The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-14

I An so," Stoveter went on, we has l 1t all fixed up, an long about seven bells after 1 finishes with tn discs an sneakS
 down a bite of grub to Merryvingia, me an Bill starts off to find tn bird man. It takes us considerable longer to come up
 with him thu we allows 1t would, seein as he is one of them migratory sorts as don't lay-to- tn first chancst they gifts an ride out tn gale right there, but goes fittin' round firm one anch'r rage to an other.
 'Howsomever We oyerhauls this fowl sharp, Skillin's was his name, after a long stern chase, persuin' of a ham san widge an a glass of beer, an acquaintS him with tn bargain in birds of paradise. He don't seem over-enthusiastic none re- gardin' it at first, but me an Bill waXin quite eloquent on tn subjec', he consents at last to go an have look at 'em. Out we troops accordinly, me leadin' tn way, an Bill an thIs feller Skillins follerin' arm-in1arm a-singin'
 When we gifts to tn ship I see light burpin' in tn captng's cabin, but as he often sets up till al hours of tn night readin an playin' solitaire, l thinks nothin' of 1t further'n to ask them two happy songsters to take reef in somc of their top notes. Tn which they done most obligin', an we goes into tn galley where 1 leaves him an Bill swearin' they was tn best of friends an nothin' sh' Il ever part 'em, an goes down to git Merry vingia an tn birds of paradise accordin' to tn program.
 An then l gifts a jolt. They warn't there; not S much as a feather left. l sets down on an ile-barrel an tries to fgger out where they have went to- an all of suddnt 1 remembers tn light in tn old mans quarters. By tn great jumpin Jehosaphat,' thinks l, if they ain't there!
 And 1 warn't wrong neither.' he went .l< reeked in through tn cabin winder, tn
 first thing my eye lights on is one of them gol-derned parrots seetin' perched on a piece of coral over tn door, an tte crazy Cubian talkin' away for dear
 ife with his arms wavin like mad. Thank tn Lord tn old man don't know no Spanish, an ain't no idee what Merry vingia's drivin' at; but I can see he ain't impressed what you'd call favrabe wi.h that old party's harangue; an when his lungs gives out in a few words calc lated to make old Merry's hair stan right on end if he had knowed what they was. But bein as English is all Greek to him, he misses one of tn chicest flows of !a1gwidge I ever hears.
 Erin what tn old man says it's easy t, see that he aint at all acquainted with Merryvngia's genealgy, an that he mistakes it for somethin' teetotally diff rent firm what it was. He ain't suspicion apparently that he Is talkin to ore of tn blood-r'yal of Tarshish an connected by marriage or otherwise with tn Gran Alarmer of Tibet. No, tn winder bein' mite open, 1 hears quise plain what he says, an ther aint no ,ef'rence in it to no sort of aristocracy that I can see, not of tn human kind anyways An right in tn midst of his q scourse, jest as he was swingin' him. self offn tn last limb, as you might say. of Merryvingias familytree that blasted parrot wakes up an yells, 'Aw quit yer l1iddin, quit yer kiddin, quit yer kiddin'
 Things warn't a great while happenin' after that" continued Stoveheter thought fully. "1n fact they occurs with rapidlty that most takes my breath away. some thin I allows to be human body Kinder shuts off my view inside for minute, an then tn cabin door open, an that on- happy further shoots out with an alacrity that don't appear altogether human. an skips toward tn gangplank with tn old man fot foot after him.
 ..Merryvingia gifts there first, howsom- ever an bouns ashore, an while tn cap ting is tryin' to yank loose a blyin'-pin to chuck after him. tn galley-door opens, an olt comes Bill an tn bird-man to see what tn rows about.
 "rherll be somethin doin' now all right says l to myself They didn't see who 1t was at first, an mistakin' tn old man for me, Skillin's sings out Have you got em?'