The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-11-20
CHILDREN MISS
BIRD PLAYMATE.
Their Parrot Friend Goes
Into Winter Quarters.
AMUSED THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD
Polly Mimicked Everything He
Heard Except a Dog, to Whose
Level He Refused to Sink
Many Franks Played.

Children residing on North Capitol
Street. between II and I Streets. are
mourning the departure from their midst
Of a playmate. who, for the past six
months. has been a source OF the keenest
interest and delight to them.
During the long summer evenings, and
in the fail afternoons. until chilly wealth
er recently set in. the entire youth Of this
locality was wont 10 assemble in the vi
cinity Of the back yard of DR.. J. L. Sud
darth and engage in playful pastimes with
this companion large green and yellow
parrot belonging TO the physician, and
which had its habitat in wire cage sus-
pended from the back porch Of Dr. Sud
dartL's residence.
Polly endeared itself to the entire
community There was no near neighbor
whose voice the bird could not initiate
almost perfectly. and many were the
pranks it played on its friends who re-
sided close by. From early morning until
dark. it kept up a constant chatter about
everything and everybody. To persons
happening in the locality the parrot
caused all manner Of bewilderment, and
in some instances gave great alarm
Called a Dog Back.
Just before being taken into winter
quarters-that is, being moved into a
warm room Of DR.. Suddarth's house
Polly created a scene which one man and
dog at least. viii not soon forget. It
was a bright, warm day, and the golden
sunshine cast crystal feczs upon the
beautiful plumage Of the bird
A score Of children were playing in the
yards nearby as an old CClOTed man with
a basket OF potatoes on lis head and with
a lean. hungry looking dog following, was
passing through the alley back OF Polly's
home When the parrot observed the dog
IL appeared 10 be impressed with its Woe
begOne appearance. and, as II TO summon
IL for a square meal. began calling;
'Phoit! phoitl phoitT'
The canine turned, looked all around
and, seeing no one. started again to fol-
low his master. Polly whistled again.
Dog and owner both halted. The call was
repeated and the dog, after pricking its
ears and listening as II to locate the d.
rectiOn OF the sound, started in q GLOW
trot toward the parrot. Seeing this the
old dariy began calling the canine him
self. The parrot opened up again also
and there was duet Of dog calls
Made the children Laugh.
The owner finally became exasperated
and the dog looked as if he did not know
which way to turn Polly continued to
whistle and the negro began to indulge
in language unfit for publication. Finally
the old man seized a stick and rushing in
! the direction Of the parrot, shouted
who dat calling my dog2"
About that time, the children in a
neighboring yard, who had Witnessed the
incident. began TO laugh.
d" faint nobody calling your dog 'cept
DR.. Suddarth's parrot" said one Of them.
/ 'Fo de Lord" said the old man in sur
/ prise, dat parrot come nearer Whistling
like human being den 7 ever seed be
fore"
He and his dog then went their way.
On Terms Of Intimacy.
Polly was or most intimate terms with
the ashman and grocery wagon drivers.
aid had a habit Of hailing them az soon
as they came in sight His favorite greet
ing was "HeHo!" He knew most Of the
children Of the neighborhOod by name, and
frequently would call them when they
we're least expecting 20 hear his voice
He INDUCED IN every scene Of laughter
and his hai Ia, has were invariably
to be heard above all others in any chorus
in which he took part.
A family whose dining room was located
within close proximity OF the parrots
Gage were among POlly's most intimate
friends. The bird took part in the con-
versatiOn almost daily, displaying a pen
chant for mimicEinE the members Of the
household. The first time any member
observed that Polly was an artist in
mimiCry was one evening while at din
ner, when the housewife turned 20 her
little daughter, saying
What do you want, daughter"
What do you want, daughter said
voice in the parrots cage.
The bird evidently thought this quite d
clever conceit, as it repeated the inter
rOgatOry several times.
DR.. Suddarth says the parrot possesses
one peculiarity-that although Il VIII imi-
tate almost every sound Il hears, II has
never attempted 10 mock a dog. Efforts
have frequently been made to yet Polly
to bark or howl like dog but the bird
politely but firmly refuses TO place itself
in the canine category in any way what
ever.
Or. SuddaTth says he proposes to allow
POlly's little friends 10 come in TO see
their old playmate occasionally.