Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-06-23
HOW THE PARROT
FOUND ITS SOUL.

Miss wilkins story OF the parrot, In her
new book. .Understudies. is so good that
IT has only been rivsiled by herself In the
inimitabls story OF the old maid and the
cat that came back, in one OF her earliest
volumes. In both stories there Is the in
evitabie pathos and humOr With which
Miss Wilkins alone knows how 10 euyeiop
her solitary figures OF spinsterhood. The
parrot made a striking tropical contrast
TO his stern New England mistress. and
To this woman. whose sole dissipation had
been a visit to a concert In the town hall.
the screaming and laughing bird was a
suggestion OF vague and unreasoning
immortality. The bird was the one bright
thing In her life and linked the outside
world to the true inwardness OF her own
soul. In an awful moment. which seemed
like the rankest atheism to her. she had
talked 10 him in the language of love. and
he had cooked his glittering head and his
inscrutabie jewel eye at her in a way that
made her not quite sure that the parrot
had not a soul In fact, she thought OF
speaking TO the minister about II. but
then he was unmarried and people had
pointed the finger at the minister AT a
suitable match for the solitary daughter
Of his predecessor. One warm night the
parrot frightened away a pair Of lovers
standing near the gate of Martha's gar
den by shouting in wild clamor: what rs
that? What is that? DO. you know what
that is, Martha2" Martha took the bird
in and set him on the sitting room fsbie.
along with the Bible and a Concordance.
while she lighted a lamp. Again the bird
shrieked at the solitary woman: what
was that? whSt was that. Martha7 Pol
iy don't want a cracker; Polly will be
damned IL she eats a cracker. You don't
want a cracker-do you. Martha Martha
VIII be damned IL She eats d cracker.
Martha. Martha. MARTHA There was a
step on the garden walk and the parrot
cried out In sardonic exultation: He :
coming. He's coming. Martha And 20
Martha's horror the front door opened
and there stood the minister Hes come.
Martha shrieked the parrot: damned
II he amt. Martha. Martha. where IN
hHi Is that I'D c~rackerA"
For some weeks thereafter Martha and
the minister were fast friends. HE has
~come-hasnt he. Msrtha7~ queried the
parrot over and over. and Martha was
more than ever inclined TO think tina the
bird had d soul She confided her new
hope and happiness TO the parrot. and
overlooked her supply OF linen and uny
folded her visions of a new silk for a
wedding dress before the flashing eyes
of the bird Suddenly the .d~isiliusion OF
the poor soul as 10 her first gospel Of love
came How she faced the ordeaI-rIf
Martha was cut up. she would deceive
the very elect ii was said of her-the
reader must learn for himself why.
Martha, poor Martha. whats the matter.
aartha2' walled the parrot In a cry OF
uncanny sympathy and pain. The day
came when the minister brought his new
wife 10 call upon Martha. WHO greeted
them calmly and sfiffy. though ~inwardly
her very soul sforn1esi and protested. OF
a sudden the parrot flew in from The next
room. and with a Wild shrek. esshed
upon the bridal bonnef. piucking furiousiy