The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-09
I'm ASTONISHING BIRD
EAST INDIAN MINO OF DIsCRIMINA-
TION AND INTELLIGENCE.
No End to His Whirns and Pets and
Conversational Abflities-His Pref
erences for Pretty Blondes.
New York Sun.

doing shows a good deal of Intelligence IN
fact, the little songster has human quail
ties, both good and bad. He is mino bird,
native of East India and belongs to Miss
Emma Thursby.
Mino is bird with a history. lie was
born in India, where and when nobody
knows but he is certainly past what is
middle age in man. He has Travelled all over
the world, and, judged by his knowing
winks and mods, he knows a good deal more
than he cares to tell.
In the last years Of the old Emperor VIII
liam's life the American singer was ia
vorite at the court of Berlin. Every after
noon at she went to sing for the Emper-
or. When he went to Baden-Baden her mu-
sic had become so much part of his life
that she had to go there, too, and there met
the German ambassador to China, who was
at home on visit. Mino had been his traV-
cling companion great many years and
had made several trips around the world
with him. One day after Miss Thursby fin
ished singing the ambassador, knowing how
much she admired the little bird, said to it:
'Mno, hereafter you are to go in and out
of Miss Thursbys windows and never come
to mine again
The bird obeyed. He understood that he
had been given to Miss I'hursby and from
that day called her mamma. Although be
was let out in Berlin whenever he asked for
liberty not once did he return to his old
masters quarters. Since then he has trav-
eled with his mistress wherever she has
gone, and she always gets an order to take
him in the paror car with her.
When a Sun reporter went to Miss
Thursby's apartment, on Gramercy Park,
to interview Mino it was a balmy afternoon
and the bird was more interested in being
allowed to fly out of the window than in
showing off. Upon being formally intro
duced he eyed the visitor from head to foot.
but did not nod He perched himself on the
window sill, looked up into the blue sky and
down on the budding trees, then turned to
Miss Thursby and said
Mamma, please let me out; I won't stay
long > in the Irresistible voice of child.
Poor dear said Miss Thursby. Il wish
| could let him out but | don't dare here
in New York, although l always did in the
cities of Europe He would be stolen inside
of an hour here, because he is passionately
fond of children, and soon as he got out
in the park would begin to talk to them.
OF course, somebody would pick him up.
one day he was stolen, and we've never let
him out in town since. Fortunately, the
hall boy saw man pick him up and run
away with him. He came up and told me,
and my sister and | rushed out to hunt him.
We found him IN saloon on Third avenue
entertaining a party of men. Have a glass
of wine, he would say to one, and Do take
another to some one else. He's forgotten
to say those things now since we are a tenn
perance family.
when we go into the country Mino is
Just as free as child, and he enjoys it.
his best friends, next to me, are DIR. and
Mrs. G. S. Longstreet He calls Mrs. Long
street mamma, too and has spent several
winters with her. Often he says; Please
take me to see Mamma Longstreet.'
All the time Miss Thursby talked the bird
looked first at her and then at the visitor,
listening to every word respectfully.
OF THE STARTLING FAMILY.
The mino bird is closely allied to the
starting family. This one is a beauty. He is
not so large as pigeon and is far more
graceful. His plumage is shiny grayish
brown, and he has pair of fat bright yell
low wattles on the head. His eyes are
beautiful, and he has long heavy eyelashes,
which give him singularly intelligent look
His bill is bright yellow.
Now, Mino, said Miss Thursby, Sing
'Quach, quacki. for the lady. That's Chi
nese funeral song,'' she explained, land we
don't know just what it means"
WHAT" answered Mino.
BE a good boy" coaxed the mistress;
Sing 'Quacki -
II want to go out" answered Mino.
play the banjo then" urged Miss
Thursby. in that languishing voice which
young parents use when they want their
first born to show off, but like the average
first born Mino wouldn't.
ooh, he is SO stupid to-day" exclaimed
Miss Thursby in desperation. IF / wasn't
in here he would talk you to DEATH and do
everything for you. If you only had a gold
en-haired child with you he would do any
do she pleaded.
Go away, said Mino in the sauciest of
voices
Then Miss Thursby picked UP a metal
paper cutter and began to beat tune on a
big China vase This was too much for the
bird. He ducked his head, puffed out his
feathers and gave perfect imitation of a
banjo:
Take your high notes" urged Miss
Thursby, and up and down the scales he
ran. 1t sounded for all the world as if the
inside of his throat was strung like banjo
A parrot will initiate a sound but this bird
knows the difference between high and low
notes and gives each at will.
Then the bird thought he would have some
fun with the vistor. He flew up on her
bill He looked amazed when she showed no
fear, and tossing his head, exclaimed: Go
away"
The visitor did not move, and the bird
seemed to think minute and then said
Gehe veg As this command in German
had no effect, Mino apparently decided that
his stupid guest would surely understand
French, so he called out: "Allez-vous-en.
He is SO astonished that you are not
afraid of him." said Miss Thursby. Il wish
he would talk more. Cough, Mino," she
commanded; but, instead of obeying, the
OIIu ran OIL INTO a corner ana MD. He evil
IDENTIFY likes TO be begged to do things
Sing then" begged Miss Thursby and
after making great ado about it the little
fellow sang with the combined gift of a
canary and hooking bird. When it was
too late Mino concluded to be good and to
show off all of his ACCOMPLISHMENTS. As
soon as he found that Miss Thursby was
going to shut him up in his cage and hurry
away TO q musicale he was willing to do
everything and anything that she asked
called out: Mamma, mamma, please let me
go out. III come right back"
Mrs. Longstreet says that Mino is one of
the most interesting guests she ever enter
tastes, living on mocking-brd food and in
sects, remarkably healthy and very affec-
uonate. When he gets angry, though he is
angry all through. and sometimes refuses
Tor months TO speak TO the person who Of
tends him.
"Mino is a perfect little cad" said Mrs.
LongStreet. Once when was living on the
Pacific coast, Miss Thursby brought him
out TO stay with me while she went to Alas
ka. The children in the neighborhOod heard
of his talking, and. of course were very
anxious TO hear him. | asked a number OF
poor children IN TO see him. and the bird
looked at them once and then he didn'
know that they were there. They didn't ex
mouth. But the minute children of what ne
considers the proper grade come on tba
scene his tongue is loosened at both ends
He absolutely refuses to obey a servant
and is always very superciliouS in his
bearing toward them.
SWORE IN CHINESE
'Once when Mino was visiting me a naval
officer called and hearing him singing a
Chinese funeral song in another part of the
house, he said to me: You have a Chinese
servant in Distress