New-York tribune., 1909-05-30

the little blue flag Of Yale was placed IN MS C1so
ne would wave it aIoft and strut ABOUT VIZ -
proudly: but when the crimson banner oL rihi
ward was introduced he would tear II Viciously anu
vloat over its destruction. When company came
to the house and it was highly desirable 10 enter
tain them with keys accomplishments the oIu
would remain dumb clam. cooking wicked
eve at those who tried TO wheedIe him into talk
ing But in summer when the window was open'
Hxey could frequently be heard exchanging vigor-
Gus personal remarks with the college boys in the
street All the college yells key had at his oeak s
end. On great athletic days he was in his ele-
ment for he loved the noise and clamor. When
the students came down the street singing 'BoOla'
he would catch the first distant refrain before any
one else. and become positively hystericaI with
element. He always Joined in with the song, yell
ing II through the open window. and as he always
sang about two notes behind the rest and made
more noise than anybody else the effect was en-
livening
The family a pet-loving one. and. besides
key cherished cats. Buttons and Gipsey. and
q fox terrier. Chasca- All these animals regarded
key with extreme respect. They never solved the
mystery OF him. and kept their distance. When
the humans were I'm the room key behaved. But
when he and the rest OF the meuacerie were alone
the bird would actually drive the other creatures
from the room with his hectoriuS and abuse. The
terrier. being the nervous and intelligent
would weaken first and sink out. head and tail
down. with every evidence of disgrace. key would
continue. calling each animal by name so that
there should be- mistake. The cats with the
usual est dignity and Indifference. would lie stnI
feigning not to hear. But a certain point But
tons. the more nervous of the two, would dash
ont and finally Gpsey would rise with dignity and
stroll leisurey away, as IL she had an appointment
elsewhere. Then key would laugh sardoncally.
The bird always laughed at his viilainy. and
could often be heard ChuCklinE To himself for
hours after some esCapade. He laughed as he
talked. at the right place and with good sense II
not with good intent
on one occasion Chasca the terrier. turned the
tables on the parrot in manner deghtfJH 10 the
family. Chasca had had a bath and. running into
the room where the birds cage sat on the floor. he
went up to It and shook himself thoroughly. so
that drops OF water Spattered the parrot. key
retreated to the limits OF his cage and in the most
natural tone of astonishment exclaimed For the
lands sake, How the dog could transform him
self into the watering pot and spatter the hated
liquid about was evidently poser for key. and
he kept a wary eye on Chasca for some time after
that
The Intelligence of keys conversation was some
times dsconcerting. charming young woman
named Edith had been paying a long visit at the
house during which she had received pointed at
tentions from certain captain. one day the cap
tain called while key out in the kitchen
jollyng'' the cook. Nobody mentioned to key
that the captain there, but the bird came wad-
ding into the paror. which fun of people.
walked straight up to Edith and in a loud. clear
voice inquired. 'How's the captain?'
On one historic occasion keys of language
intelligent to almost uncanny. His
cage sat the floor and the lay near I'm
patch of sunlight, laziy waving her tail key
watched this tail with fascinated eye He thrust
his beak between the bars and stood attention.
ready to seize the tail the instant it came near
enough Mrs. Andrea the action and its mali
cious intent. and told the cat to go downstairs.
After several repetitous of the order. the got
up and left the room Ikey watched her. notion
less she disappeared: then. going as near to
Mrs. Andrea as he could get and looking her
square in the Neye. he said deliberately Nov you
shut up and go downstairs. too Mrs Andrea
gazed at the bird in amazement and almost in ter
ror. thoughts Of obsession metempsychoss float
ing through her mind. Ikey had learned
that phrase. He composed il out of the vocabu-
larry in his mind and fitted it to the occasion
key did not die of old age His strength and
intelligence remained normal until within few
days of his death. although his beak had become
hard and dangerous weapon that during his
later years he had to be confined permanently in
his cage After Drawing siXty-tive years of north
ern climate he succumbed finally to pneumonia.
He had always been sensitive to cold; and when
the steam heat grew low the weather changed
would often call plaintively. "Ikey seepy" which
the sake of warmth a sudden and violent change
in the weather proved fatal. and he departed. hav-
ing witnessed many changes in the United States
since he entered the country and leaving trad-
tions which have ramifed among several genera
tions of children.