Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1909-01-27

i
~S<<%fts4 ? , = = !. : = =
a friend OF mine named Andrews
living q few miles from Bond, Texas
has a large parrot that's something
of wonder in way, not exactly as q
talker, although Pedro-that's Polly's
namecan say things in English
sing in French and curse like a
guanchc in Spanish, but, fighter
and Pedro is on record as being the
only representative of his species
ever joining combat with rattle
snake
Morgan Witherspoon, cattleman
from Western Texas, in the city with
carload of beeyes destined for the
ioca, slaughter house, sat in front OF
saloon. near the New Orleans
Butchers Cooperative Abattoir, sew
eral days ago, and, being in the mood
for yarn-spinning, Mr.. Witherspoon
rid himself of story out of the or
dinary for the benefit of those near
him.
Tho parrot was young, mean
tempered little thing at the time
Andrews bought him from Mexi-
can,s Mr. Witherspoon started his
story. but after a while, when the
bird began to know folks about the
plz&e. ne manifested better DISPOSE
don, didn't squawk outrageously and
rufIle up his feathers when any one
approached, and showed no DISPOSE
don to use that powerful beak Of
his
Pedro was wise bird-wnat par
rot isl't?-and from the children he
readily learned TO talk quite "a lot.
Mrs Andrews. who was Creole lady
rom Louisiana, had mighty fine
voice, and OF an evening wnen the
family WAS gathered in the sitting
room after the days work was over,
she would sit at the piano and sing
songs in French, One of these songs
was an easy little ditty, and Pedro,
sitting on his roost in his big tin
cage in the kitchen, instead of going
to sleep as orderly parrots should DO
with the advance of night. put his
faculties to work to master the ditty,
and one day ne astonished the good
people by bawling off .he first line,
OF the opening stanza in a voice that
sounded like files grating against
each other. g7Ss sls9l
Hrs Andrews, greasly amused.
devoted much OF her spare time to
teaching Pedro some more OF the;
song Pedro's fayorite perch during
the day IN sfazr weath her was the rail-
ing of the side gallery oYerlo ookingt
the poultry gard, and Mrs. ndrswss;
in her spare moments, would take
her chair, place 1T close to the bird;
and. seating herseis, sing IN low;
soft voice. y. ], 5; -
Pedro seemed TO appreciate that
his mistress vocal efforts were being
made in his behalf, and, arching his
head to one side, and ruf1ing his neck
feathers-a sign indicating eithor
pleasure or anger in one of hfs specles3
-he would listen attentiYely, cluck-
ing TO himself the while.
Pedro, in less than month,
gearned the whole four lines Of the
first verse, and he would sing them,
too, when Mrs. Andrews would coax
him with chicken bone, and every
body thought Pedro was just too.
smart for anything. But if Pedro's
artistic temperament was developed
by Mrs. Andrews, all that was bad in
him was brought to the surface by
Miguel, one Of the Mexican hired
meI- At l1nch hour, when the fam
fly was in the dining room at dinner,
and Miguel was finished with his. re-.
past. the greaser would go to the
yard, stand near the gallery and give
vent to the fon1est Spa.ish oaths he
could lay tongue to.
You can do more swearing and
cursing in Spanish than any other
language; it has Billingsgate beaten
n mile, and what Miguel said to that
bird wouldn't make nice reading for
a Sunday-school paper. Parrots are
quick to learn anything, and espe-
cially attentive are they when bad
things are being handed them. 1t
was lucky for MRS. Andrews that she
hadn't mastered Spanish, for had her
education extended that far 1 reckon
she'd have thought that Pedro was
only fit for some reform school or
Jail. where obscene and vulgar pris-
oners are locked up. If the lady
couldn't talk Spanish her husband
could, and he followed Pedro's DIS
course beyond the .Caramba' and the
.carraso' Stage with increasing aston
fshment. Andrews knew where to
Lay the blame, and, hunting up Mig
uel, he kicked the Mexican all around
the yard. without telling him why.
Miguel. rubbing the sore spots,
and mnttering maledictions under his
breath. saddied his mule and rode
away from tEe Andrews place, but
that wasn't the last aof him by any
manner of means, as the sequel will
show He was to appear In few
days. seeking a desperate vengeance,
q fendish plan which was to be frus-
trated by Pedro, the parrot.
GCssss, aFforroor ~ ~. 49, 4L..a