St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1897-01-30
house, and Rachel shall come in after
wards and make you a good glass OF
something stiff for night-cap.s'


flower in my button-hole-gayd dog tina
I was-slipped over the fence. Miss
Rachelwas there, looking as fresh as
a spring cabbage with the dew on it
(which consider o very pretty simiIe
/ and she bade me welcome with one o1
her beaming smiles. There, too, wa.
| the unlucky parrot in it's cage, ant
standing just outside the summer
house. I had noticed that it had beer
set out to sun itself us usual on all fine
days, and as far as could see nothing
| had transpired to make me think the,
had any cause to suspect my imposition
| / purposely sat with my back to it
and avoided tkling notice of it in any
way whatever.
Tea went off all right; my old friend
was very CHEEKY and Miss Rachel
showed me great attention. I 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 Capt. Travers went
indoors to get his supply of necessaries
for the evening, and, turning to me
Miss Travers commenced:
"By-the-by, Capt. Manley, how is
your parrot? have not seen 1t out in
the garden lately
I felt my heart beating bit faster,
but with every semblance of outward
calm, said:
"No-the fact is, it's not been at all
well; in fact, it's dead"
"Deadi" she exclaimed. "Well,
never. What did it die Off"
81 really don't KNOW | replied. 1T
died quite suddenly about a week ago"
81 hope our Polly isn't going to fol-
low suit" she continued. ''She has been
very dull and quiet the last few days.
but seems bit more lively this even
ing. I don't think she has spoken a
word all the week"
THANK goodness!"I inwardly ejacu-
lated.
Things were beginning to look a bit
awkward, and cast about for some
thing to change the course of conversa-
tion. ] am not a quick thinker, how
ever, and before could collect my wits,
Miss Trayers continued.
"Dear, dear, to think your poor Polly's
deadi Well, am sorry! sould be sorry
to lose you, Polly DEAR" she said, ad-
dressing the parrot. But really, Capt
Manley," looking me straight in the
face, 'I can't make our Pollyout.
Sometimes / could almost believe she
T ~ ,irl
seemed pleased to see me all the week. )"
I felt the blood rapidly rising to my
cheeks and forehead, but trusted to
my tanned complexion for it not to
show. / feebly replied: Perhaps she's
moulting."
It was an unlucly slip. well, now
I come to think, said Miss Travers, 81
noticed that its tail looked much paler
after it's bath the other morning, and
the water was quite red. Is that a
sign of moulting?"
s'Yes, 1 often used to notice it about
my own parrot"
"But / thought your bird had no red
about it," she pursued.
'Confound the woman's persistence" :"
I thought, but stammered: 81 mean
that is to say-you see-Pve noticed it
il, all red parrots have ever come
across. They shouldn't be bathed al
all, it Injuries their constitution"
"Oh! l thought you recommended it, ;"
she said.
So I had, dozens of times. "Only for
the gray ones,'I said, forming a con-
venient distinction on the spur of the
moment.
Miss Travers did not seem inclined tc
pursue the subject further, much to
my satisfaction, and then there was a
dead pause.
During the whole of our conversa.
ton the subject of it had not ceased
Whether it was the sound Of my voice
that caused it to be thus excited ! do
not know, but at this opportunity it
burst in with Ell, hi
was getting desperate, and could
think of nothing to change the subject:
and yet if didn't say something |
was terribly afraid the parrot would.
A bicycle bell sounded down the
road.
Are you thinking of getting BIZ.
cycle, Miss Traverse said.
"No, certainly not" she replied;
show can you ask such a question? p
Another awful pause, during which
/ mopped the perspiration from my
brow.
"Ra-Rar Rachel, love you'll" came
in clear tones from behind my back,
The wretehed bird had caught the ex-
act tone Of my voice.
Capt Manley! Sirl" said Miss Trav-
ers, raising herself to her full five feet
one and one-half inches 'Did you ad-
dress that remark to me, sir 2"
had, however, utterly collapsed, and
burying my head in my hands, leaned
down on the little round table. Wheth-
er the sight of the poor old ship in dis
tress touched her tender heart don't
know, but she added, in softer tones:
"This is very unexpected, Capt. Man
ley"
/ could hold out no longer.
Miss Rachel / cried. "I.m thun.
dering old hpyocrite. Ny parrot isn't
dead atall; there it is in that cage; it's
yours that's dead; ] shot it. I didn't
mean to. Can you forgive me for all
the lies told youP"
"AlI right! All right" said the sos
ernn voice of the parrot behind me.
1T was Polly that made that remark
Just now, not I; but. believe me, she
gpeaks the truth, If I don't. Rachel, ]
do really love you-''
/ ventured to look up. Tears were