Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-08-13
How a Parrot
Effected a Match
By LOUISE B. CUMMINGS

Bull. G6OISe has DSell dllGlllNe 10 yOu
for six months and 50 far as l know
nothing has come of it,
what can | do, Aunt Rebecca? l
can't make him propose"
My dear" said the old lady in a
kindly tone, Il have a suggestion to
make"
what is it, Aunt Beck?"
Get parrot"
"a parrot"
yes, a parrot But you'll understand
me better after have told you a story
When l was your age a number of
young men ut different times showed
me a good d&l of attention, but any
one who married me must furnish all
the income on which we would live, for
| hadn't Il cent There's many a SPLEEN
did girl who has remained a maid for
this reason. Any prudent young man
Is liable to balk because the girl he
would make his wife can furnish moth
ing toward the family support.
Half a dozen young men had been
devoted to me, but when each had be-
came convinced that he must shoulder
the whole load if he married me he
withdrew One day at the beginning
of the summer friend of my mothers
came in and said that she and her fam
lily were going to the country and ask
ed if we would take care of her parrot
while they were gone. Mother said
she would be happy to accommodate
her, and the parrot-they called him
Roger-was brought over. He was a
queer looking bridal parrots are
and was very amusing. The way. he
would climb about his cage, muttering
to himself, made us all laugh. To me
he seemed like an alderman in a red
waiStcoat
I'VE put Roger on the porch, which
was nicely fitted for summer lounging,
and usually left him there all night,
except when it stormed. In the even
ing we sat there ourselves; at least
did, for | found it a very convenient
place to receive my friends.
THAT spring had met young man
" liz cCClhCd W NC DluCll DlcdSeu
with me as the others had been, and
by the time summer came he was Civ
ing me the usual devotion. But he
was a clerk on something like $1,000
year salary. with nothing laid up or
in prospect, and | expected that when
September came and those away for
the summer returned | should be left
out in the cold again.
During August there was scarcely
any one in town, and my admirer had
no place to go except to our house,
and he was there four or five evenings
a week. The truth is, this fact Of his
having nowhere else to go was the
principal reason for his coming SO
often to see me. He never said word
about love or marriage, though l ad-
mit-but | am getting ahead of my
story.
We'll, Jack, as l have said, spent
nearly every evening during July and
August at our house. Sometimes my
mother used to sit with us, but moth
err was afraid of the night air, and
since we always sat on the porch
she didn't trouble us very much. Jack
used to apologize for being at the
house so much, saying that if we could
stand him till his mother and sisters
came home he would give us a rest. |
knew very well that he said this to
prevent my considering his attentions
serious. OF course l told him he was
quite welcome and since all our friends
were out of town l was as needful of
his company as he was of mine
"On the list Of September Rogers
owner returned to the city and the
same evening came around for her pet.
Jack was there, as usual, and mother
and the lady came out on to the porch
for the parrot. Jack rose and was in
troduced to the lady. He did not re-
seat himself, but stood on the step
where he usually stood when bid him
good night on his leaving me.
Roger was evidently quite pleased to
see his mistress again and strutted
about, whetting his beak on his perch
and showing off all kinds of antics
. When Jack said that he would bid us
good evening the parrot suddenly ex,
claimed:
"'Goodby.'
Every one laughed, and doubtless
this excited the parrot to further re,
mark.
"'Give me another Beck cried the
bird.
sour porch was furnished with an
electric light, which Jack and l always
Kept turned off. Tonight 1t was turned
on, and my crimson cheeks betrayed
Rogers meaning. Jack in confusion
was WALKING away when the parrot
cried out:
"'Come back. Jack. You may have
one more
II turned and ran into the house and
up to my room, where l suffered nc
end Of modification. l knew the story
would soon be all over town, and Il
was. Every time Jack met an &C
quaintance he was hailed with the
words Give me another and my CIR
friends tainted me with Come back
Jack; you may have one more Tit
result was that Jack was driven into
matrimony with me and with him
We were married and have lived hap
PLY ever since"
"Aunty,' said Lucy, "where can
get parrot and how much would on,
costY"
"You don't need a parrot, dearie
There are plenty of other devices tina
will do as we'll"
eyes, auntle, but the parrot does 1
all himself"
= .--! ~ "'