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

of Persia. At any moment I'm lookin' for 'em to discover me, an make me give 'em back tn birds of paradise
 "'Well, this is too many for me, thinks I; Pm goin' for help. You jest set there for a moment I says to him; "I'll be right back an out I starts to look for cop. But I hadn't morn crossed tn gangplank when l runs into Bill Gladox, who's actin third mate aboard tn Gogo- burn, though he ain't no real certifket.
 "'Bill,' says I, 'thers a party aboard named Merryvingia, a kind of Cubian, reckn n, an worse locoed thu a bedbug. He's got some grass-colored paro- queets in mouse trap that he says is birds of paradise
 "Sufferin' Moses! gasps Bill let's have a squint at him.. So back we goes an l hadn't morn opened tn galley door when Merryvingia catches sight of Bill, an lets loose yelp of joy.
 " 'Gracias a Diosr he cries 'Foun' at last, tn long-lost son of tn Empress dowager! An he makes a glad rush for Bill, who promptly skips behind tn table, an picks up chair.
 Call him off, he yels, or I'll mash his crazy head in
 Why Bill, says I sorrowful1y, this ain't no way to treat an ol' friend what s | SldQ lO see you. lie says you re IIl long-lost son of tn Empress -dowager, an I reck'n you must be one of his rela- tions.'
 Relations be bowed' says Bill. Nick him set down an behave himself. Why aint he up in Bloomingdale I sh'd like o know 'stid of cashn' aroun' scarn' hon est seamen an callin of 'em names
 Sho,' says I, he don't mean no harm ny it. He's quiet enough now; jest look 1. considerable when hef ound Bill warn t exactly akin to throw himself into his arms an stood there all kerflumuxed up sapin' at i'm.
 "'No habla Espanol? says he at last, p'intin at Bill
 Not a word he don't I says. "Te's a plain, ornery, unejucated, ignorunt sailor man, for all he has third mates bunk an calls himself an officer I done me good to talk about Bill like that right afore his face without his knowin' q word of what I was sayin' even it was only to crazy Cubian.s
 Well Bill cools down a lot when ne sees what little man it was as had frightened him; an then he begins 10 grin watchin old Merryvingia blinkin' across tn table at him with his beady little eyes.
 You might ask if tn ol lady's head
  eny money
 He tells me she's ben undergroun' for some time now I says when I had sounded O Merry on tn subpec', but that she give you tn the wastes of Teheran afore she died.'
 "'Kink of her, I'm sure, says Bill sar- castle; but no great waists for mine, not if I knows it.
 Well, you don't have to take them wastes, says I, unless you want 'em. What I'd like to know is how were goin to get rid of him. If tn old man finds him here when he gets back, ther II te tn devil to pay
 An no mistake adds Bill.
 80 then we all sets there,' went on Stoveheater "starin at one another, me an Bill tryin to figger out what to do with Merryvingia, an that or party rulni- natin' mos likely on his titled relatives an their distress an fondness for Dir Is Of paradise. ,
 "I sees nothin for it. says I to Bill after a lot of hard thinkin', but to go Tor a cop an have this old bird put in tn cage where he belongs We cain't have him settin' roun' here much longer; for when tn old man comes back he'll pitch him an his feathered pets clean over 'em.
 He sure would 'ssays Bill gloomily; 1; but for all that it seems kind of heartless thing to do. hain't never ben up to tn asylum, but I don't guess it's just tn sort of place you'd want to- go to for a real bang-up time. l minds