The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-02
FoREToLD sY THE PARROTS.
Feathered Earthquake sharps in Guate
maIa.


to-day, Don Carlos said the old In
dian on the Guatemalan coffee inca to
the young American. The latter
was preparing to take nine mile
ride to the postotfce and return
| before the noon breakfast. There is
gong to be bad earthquake, the In
dian continued, 'and the mule will be
frightened to death. Take the little
bay beast instead"
Don't. you think / can manage the
mule? I'm not afraid of her." replied
Don Carlos.
comes when the mule is tied, she will
break away for certain Nothing
will hold her, and know there is going
to be big earthquake"
How do you know that, Manuel?
Did the spirit in the Takana volcano
inform you or are you a good guesser
on the subject?' asked Don Carlos in
credulously. Are you an earthquake
expert?"
The parrots have been making much
noise this morning, Don Carlos. I know
there will be an earthquake and a
bigger one than usual. The parrots
always raise such a rumpus when
heavy one is coming. You will see am
right, Senor."
The parrots had been keeping up a
terrible racket ever since daybreak that
morning, so much so that Don Alejan-
dro whose English blood had resented
deeply their intrusion on his plantation
without permission had risen wrath
fully in his pajamas and fired load
of shot at the birds nearest the house.
This only had the effect of driving them
to a safer distance in the tops of the
tall. sentinel-like trees scattered
sparsely among the coffee plants.
From these points of vantage they
jeered and hooted at Don Alexandra for
an hour or more in the native parrot
language. The parrots We're wild and
knew not the speech of man-only such
profanity as was directed at their
heads on account of their noise and
clamor They made such a discord
| flying from one tree to another and
! telling their stories in harsh, straent
tones that sleep was out of the ques-
ton. Don Alexandra was forced to
| forego his morning, nap. He therefore
got under the refreshing shower bath
and ordered the morning cup of coffee,
| with the slice of bread accompaniment,
which in the tropics does for breakfast.
Don Alexandra and Don Carlos drank
their coffee and then the younger man
ordered the mule saddled. He took the
advice of Manuel and rode the steady
mule. The parrots must have had some
sort of a tip after all. Don Carlos had
ridden scarcely two-thirds of the nine
miles when the earthquake came and
| proved to be a big one. 1t was, indeed,
much worse than thegimaginary earth
quake seemed to be on the night when
the big house dog sneaked under the
lone bed, and, rising. made the sleeper
think the world was coming to an end.
| This time the quake was SO pronounced
that the pools of muddy, water in the
road-it was in the rainy season-were
| greatly agitated. The mule spread her
| legs apart like the supports of partic-
| ularly boW-legged dachshund and wait
ed and waited until the thing was over.
The animal swayed and rocked under
Don Carlos as if she had been a ship
in heavy sea. When the quaking had
ceased, the mule gave a sigh of relief,
a snort, and proceeded, Alltthe time the
parrots had been flying overhead, shout
ing out in their Earring, discordant
tones, Il told you so. I told you SOL.
Don Carlos scratched his head and
marveled. I wonder how long those
| birds knew what was coming" he said
| to himself. They must tbe in league
with Old Nick t.,
In Guatemala the parrots have much
the same reputation among the natives
| as the blue jays possess among the ne
groes of the states. Like the jays they
| are popularity supposed to have private
| dealings with satan. On this account
| they are respected to a certain extent.
| Though the Indians and country people
are fond of making pets of them, they
seldom kill the birds. The most sought
after are not the pure green, but those
with yellow or red marks on the neck
and crest. From being feathered boiler
factories in sound when in their wild
| state, they become honey-voiced crea-
lures when tanned and educated. They
| lisp in the soft mellifiuouS Spanish
tongue, with the accent of the pure
Castilan. They even shrug what
shoulders they have in keeping with
this. When one of them is told, "Adios,
chico (good-by, little one), it will re-
spond quickly and cheerfully with
'Adios, Senior bueno." followed by
string of felcities a yard long with, as
a fitting ending, kiss, which *
presses the essence of bliss.
The parrots of Guatemala are some
thing of birds of passage and pleasure.
| In the early morning they can be seen
flying from the lowlands, where th"y
make their roOsting places, to the high
| ground. They frequent the coffee Tin
cas- situated at an elevation Of from
| 1000 to 1900 feet above sea level, in
the day. They fed on bananas, plain
tains and other fruits. Always cheer
full, ever restless, they skip from one TO
another of the tall trees. enjoying them
selves by shining up in true parrot
| sly 1t llle SlllbOlu, Willie SIIdlts VI LIE
| tropical forests. They finish up their
business in the highlands regularly
about an hour before the sun sets Then
| they depart, never singly, but in cou-
pies, or flocks of six or seven, for their
roosting places further down. where it
is warmer at night. They fly high, re
sembling somewhat pigeons on the
| wing, but not moving SO swiftly While
| in flight they utter their accustomed
| cries. So regular are the parrots in
| their comfngs and goings that the ma
tives keep the time of day by them.
If an Indian is asked the hour in the
| early morning, he will respond:
| 1T is not much after sunrise, Senior.
The parrots have not long come If at
| noon or Whereabouts, he will say: 1t
must be midday, Senior The parrots
are quiet" Like the rest of the in
hahitants of the country who can Go
so, the parrots take a siesta at neon.
| AT any rate they are silent.
1t was the writer's fortune to witness