Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-12
THE IMPAIRMENT PARROT,
BY J. DREW.

Ethel Grayson seemed to have been born
In fairyland, and yet-sife was not fairy.
She was just a little girl who had her
times of being sleepy, and hungry, and
tired, and cross, and happy, and sweet
tempered and gay. just like the rest of us.
But it seemed as If she had only to wish,
and presto! there was the thing she wish
ed for right before her.
She lived in a very beautiful. big house
with a nursery, a bedroom and cunning
bathroom all her own. and she had very
handsome young papa and very pretty
young mamma, whose only child she was.
and who delighted to give her the very
littlest or the very biggest thing she could
want.
She had a beautiful dollhouse of twelve
| rooms. each room beautifully furnished,
! and all the rooms lighted with electricity.
| SO that she could turn the lights OIL and
on with a little button. She had pony
and pony cart, of course and she o1ten
| went driving She had a beautiful Angora
| cat, white as snow, that she called Fairy:
| Fairy had beautiful big eyes that g.owed
| in the dark like brilliant red rubies. and
Fairy loved her little mistress very dear
| w. II Ethel went away for visit Fairy
would mourn for her, and could hardly be
persuaded to eat until Ethel had come
home again. Besides Fairy, Ethel mad a
dear little black and tan terrier called
/ Imp. Imp was very aristocratic little
| fellow He had little velvet overcoat
and several pairs of little round kid shoes.
In his overcoat was tiny pocket' anu
in the pocket he always carried a tiny
white handkerchief. He could reach MS
pocket with his nose. and when Ethel
went away he had been taught to wave
the pocket handkerchief to her. holding 1t
daintily between his teeth.
Imp and Fairy sometimes were little
Jealous of each other. but Fairy was SO
beautiful that Imp could not be angry
with her very long, especially as Ethel
tried to treat one just as well as the
other.
tiful Boston terrier. with velvety'
wrinkled nose, who was very KIND
though somewhat patronizing to both Imp
and Fairy. Ethel had beautiful times
with her playthings in the nursery. and
still more beautiful times with the dogs
and the cat out on the lawn.
They were all very happy together I'm
til one day wish popped into Ethefs
head. and before she had time to think 1t
over 1t popped out of her mouth. and
then she knew that what she wished for
would happen to her. for her handsome
| Young papa had heard the queer wish
when IT popped out OF her I'M. mSu. aa,d "tbat
| had q playmate or p.aything that
could talk. OF course, there's my must
cal doll, but she always sings the same
old things. Now. II I had parrot, 1
|
| Three days later there came to Ethel a
gorgeous green and gold parrot in a big
Ethel was so delighted that she forgot
for the moment all about Fairy and
Imp. and Betsy Bobbett. and all Of her
"Oh. POLY, Polly" she cried, I'm so
glad to see you. I hope you will be
happy here and love me lot"
Polly looked at her minute disdain-
| w
voice Polly wants cracker"
| Ethel laughed and clapped her hands
Polly looked at her solemnly and then
began to laugh. too. IN very grun seri-
GUS way-"Ha, ha, hal!
lust at this moment Fairy came in
search of her mistress. She gave gentle
little New" at the door of the nursery
and then she came through the open
door When she saw the gorgeous bird
her back went up into a sharp mountain
and her beautiful, fluffy tail grew bigger
and much more fluffy, and her eyes
| cleaned.
dreadfully. ''Old cat! Old cat! Old cat."
she sputtered so fast that her words got
all twisted up.
Fairy-dainty. refined Fafry--was so an
| cry that she forgot all her manners and
she acthaiy spit at the handsome bird.
why, Fairy" said Ethel. reproach-
fully, you must not treat Poly that way.
She has Just come to live with us. and
| | want you To make her reel at nome.
Just ther Imp came running in, fol-
| lowed by Betsy Bobbett. The two dogs
spied the bird and they were so aston
ished that they both sat down on their
launches and howled. Then Fairy mewed
and Polly scolded, and there was such
| a bedlam that Ethel coud not hear her
self think. 'Oh. I wish you'd all keep
still" she cried. But for once her wish
didn't come true. Finally she ran to the
door and called the dogs by name, and
reluctantly they followed her out. Then
Fairy came running after. and Ethel took
item all ont of doors and shut them
out. "I do believe they are every one of
! them jeaons of her" she said as she
hurried upstairs to get better acquainted
with Polly.
Polly was anerily barking like a dog
| when Ethe' cume In. but when she saw
| Ethei she su1sided into a sullen silence
and did not speak or make sound all
| the rest OF the day.
| In few weeks Polly began to feel very
much at home. She scolded the dogs and
| the cat, the servants, and even Ethel
| and her father and mother. She was al
| ways ia king about herself.
| Mamma" said Ethel one day. "I don't
| believe Polly has ever been tod that II
| ISN'T polite to talk about herself"
II don't believe she has. dear" said
her mother; suppose you try to teach
Ethel did try, but all Polly said was