Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1914-06-11
A TALKING
BIRD
By MARJORIE CLOUGH

81 don't believe they do-at least, not
the innocent fun. They have dinners
and theater parties and go to clubs
and dance the turkey trot, and all that.
but they don't know what unceremoni-
Gus fun that doesn't cost anything is !"
"When was between boy and man"
Staples went on. lat our old home In
the days when every family contained
from six to dozen children. we boys
and girls grew up together. and every
boy was as careful of all the girls as
he was of his own sister Turkey
trot, Not much No such dancing
was ever heard of then. But we play
ed all sorts Of innocent jokes on one
another. / remember one of 'em was
the cream cake racket. the cake being
full of cotton One Of the boys once
swallowed one of them, cotton and all,
rather than acknowledge that he'd
been sold.
"That was Billy Williams. He made
up his mind that he'd get even with
the girl who made the cake, Cora
Blake. now Mrs. Olmstead But Cora
knew that he was laying for her, and
she was so blamed watchful he could
not catch her. 1t was about that time
that George Olmstead and Cora were
getting kind of thick, and, though no
engagement had been announced. yet
by the frequent disappearance of the
two at our social gatherings and other
evidences of spooning it was pretty
g.
be a match.
One summer afternoon a dozen or |
more of us boys and girls were out on
our lawn playing croquet. Tennis had
barely come into vogue, and they call
ed 1t lawn tennis, not having the
courts they have now. Cora Blake
and Billy Williams and George Ohm
stead were all of the party. and we
we're having no end of a good time
Presently a man came into the grounds
carrying a basket AS soon as he
cached us he took a parrot out of the
basket and asked US If we would like
o see him perform, assuring US that
lie had the most remarkable talking
,ird in the world.
"All right" said Billy Williams
Go ahead with your show"
The man stood off short distance
nth the parrot perched on the fore
niger of his left hand.
"Zis Is vera fine ladies and gentle
len, dom you think SOP" said the man
, the bird.
BULLY" was the parrots laconic re
".
what you think of that young lad,
yer there"
"Bullyp
"And that gentleman over thereT
,inting to Billy Williams. whose hair
as what we call auburn.
"The sorrel top"
Yes"
We all laughed at Billy. who looked
bit Disconnected. IF your bird can't
y anything but bully" he said to |
e Snowman, you'd better take him |
way. You'll get nothing for such |
easily performance here" |
Jus you waita. The parrot talk
der tings"
'Corap said the parrot in mans
ice Dear Coraw sharpening its
ak on one of It's toes.
Every one laughiDgly looked at Cora
d George Olmstead, who was stand
2 beside her. She colored. while
Gorge tried to smile, but the result
Is 'sickly grin.
'Comel Stop these personalities or e
/ out of here" said Billy Williams r
arply. ~ don't want any more of c.
for my part" n
Give me q kissp said the bird, fol- a
wing up the words with a lot of gut b
al squawking. The words having e.
en- spoken In a mans voice. of 4
lrse they were assumed to refer to
orge Olmstead, who was under fire. a
Shut that off," said Williams an. Il
Ily. re
The bird talka what he like" the vi
-ner protested. "How cana l stop in
NJ"
Then the parrot gave q dialogue be- MS
cen young man and a girl d
Take away your arm" 'Mayn't I II
We just one KISS NOT JUST "
: little teeny weeny bit of oneT |,
away; you're mussing my hair" W
II course George and Cora were sup
led to be the pair having this little OF
cussion. Cora stood it till the hair es
ssing part came. when she turned
bolted for the house. os
That'll do" said Williams to the
wuan. "You may 60" And he rIe
ped bill into the fellows hand. he
lily was accused of having hired sec
man to come with his performing wi
rot, but he wouldn't admit 1t No r
could understand how bird could :.
taught to talk like that till one of "
party suggested that it was the I 7
wman who talked and that he must hn,
a ventriloquist This George FINAL "
admitted to me- He had coached riff,
man himself, telling him to refer &C
lis own red hair In order to divert zen
)icion from himself. g
hat brought out an announcement ~
he engagement between Cora and onJ
rye Olmstead. and six months aft NJ
Ill y