The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-06-09
The Parrot - ~
- y and Its Soul.

Miss wlkins' story Of the parrot. In her
new book "tiuderstudies," published ny
Harper & Bros. Is so good that II has
only been rivalled hy herself In the mint
able story o. the old maid and the sat
thar came back in one az her earliest
volumes In both stories there Is the IN
eyiteble pathos and hrmor With which
Miss wilkins alone knows bow 70 envelopes
her solitary hrureS OF spinsterhood. The
parrot made striking tropical contrast
to his stern New England mistress; and
10 this woman, whose sole dissipauen had
been visit r. concert IN the town hall.
the screaming and laughing bird was
suggestion Of vague ana unreasoninS i'm
morality. Tho bird was the one bright
thing In her iifr and linked the ontside
world to the true inwnrdness Of her own
| soul In an awful moment. which seemed
! like the rankest atheism TO her, she had
| talked to him In tho language Of love, and
he had cooked his eIttcring head and his
inscrntRblc iewci-eye ct her IN way that
mnde her not quite sure that the parrot
had not a soul In fact, she Thought Of
| speaking to tho minister about Il, but then
he was unmarried, and people had pointed
the hnrer az the minister as suitable
match for the solitary daughter Of mis-
predecessor.
~
one warm night the parrot frightened
away pair Of lovers standing near the
gate OF Martha's garden by shouting In
wild clamor. what Is thatf What Is
that's Do you know what that Is. Mar
thay Martha took the bird In and set
! him ON the sitting room table, along witn
4 tho Bible and concordance, while she
! lighted a lamp Again the bird shriekcd
| a. ~. ~ ura "a
il whet was that, Marthay Polly dof'i
l. want cracker, polly will he damned II
!. she eats a cracker You don't want =
II crackerdo you, Marthag What was that
Mnrthog Martini will be damned II shc
eats cracker. Martha, Martha, Marthar
There was sten on the garden walk aut
the parrot cried out In sardonlc exultaton
y Hes comlngi He's coming Marthap
e And. 10 Martha's horror, the front doc
l. opened, aud there steed tho minister
&c Hes come, Marthaw shrieked the par
d rot: damned if he aln'tl Martha, Marihs
where in hell Is that old crackerI"
, ~
- For some weeks thereafter Martha an
= the minister were fast friends. He hS
j, come hasn't he, MarthaT queried III
parrot over and over. aud Martha va
More than ever Inclined to tank that q
blrd mad SOM. sue fohnVcH uhF ne
hope and happiness to the parrot, ar
overlooked her supply Of linen and "
folded her visions Of new silk FOR We
ding dress before the nashlnE eyes 81 q
bird suddenly the disillusion Of Il
poor soul as TO her first gospel OF 10
came. How she faced tho ordeal.-'ff Ma
tina was cut mp, she would deceive q
very eloct." e was said Of her tho read
must learn for himself why. Marth
poor Martini whats the matter Martha
walled the parrot "a a cry OF uncanny syl
pathy and pain The day came VIII
the minister brought his new wife 90 ci
upon Martha who greeted them calm
'ys and stnly. though inwardly her We
soul stormcd and protested, OF sudd
as the parrot flew IN from the next roo
ING and. with wild shrlek, dashed upon
bridal bonnet plucking furiously az
ely roses and pluinos THAT was a damr
cracker. Martha concluded the parr
MS ana as his golden eyes met hers Mar
recognized In the norce bird a comrades
OF and an equality, for he mad gieen v
to an emotion Of her own nature, and
ar knew forevermore that the parrot ha'
con gouf