The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-12-23

Cant the bird be roasted?' L asked.
"upon which my dear better half
threatened to lay the case before the
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
to Animals, so saw that it would be
necessary to find some other way out
of the difficulty. At noon an inspira-
ton came to me.
Mother i called, 4 have it! Well
wrap the parrot up carefully in paper
and send it to Director Striegel. will
write note, telling him how honored
feel at being able to send him
trifling present, which I hope he will
accept, as the bird is of rare species.
He will be sure to be fattered by the
little attention, and we shall be able
to get rid of the bird with credit, for
to give, you know, is better than to re-
ceive.'
with fearful eyes my wife took
leave of the dear sweet, little parrot
which had managed to break vase
before we could capture it. 1 comfort
ed her by saying that she would be
able to see the bird again when she
called on the frau director. Then our
maid Bertha set out with it, and half
an hour later came back with very
nice note: My dear sir it ran, the
acceptance of your kind present, just
received, gives me the greatest pleas
ure. For long time it has been my
great desire to possess parrot. 1 had
not bought one because never found
one pretty enough for me. Inever saw
such I. beauty as the one you have so
kindly sent me, for which 1 hereby
thank you most heartily
$50 you see, mother said, what
is an owl to one is a nightingale to
another
"Christmas night arrived. 1t is al
ways such a peculiar time. The older
a man gets the more uncertain he feels
whether it is going to bring him happi-
ness or misfortune. Mother and had
exchanged presents and sat hand in
hand in front of the sparkling Christ
mas fire. Neither of us spoke; wewere
both busy with our thoughts. At such
times one wonders if it will be the
last time that one will sit so; if not,
perhaps year later one or the other
will be resting quietly under the sod.
sOur reverie was interrupted by a
sharp ring at the bell, and almost inn
mediately the servant entered the
room, carrying very strengthening
parcel and note.
MIR. Ibsen's compliments. He has
sent you Christmas present.
"I must confess / am curious to
know what it can be- said to my wife,
who was busy taking the wrappers off.
| Then I opened the note and read:
Dear Benjamin, will you accept the
accompanying trifing present? After
| great deal of searching finally un-
carthed the parrot which l am sending
| you. The dealer assures me that it
is an exceptionally fine bird. 1 know
that you are very fond of parrots and
hope you will be pleased to have this
one.'
"sConfound it all! roared in rage,
what the deuce do people mean by
sending me parrots? What can do
with the bird? I'll tell you what. I'll
send this over to the director just as
it is in the cage. He'll be glad to have
the pair. That's what I'll dol"
$50 again / wrote a few words. The
dealer from whom had bought par
rot in the morning had by chance re-
] ceived second and similar bird, which
he had at once offered me. 1t gave me
great pleasure to ask him to accept the
parrot which was sending him.
Bertha went again and returned
with the message that the director was
so oyerjoyed with the present that hi
was absolutely unable to find words
in which to express his thanks. Ht
would call on me the following morn
ing to return thanks in person.
ssThcn we sat down to the table.
was SO happy and so merry. The great
est happiness consists in making other
happy, and that joy was mine. AM
as Bertha cleared the table she related
again and again, to my great satisfac
ton, how overcome with joy the di
rector had seemed.
.Another hour passed-it must hay
been close upon nine-when the doc
opened and my friend Ibsen entered
, with cage in his hand.
".Why, Ibsen, what makes you cal
: so late?' I asked, astonished.
wen, SdlO uc, dllcI AC 1ieiu : iCCCC
my wife, the fact is, / am sorry to dis
turb you, but the dealer from who1
i bought the parrot this morning ha
! Just sent me a second similar one, an
: am SO glad to be able to give 20
! a little pleasant surprise that brough
il myself
deeply moved, gave him my hant
You are really very kind said. 'Ho'
! have merited such attention.
"sOh. don't mention it, he SAT-
But let us put both parrots in the sam
cage. am curious to see how the
T will behave
$50 am L. answered, and then, en-
/ barrassed, added: You know ha,
I had curious experience with the fir
j parrot you sent me?'
$, "'Why, how SOP asked Ibsen. astol
d ished.
r, ".Well, had to make some prese1
e 10 our director, and I thought yo
,ra,,lJr,% %o1ya coy% h;