Gilpin observer., 1908-05-07
The PARROT and.
The PHONO OGRAPh.
BY 8. z. kIser

IdLueI Dc SeHlcuCcO " OCCupy
a cell in Bankers Row at the peni-
tentiary than have to move" said
Crawford, but 1t looks to me as IL
we'd have to get out. That phono-
graph is going to make nervous
wreck of me if l have to listen to it
much longer"
I'm glad" his wife replied, that
you are coming to your senses at last.
If you had listened to me last spring
we would be nicely settled somewhere
else now and all this trouble would be
over with. If you find it nerve-racking.
when you are here for a few hours at
night and in the morning, what do you
think of the effect it has on me, being
here all day? / heard to-day of some
new flats in lovely neighborhood. II
you like I'll go and look at them to-
morrow"
While the Crawfords were discus
sing the matter Belden was informing
his wife that his endurance had about
reached it's limit
That parrot he said, lis going to
make raving maniac of me if 1 can't
get away from it pretty soon. If 1
owned a fiat building l wouldn't let
family with parrot into it any more
than | would think of admitting peo-
pie who were stricken with the plague
By George, wish there might be some
way of getting rid of the nuisance
without causing general disturb
ance."
There is way. Henry" his wife
answered, and I've been seriously
considering it, although l haven't
wanted to say anything to you until 1
was sure about it, for / didn't want to
be disappointed if it didn't happen to
be possible. l have been inquiring
about some new flats that are going to
be very attractive, and if we wish to
engage one Of them now we can get it
for just what we are paying here.
Aside from the parrot, the new place
will be much more desirable than this
morning to take a look at it before
starting downtown"
Belden argued feebly against NOV
ing. but at length permitted himself
to be won over and after he had seen
the new fiat he became enthusiastic.
1T will be just as WELL" he said
mot to let the Crawfords know that
we intend to get away-at least not
until we are all ready to move. There's
no use having a quarrel with them IL
We can avoid it. They would, of course,
jump to the conclusion right off that
we were trying to get away from them
if they found out about our intention
to go, for I've spoken to several peo-
I via ah0 fI1
right, but his wife is a regular spitfire
l don't want you to get into any scold-
ing contest with her. Start the ma
chine. Let's have little music"
A day or two later Mrs. Crawford
met Mrs. Belden on the stairway.
II suppose" said Mrs. Crawford,
you have no intention Oh moving this
spring, have you?"
We'll" replied the other lady. feel
ing little guilty. I'VE haven't thought
much about it. My husband hates
moving. so that I'm always afraid to
mention the subject to him. l suppose
we'll have to stay and make the best
of it here
Go way! Go way, Get move."
yelled the parrot in Mrs. Crawford's
fiat
When Crawford got home at night
his wife said:
Il had hoped the Beldens might be
thinking of going, so that it wouldn't
be necessary for us to do so, but
they're not l had a talk with her
about it to-day. So we may as well de-
eide right away whether to stay or
not"
They've decided for u.s." her hus-
band declared. I'VE will have to go:
so you may as we'll begin making ar
rangements. But don't let the Beldens
know anything about it. We may as
we'll leave on good terms with them if
we can. Hello, Polly"
Hello, Hello. Hello, Help Help,
Help Poli-i-ice!" screamed the parrot.
During the next two weeks things
We're strangely silent in the Crawford
and Belden apartments, except for oc-
casional hammerings; then one morn
ing two large vans backed up in front
of the building, and at last the secret
was ont. The Beldens knew the Craw-
fords were moving and the Crawfords
knew the Beldens were off to new
habitation. Both women kept in their
rooms, and the men. avoiding each
other. started away, leaving the NOV
ers to handle things as they pleased.
Belden had been sitting for ten min.
utes on the front steps OF the new fiat
building. when he perceived coming
up the street a man who seemed to
be in hurry.
Hello" he said to himself mo-
ment later, ITS Crawford"
When he reached the place where
Belden sat Crawford paused. making
no effort to conceal the fact that he
was surprised.