Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-08-11
THE PARROTS OF cW A.
They Are Intelligent, CompanfOnables
Talkative and Edible.

talkatiVe and Edible.
A company of i. lsoners from Cuba
recently arrived in Chicago, coming
unchallenged through our line of
battleships, passing our coast guards
unmolested, and reaching the interior
OF the country without harm, albeit
the sentiments of eSch and all are for
war. And these prisoners neither
speak our difficult language nor under
stand it, their native speech being the
Spanish vernacular. They are the
latest and perhaps the last importa-
tion of Cuban parrots, and they reached
New York under many difficulties, but
they are now in the homes of Lake
Michigan, released from their dismal
wooden cages and petted to their
hearts content, but still moping and
melancholy for the loveliest land that
ever the sun shone on. That was what
Columbus said of Cuba when he car
ried the first consignment of Cuban
parrots back to Europe, introducing
them to the delighted ladies of Seville.
In Cuba when that lovely land
Saw Tacon reigning In his glory.
These latest arrivals from the beauti-
full and unhappy Cuba will probably
be the last consignment made for
many a long day, and the pretty birds
with their red breasts and brilliant
green plumage and white-topped
heads are as savage and misanthropic
rs human prisoners might be under
the ban of exile. They bite savag ,ly
and hurl Spanish anathemas at all who
approach them, and whether they are
rebels or patriots cannot be determined
from their actions. But few words
of Spanish spoken by visitor pro-
duced wonderful change, as well as
a babel of discordant jargon. They
chattered as if in their native forests,
and their bright, wicked eyes smirked
with satisfaction and they crooned to
themselves like the uncanny folk they
are with diabolical effect.
These birds recall the fact that the
Spanish sailor has an abnormal love
for parrots and is nearly always ac-
companied by one of those trick birds
when he sails the Spanish main or adj
ventures into distant ports, where he
finds himself compelled to part with
his harlequin friend in exchange for
gold to pay his score. He is sorry,
but not so sorry as the parrot, whom
he had petted and taught and whose
homesickness lasts long after the mas
ter she loved has forgotten her.
A poet wrote pathetic ballad OF
such case. In strange country the
lonely parrot was adopted by kind
people, who made much of it, but the
bird could never be induced to speak
a single word during the years of its
enforced exile it preserved an un.
broken silence. AS it grew old ita
melancholy increased, and left to it.
self it brooded over its past life until
one day q stranger passing its cage
gave it glance of recognition. The
poet tells the climax:
He hailed the bird in Spanish speech,
The bird In Spanish speech replied,
Flew round its cage with joyous screech-
Then dropped and died.
Some Americans visiting Cuba few
years ago were much shocked while
dining at fashionable restaurant tc
hear an order given for "two Cuban,
on toast" They felt relieved on learn.
ing that Cuban parrots were the
delicacy ordered. 1t is known now
that the birds have been an article oi
diet for some time, the 10000 parrots
that were formerly sent to the United
States in the season being now sacri
feed to feed hungry families deprived
of other sources of food.
The great popularity of the Cuban
parrot in this country has been traced
to the fact that they come to us with
unoccupied brains, the few words the
young birds have learned being easily
obliterated to make room for n new
vocabulary. The Cubans themselves
have as much reverence for the bird
that talks as the old Romans had in
the days of Nero, when its uncann,
utterances were regarded as oracles.
| Guarding Against Risk.
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