The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-07-28

he endued with more reCtitude than It's
fellows I have never been able to dis
CDver-this by the way.
"a bit of cold, perhaps" said Cap
tain Travers. "Well, come over the
fence and have a dish of tea in the
summer house and Rachel shall come
in afterward and make you good
glass of something stiff for night
cap"
Punctually at o'clock l donned my
sprucest attire, and with n smart flow
er in my buttonhole-gay dog that i
was-slipped over the fence. Miss
Rachel was there, looking as fresh as
a spring cabbage with the dew on it,
which / consider a very pretty simile,
and she bade me welcome with one
of her beaming smiles. There, too
was the unlucky parrot in it's cage,
and standing just outside the summer
| house. / had noticed that 1T had been
! set out to sun itself as usual on all
| fine days, and as far as 1 could see
nothing had transpired to make me
! think they had any cause to suspect
my imposition.
l purposely sat with my back to It.
! ard avoiding taking notice of 1t in any
way whatever.
Tea went off all right; my old friend
was very CHEEKY and Miss Rachel
showed me great attention. / could
hear polly rubbing her beak up and
| down the wires of the cage and swing
ing backwards and forwards in the
metal ring.
After the meal Captain Travers went
indoors to get his supply of necessaries
for the evening, and. turning to me,
! Miss TrayerS commented
"By-the-bye, Captain Manley, how is
your parrot? I have not seen it out in
the garden lately"
/ felt my heart beating a bit faster.
but with every semblance of outward
calm l said:
mo; the fact is. it's not been at all
well; in fact, it is dead"
Dead" she exclaimed. "Well,
never. What did it die OFF"
II really don't know" / replied. 'It
died quite suddenly about q week ago
Il hope cur Polly isn't going to follow
suit" she continued. "She has beer
very dull and quiet the last few days
but seems a bit more lively this even
ing. don't think she has spoken a
word all the week" .,
Thank goodness" I inwardly ejac.
ulated.
Things were beginning to look a BIZ
awkward and l cast about for some
thing to change the course of conversa-
tion. l am not a quick thinker. how
ever, and before could cole ct my wits
Miss Travers continued:
Dear, dear, to think your poor Pol.
ly's dead! Well, / am sorry! l should
be sorry to lose you, Polly dear" she
said, addre ssirg the parrot. "But
really, Captain Manley," looking M
straight in the face, II can't make ou'
Polly out. Sometimes l could almos
believe she was a different bird. Sh'
hasn't once seemed pleased to see m,
all the week"
felt the blood rapidly rising to m,
cheeks and forehead, but I trusted t.
my tanned complexion for it not t.
show. / feebly replied Perhaps She
molting."
1t was an unluclly slip. "Well, nov
come to think" said Miss Travers
~ noticed that its tail looked mucl
! raler after it's bath the other morning
and the water was quite red. Is tina
a sign of molting?"
Yes, I often used to notice it abou
my own parrot"
but ! thought your bird had no ret
! about it," she pursued
. 'Confound the woman's persistence
thought, but l stammered Il mean
that is to sGy-you see-Ive noticed
; in all red parrots / have ever com
across. They shouldn't be bathed a
all; it Injuries their constitution"
80! / thought you recommended it,
; she said.
, So l had, dozens of times. "Onl
, for the gray ones" said I, forming
convenient distinction on the spur q
| the moment.
Miss TraverS didn't seem inclined [
7 pursue the subject further, much to m
satisfaction, and then there was dea
, | pause.
, During the whole of our converse
: tion the subject of it had not cease
> to continue it's antics in the wire cage
, Whether it was the sound of my voic
= | that caused it to be thus excited I d
! not know, but at this opportunity
! burst in with Hi. hil'
7 l was getting desperate and coul
! think of nothing to change the sui
ject; and yet if didn't say somethin
q / was terribly afraid the parrot woulc
q A bicycle bell sounded down the roaC
. Are you thinking of getting a b
p cycle, Miss Travers?" said.
7 mo, certainly not" she replied
"how can you ask such a question:"
7 Another awful pause, during whic
. / moped the perspiration from m
brow
; "Ra-Ra- Rachel | love you," came