The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1900-01-27
POLLY'S FRANKS.

Polly was small gray African par
rot and the pet of the household. Carlo,
little pet dog, was a special favorite
Of hers. When Polly had a tidbit given
her, she always called in a very loud
and impatient tone: Carlo! Carlol
Where's the dog?" And Carlo would
instantly respond, with a sharp little
bark, and scamber to Polly, who never
failed to drop him bit of her dainty.
Polly was never confined in her cage:
she had the freedom of both house and
yard and never showed any desire to
go away. At sun down, she invariably
went into her cage, the door Of which
was always open.
Early every morning, as soon as the
odor of coffee pervaded the house, she
would cry Justify: Polly wants her
coffee! Give Polly her coffee!" This
| she kept up, until a small cup of
! sweetened coffee was given her. She
! had this coffee habit" when we got
! her
/ l have never seen a parrot that talk
ed so much, or that initiated the HUI
man voice so we'll as his own We had
neighbor who 1 am afraid led her
husband an unhappy life. Every morn
ing he left the house hastily, and al
ways said, as he clapped his hat on his
head and tisd from the house: There
she goes again. What a scold!"
This was all the unhappy man was
ever known to say in reply to his wife's
fault-fnding.
One of Polly's favorite places was
on balcony, just above our neigh
bors window. The houses being so
close together, of course the parrot
soon picked UP the words There she
goes again! What d scold! What a
scold!" shouted Polly, every time the |
Wretched woman came in view, at door !
or window.
Sometimes there were variations, and !
Polly would sigh funny little sigh, and !
groan out: ''What-an- awful- scoldi"
The woman's life soon became a bur
den to her, but l believe Polly was the
cause of that family getting along
better-for after she took up the
quarrel the "other folks" stopped it.
When Polly came to us she was suffer
ing with govt. Her former master fed
her too highly, and her poor feet were
so swollen she could scarcely stand up
on them. She had no ugly trick, AS
some parrots have, such as biting and
Every morning, therefore.
we bathed her feet in warm soapsuds
1t was long time before the disorder
yielded to treatment, and in that time
Polly learned some of the habits and
speeches of those in her new home
If we were little late in bathing the
7OA 1CCLr VI d IlOIIllIlSS, she WOulQ raise |
Irst one foot, and then the other, look
ng at each long time, and saying to
herself in low, plaintive tone: I'm !
sorry for Polly Poor little Polly!' !
FINDING she had attracted our atten- :
ion, she would say coaxingly: Wash !
'olfs feet now-nOw-now."
This she always followed up immedi- +
ltely with her good but impatient mas
er'S daily remark: why cant / ever :
lave things done 7 ,Visb 0,i :
Then Polly would get furious and
hriek: Why? Why? Why?" until +
Ter feet were bathed.
One day the 14-year-old daughter of .
he house retired to her room to study. :
Ter mother had gone out, and only n
Nitty, the servant girl, who was in the h
itchen, and herself were in the house =
he was deep in her studies when her q
lother's voice calling: Margaret, r
largaret. Come here at once!" caused "
er to run down stairs hastily. Won a.
ering at her mothers speedy return. II
Where's mother, Kitty?" she asked O.
the girl. p
Gone out" replied Kitty. n
Margaret, OH Mar garrett" said a,
oily. in voice very like that of her b,
distress. ~
We lived in Philadelphia then. d q
nd Quakers in broad brimmed hats r.
equently passed. The children often u
marked when one came in sight: L.
There comes a Quaker. You can ten in
lem by their hats 10
We We're shocked one day by Polly 81
outing loud and shrill: There
mes Quaker!-Shoot the hiatt" III
When cold weather came we fire. ~
lently said to the small boy who left iii
e doors open regularly: Shut the VI;
or, little goose!' ba
A bleak day the minister Che was i Cs
w One) came into the store. The Of
or failed to latch, as he pushed if tn
ut, and as he took his seat by the ~
arm stove it flew wide open. He was tn
ry much sctartled when a harsh voice g" s..
outed in his ear: Shut the door a
ose!'' which he did promptly, to our nj.
ltual modification. ~
One morning the milkman stole th1
lall silver spoon. Polly saw him va
hen Kitty came in the parrot cried: 0 ~
les got it, He's got it, ;n+
Got what?" asked the girl. ms ms
Silver" shouted Polly. s e.,
Nhe man was so frightened that he I'LL
urned the spoon, on condition he 20
1uld not be arrested. chi