The Washington times., 1901-08-25
PETS TO suit ALL TASTES
Places in Washington Where All
Kinds Are Offered for Sale.
Wide Range for Choice From Bon
Constructors to Cnnnr!es-A Parrot
Which Brought Three Hundred
Dollars-ETect of the Lacey Law.


sort of utilization or companionshiI
with dumb creatures and parrots.
There are few places more interesting
during the course of a casual visit thai
an emporium for the sale of tame anC
even sometimes wild animals, If hug,
serpents may be considered as in tn
latter category. There are several sucl
establishments in this city, and they
are known to all Washingtonians wht
cherish fondness for pets" of al
kinds, from canaries to bears and boa
constructors.
Why people should fancy the latter
is. to most persons. perhaps a mystery
1t is true that the boa constructor is &
very quiet member of society, keeping
himself TO himself and obeying the gol-
den rule of Mr.. Cruncher of never say
ing nothing to nobody" but there is q
cold CLEANLINESS, not to mention an
elongated creepiness, about him thai
somehow can scarcely be considered
prepossessing.
Speaking of the boa constructor, 8
visitor to a local establishment re-
Gently was shown bottle, the lower
portion of which was filled with large
ticks, crawling about and wriggling in
a most lively manner.
These we have just taken off of our
big boa," said the proprietor. and he
is, in consequence, greatly relieved. He
submitted to the operation in a most ex-
emplary manner. Notwithstanding we
had to take pair of tweezers and pull
har Ha irlS or >In
have taken about a hundred off, but
these are the only ones 1 have saved,
and 1 am just about to send them to
the Agricultural Department"
Give Polly a cracker" broke in a
voice. proceeding from place close to
where the visitor was standing. 1t pro-
ceeded from a green parrot, who imme-
diately after, holding out his claw. re-
Quested to shake hands" The latter
request being complied with, the parrot
returned to his original one, crying,
Now, give Polly a cracker" 1t is
strange to study the dispositions Of
these curious birds. which, in common
with other animals, exhibit just as
great variety of temperament as human
beings. Some are cross, moody, irrita-
BILE, with scarcely a word out of them
except when they feel like it; others
again are directly the reverse.
Il had a parrot once" said the
proprietor. for which l paid s20J.
sold it TO Colonel Doubleday. of this
city, for $500 cash, and the colonel was
pleased at his bargain. The parrot had
a habit of proclaiming his estimate of
his own worth by shouting at the top
of a rather powerful voice, Five hun
dred dollars for Polly When Colonel
Doubleday was signing the check in
payment for the bird, which he did
right beside the cage of the latter Polly
came over TO the bars and. looking from
the writing TO the colonel, exclaimed in
An authoritative tone:
Five hundred dollars for Polly!'
Well, Polly said the colonel, as
soon as he recovered from his astonish-
ment and laughter. you may be worth
five hundred dollars, but I've just
bought you for three hundred
That bird sang at least a dozen
songs in first rate style, and should you
start singing any one of them and leave
off he would take it up from the point
at which you discontinued and finish it
without a false word or note. He was
certainly wonder"
Speaking of parrots. there is a lady
who has been a faithful visitor at a
bird store for several months. She
was a sufferer in the terrible flood at
Galveston, Tex, and she and her hus-
band (they had no children) barely es-
Gaping with their lives, the loss she felt
most. and from which she believes she
will never recover, was that of her
three parrots. The birds were we'll
known in Galveston, on account of their
own virtues, intelligence. and vivacity,
mistress. They ate at table, and were
put to bed every night like children, al
ways, on these latter occasions, kissing
their mistress and replying to her
wishes for their peaceful rest with a
caress and good night
Full of joyous life and affection and
intelligence as were these charming little
creatures, it is no wonder that through
years of association the heart of the
go that they had, in manner. become
part of her existence. The loss of her
beloved pets thus fell heavily upon the
spirits of their mistress. who frequently
visits certain bird store and stays for
an hour or more in the room devoted to
the parrots. She goes from one cage to
another, detecting in some birds resem-
blances to those she has lost, and thus
cleaning some measure of consolation,
although that loss could, as she says,
never be restored
1t is a rather singular circumstances
that a representative OF The Times was
the cause OF this lsdy's meeting In this
city friend whom she had known in
Galveston. The reporter interviewed
the wife of an army officer who had
been stationed in Galveston at the time
of the disastrous food. and casually al
iuded to the lady whom he had met in
the bird store, and the loss of her par
rots.
WHY, that must be Mrs. -" i'm
mediately exclaimed the army officer S
wife. II know her very well, and
heartily sympathized with her over the
loss of her parrots. / did not know
where she was. nor can she know where
am. shall certainly try to find her.
The result has been, as The Times re-
porter has been given TO understand,
that the two friends have become thus
strangely reunited.
II may be remarked, while on the
subject. that the grey parrots in the
animal house in the Geological Park. are
the property of a maiden lady who is