polly"
General Baggage Agent Hill, Of the
union depot company, finally decided
that the bird would freeze to death
unless 1T was caught soon, and direct
ed one of his men to scale the great
iron arches and capture the bird 1t
was hoped that Polly would be too be-
numbed to offer any serious resistance
The employee, with no little danger to
himself climbed along the arches un-
til he was fifty feet above the engines.
When within a few feet of the bird,
the climber stopped a moment to argue
it with Polly The bird listened at
tentively. Encouraged by the good eff
feet Of his eloquence, the climber ap-
proched still further, when the bird,
awakening from its apparent uncon-
Germ, stretched forth It's gaudy wings
of yellow, red. green and blue, and
flew over to the next arch, where it
perched and yelled back in derision:
Get out Of here, get out of here. Ha,
ha, ha, ha, ha. Poor Polly"
At last accounts the bird had not
been captured, and the employees were
waiting for it to chill through and
drop down.