The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-12-23
Uncle Benjarnin's Parrot

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1t was getting late in the evening of
the third day before Christmas wher
there came violent pull at our 'front.'
doorbell. and GU the door being opened
Uncle Benjamin, covered with snow
and out of breath from fighting against
the wind, entered ooh, what weather!
What weather." he pulled and gasped,
as he kicked off his wet overshoes and
recklessly scattered the snow from his
overcoat on the clothes which were
hanging in the hall. II should SO like a.
cup of coffee. 1t wouldn't disturb you
too much to make it, would it?"
Of course it didn't disturb us, no
more did Uncle Benjamin, who was
soon snugly installed in comfortable
seat by the stove.
ooh, uncle, shut your eyes!" cried my
wife, suddenly. "Your Christmas pres
ent is lying there on the table near you.
Flow could be so careless! Please don't
look that way"
| He did as requested-shut his kindly
| little eyes and waited patiently until
my wife said: "Now, all right
GLOW kind of you to think of pres
emit for me- he said. Zone good turn
deserves another, and / want to give
YOU something, too, but I'll be hanged
if know what
For short time he sat with his mead
ir his hands looking ixedly in front of
him. Then, all at once, bringing his
4 fist down on the table he said: If 1
only had that parrot should be all
right"
PARROT" 1 asked, astonished.
"What parrot?"
Uncle Benjamin looked at me jov;ally.
"Don't you know the story? Really?
Well, then, you shall hear it. But, first
of all, give me another cup of coffee.
You are well-read man, nephew, so
you ought to know there is nothing like
a good cup of coffee and good lunch
con to get man allzing.'
When the beverage was ready and
Uncle Benjamin mad thoroughly tasted
it by several hearty draughts, and had
then expressed his satisfaction, he be-
gan his story:
SIT happened several yearsag After
much hoping and waiting Christmas
day had finally arrived. For several
days before continual stream of pres
ents from relatives and friends had
been steadily flowing in, while on
folks to whom had scarcely given 8
thought sent me kindly remembrances
SO that / felt proud and happy, and
said to myself: Benjamin, my boy
you must be rather nice sort of a fel
low, after all, if these people are So
proud of you as to send you Christina!
presents had arranged with mother
r (for she was living them how we would
e pile up all the presents under the Christ
: reasonable people become children a
= Christmas-when another present wa
brought in. 1t was from man whom
}. had not seen for years, and whom
5. had thought of very seldom-m.
b friend Karl Kierbaum, who was il
Il America. What in the world prompte'
him to send me anything could not TO
the life of me imagine; still less how
= man who was in general SO reason
: able should send me parrot, the ugli
Z est bird in creation. The one which
got was the ugliest of its kind, and wa!
y il addition, an ill-tempered, ill-behave
beast. 1t began by biting my finger
aid as soon as it was taken out of tn
= cage set to work to destroy the carpe
z You know hate all birds-except thos
which are roasted, of course; then
. like them well enough, when the grav
= is all right. Well, how could l be e,
: pected to fall in love with that ha iefl
\ specimen which screeched the sharpes
I words and behaved like pagan? NJ
: wife naturally thought it dear .ittl
{ thing and would have been delignte
) to have had it in the bedroom, just Xix
q children with their Christmas toys. BIT
& insisted that the parrot should eithe
8 be taken into the cellar, or else chaine
& in the dog kennel. In the latter plac
= it might at least have served to warn il
lord and master of approaching DANCE
Like the geese of the capitol. My viii
. objected that the parrot would freez
, and that it would be brutal to cause til
. death of the poor. harmless creatur
That / finally admitted. but maintaine
that it should not be housed in the BET
room.
}, "'Well,' said my wife, finally. 'wh:
shall we do?'