The record-union., 1897-06-29
MISS MULFORD'S PARROT.

written for the Record Union by
BeseIena)
MY dear Niece: I send you by To-
days express a parrot l picked up III
South America. The bird is a gooo
talker, but I can not keep him on the
ship. as I already have as many pets
as I can conveniently accommodate
trust the bird viii reach you IN gooo
condition. With much love, my oedr
niece, to your sister and yourself
remain your affectionate uncle,
JARED MULFORD."
Mary Mulford read the letter through
a second time, then allowed II 10 Siip
unheeded to the floor. while she gave
vent to very audible groan-
What's the matter, sister, asheu
the younger Miss Mulford. she always
addressed the older woman as sls'ei'
To have called her Mary never 1of
moment entered her mind.
'sRea6 that" cried Miss MuIIord'
tragieally, handing her the letter Inc
elder Miss Mulford was prlm woman
who had long since passed the Hieil-
dian of youth. She had had the care
of her Younger sister ever since lhelr
parents death. when the latter was d
baby. She had brought the chlld up
to the best of her ability, but she mad
not understood children, and, like most
women who live alone. she had various
theories which she had attempted TO
nut into practice. But in spite OF her
sisters rigid training the younger MISS
Mulford grew up into a very beautl-
full young woman
"Oh. poor uncle Jaredi" she now ex-
claimed. while she struggled with a
wild desire to laugh, he must have
completely forgotten your sworn an
tipathy to pets of all kinds.
But what are we going to do about
it?" asked the elder woman in despair
"a horrid, heathenish talking bird, the
very idea of having it about the house
seems positively sinful"
Miss Mulford was, in most cases, a
woman of great decision of character,
in the present instance, however, she
seemed utterly incapable Of coming to
any definite conclusion. The younger
woman was not slow to grasp the op-
portunity thus offered.
1T wouldn't do to offend Uncle
Jared, she began diplomatically: and,
then, because Uncle Jared was old and
rich and a bachelor, it was decided to
accept the parrot.
In due time the bird, a fine Brazilian
specimen, arrived. His surroundings
We're strange, and for a long time he
did not speak The elder woman had
almost become resigned to his pres
ence, when one day the parrot sang a
song. The song itself was not a wick
ed one, being one the sailors had
taught him; nevertheless, it was one
which could not, with strict propriety
be sung in a lady's parlor. From that
moment the parrot was never permit
ted to enter the doors of the house of
Mulford. but had his cage hung against
the sunny side of the porch, and there
the younger sister attended to him.
Some time later as the younger
woman was coming through the cool,
sweet meadow grass, which bordered
either side of the narrow country lane,
she paused in front of the uncovered
church, attracted by the sound of
music; never before had the wheezy
old organ given forth such sounds in
all her remembrance of it. The door
stood open and she stepped across the
dim, shadowy threshold and seated
herself in a secluded corner. The
tlQlCu was COOl anu SIidQy cAbC1 t14C
heat and glare of the sun outside, while
the music possessed a subtle, inexplic-
able attraction. Unconsciously she.
wandered off into a land of dreams in
which she allowed her hitherto re-
pressed imagination to have full play.
From that moment a new world was
opened to her. Day after day she
passed the church at the same hour,
and always she entered its doors,
drawn there by a power stronger than
herself. One day, when the organ
seemed to pour forth it's very soul, she
left her secluded corner. Up the broad
central aisle she walked, the glinting
sunlight stealing in through the cracks
of the half closed blinds, falling upon
her golden hair and seeming to lose
themselves in the yellow masses and to
become a very part of it. She did not
pause until she stood beside the organ
ist, and ne, as though unconscious of
her presence, played on and on with a
rapt, dreamy expression on his face;
when the music ceased she came to
herself with a little gasping sigh.
Ever after that she sat beside him,
and while his fingers wandered softly
over the keys, he told her of himself,
of his hopes and ambitions, and grad
ually his confidence begot hers and
she told him her simple history, her
colOrless, monOtonous existence was
tinged with the roseate hues of dawn
ing love; new, strange feeling stirred
within her; she was no longer rest
lessly unhappy; unknown to her, her
feet had carried her across the bounda-
ries of girlhood and she stood upon the
other side of the first flush of her new
" awakened wOmanhood. Woman
like she would have been content to let
the rest of her life drift on in this
pleasant channel; the past was as
though it had never been. the future as
though it never would be; it was only
the sweet, real present that she knew
or cared for.
With the man it was different, he
looked far ahead and saw that he could
not live without the companionship of
this fair-haired girl, and one day when
the organ had peaIed out a flood of mel
ody more alluringly enticing than ever
before he took her hand in his and