Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-03-22
FULL O. KNAVES
fOricinal.1


turned to skin and bone rs soon as he
failed to get his meals of arsenic Billy
was trying to get it back" on Tom
You see, we fellows all understood one
another, and no one of the gang spared
another. After fellow had been sold
he laughed with the rest and bided
his time to get even. But Hazeltine
stuck Nutting for n larger amount
than we fellows liked to see, and we
were ready to help him recover it from
the man who took it out Of him. Billy
was very nice about it. He joined I'D
the laugh ut his expense, sent the horse
to n fertilizing factory and pocketed
his loss-that IL. temporarily.
We used to meet at each others
rooms after business hours for q
small game of poker before dinner.
One afternoon when We were at Bill
Iy's rooms, each with q pile Of chips
before us, there was ring ut the bell.
and an Italian came in with parrot
for sale
Don't want any parrots" said Billy
impatiently. "Whose deal?"
II have vera good parrot" said the
Italian. "You lika him vera much"
Don't want him." said Billy. Get
outv'
"Shut up!' shrieked the parrot.
"You impudent little villain" ex-
claimed Billy.
This changed the interest from the
game to the parrot. The Italian was
called upon to get him out of.his box
and make him perform.
"Ante up" crOaked the parrot.
Polly" said Hazeltine, pretty poll!
| What y got for a show down"
Full O. knaves." croaked the par
rot.
There was a laugh, and some one
asked the parrot if he had anything
else, but the bird only had one answer
for all-"Full O. knaves."
you're dead right" remarked one
Of the party. There's more knavery
in this gang than in dozen jailbirds."
IDEAL the cards." the parrot sudden
" blurted out, rubbing his beak with
his claw and following the Injunction
with a lot Of parrot carvings.
by Jove," exclaimed Hazeltine. "he
Is q rare bird to have on hand for q
poker party! He'd make nc end O. fun.
What you want for hlmT
'Tell the gentleman your price, Poll. "
said the italian.
1.-TWO cents" said the parrot.
mo, nor interposed the owner. 'Try
again. Your price-your price"
"Seventy-five dollars"
"Great Scottw exclaimed Billy. "Sev.
enty-five dollars for parrotw
The italian shrugged his shoulders.
with SIS a minimum"
The italian agreed, the bird was put
up. and Billy started the bidding by
Offering $25. Hazeltine, who was think.
ing what q treasure the bird would be
at his own poker parties, offered $50,
and the bidding became spirited. In q
few minutes the price was run up to
the limit, but none Of the bidders
seemed inclined to give way to the 9TH
ers. Eighty. eighty-flve. ninety. were
bid successfully. At the last figure all
dropped out except Billy Nutting and
Tom Hazeltine, who continued to top
each other 81 bid. At ninety-five Ha.
zeltine showed signs Of weakening.
Don't take water. Tom," whispered
one Of the party. 1.-THE birds worth
500. There are plenty Of parrots, but
I never saw one that could talk like
that"
"Ninety SKIP cried Hazeltine.
"Raise 1t to ninety-seven." from Nut
ting.
"Ninety-eightg' from Hazeltine.
NINETY -ninel" from Nutting.
zone hundred!' from Hazeltine.
"Soldr' cried the italian. you taxa
da bird, TAXA da money"
There 'was roar Of laughter In
which every one present Joined except
the successful buyer. who. taking
fright at once. looked at the company
with wonder and inquiry.
Point up!' cried the parrot.
This treasured the purchaser. he
took roll Of bills from his pocket and
banded 500 to the italian, who made
no delay in getting out.
. "Come. Poll" said Billy; SHOW your
owner what bargain he's made. Tall
about the game Of poker"
Polly was silent
Tell us about those knaves you were
mentioning"
The parrot manifested no Interest IN
, the subject, sitting stupidity ON her
, perch. Each one Of the party tried In
turn to make her talk, but failed. Ha
seltine. who had not yet got ON to the
sell. remarked that parrots were like
| children-they often wouldn't talk Il
/ strangers without their fathers OF
! mothers egging them on. As soon AZ
| Poll got used to her new master shed
, show up fine. So he took the bird
home. and after he had gone we laugh
ed till we all had side ache.
Weeks passed before Haseltine would
admit that his parrot was dumb az 9
, lamp post He had meanwhile spent Z
, lot Of money on a parrot teacher, who
failed signally to get the bird to uttel
! q single word. Finally Haxeltine sold
the bird for dollar and. having made
up his mind that a trick had beer
played on him. asked how 1t had beer
, done. whereupon be was informed
that Billy had bought the bird for q
song and had hired ventriloquist Il
hiring 1t to his rooms and mako II
, talk just like human being. BILLY
had recovered the hundred dollar
Tom had taken out Of him minus $1(
be had paid the ventriloquist for bill
, services.
, Tom enjoyed the joke hugely. and
now he Is watching an opportunity d
get II back on Billy,
, BEVERLY WORTHINCTON.
~AeT@o0A