Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1915-05-19
PAppOT&@:
1B@ /9m \.
HAROLD MACGpAIH( "a J
Auhor9f Observation-Disclosures
The Place Of ToneYmoons, etc.
oQ0NoGH7 6Y eQa8J779aauL OQiza1#Y ~


the tang of the smoke on his tongue
was not to be denied.
Under his arm he carried small
iron cage, patterned something ike
rat trap. It contained Ra1putana
parrakeet, not much larger than q
robin, but possessor Of a soul as fierce
as that Of Palladin, minus, however,
the smoothing influence of ch1valry.
He had been born under the caves or
the scarlet palace in Jaipur ESQ his
history RAM; but the proximity OF IN
dian princes had left him untouched;
he had neither chivalry, politeness.
nor diplomacy. He Was, In fact, thor
| oughly and consistently bad. Round
| and round he went, over and over.
| top side, down side, restlessly. FOE
| at this moment he was hearing those
| familiar evening sounds which no hu.
| man ear can discern-the mutterinss
| of the day birds about to seek cover
for the night In the field at the right
| OF the road stood lonely tree IL
was covered with brilliant scarlet
leaves and blossoms, and Justly the
| natives call it the Flame OF the
jungle. A flock Of small birds were
| gyrating above 1t.
"Jah. 1ah, jahi Jah-jah-ja-a-a-h!"
cried the parrot initiating the Bur-
mese bell gong that calls to prayer
Instantly he followed the call with
shrek so piercing as to sting the ear
of the man who was carrying him.
"You little son Of gun!" he
laughed; where do you pack away all
that noise?"
There was q strange bond between
the big yellow man and this little
green bird. The bird did not suspect
, it, but the man knew. The pluck, the
pugnacity and the individuality Of the
feathered comrade had been an object
, lesson to the man, at q time when he
1 had been on the point Of throwing up
i, the fight.
Il "Jah. jah, tahi Jah-jah-ja-a-a-h!"
4 The bird began Its mterminable som.
> ersaults. pausing only to reach for the
] tantalizing finger OF the man. who
Q laughed again as he withdrew the
. digit tn time.
For six years he had carried the
!. bird with him, through india and Bur
& ma and Malacca, and not yet had he
y won . sign Of surrender. There were
. many scars on his foredngers. It was
n amazing. With one pressure Of his
q hand he could have crushed out the
& life Of tho bird, but over its brave. uns
., conquerable spirit he had no power.
% And that ts why he loved it.
5 Far away in the past they had met.
Is He remembered the day distinctly
y and bitterly. He had been on the
D. brink OF self-destruction. Fever and
n poverty and terrible loneliness had
lie battered and beaten him nat into the
ID dust, from which this time he had nc
r wish to rise. He had walked out tc
50 the railway station at Jaipur to wit
ness the arrival Of the tourist train
D. from Ahmadabad. The natives surge{
is about the train. with brassware, an
I'D tique articles Of warfare, tiger hunt
IN ing knives accompanied by perennial
We fairy tales), skins and silks. Their
G. were beggars, holy men, guides ant
he fak1rs.
ne Squatted In the dust before the doc
n , of flrst-class carriage was a solemn
tn brown man, In turban and clout, exhit
OF fling performing parrots. It was Rs
ys somersaults through little stee
l1s hoop. opened tiny chest, took out
te fouranna piece, carried 1t to his mas
ter, and in exchange received som
he seed. Thereupon he waddled resent
81 fully back to the iron cage, opene
SO the door, closed It behind him. an
Oh began to mutter belligerently. Wal
u, rington haggled for two straight hourf
ar. When he returned to his sordid, evi
as smelling lodgings that night he pos
I'd sessed the parrot and four rupees. an
az sat up the greater part OF the nigh
Lly trying to make the bird perform hi
ad tricks. The idea OF suicide no longe
tn bothered him; trtfing though 1t was
he he had found an interest in life. An,
le, on the morrow came the Eurasian
re- who trustfu1ly loaned Warrington ev
ho cry coin that he could scrape together
tie Often, in the dreary heart-achy day
se that followed, when weeks passed err
~ he saw the face OF white man, whel
no he had to combat opium and bhanl
ed and laziness In the natives under him
lp- the bird and his funny tricks ha,
'us saved him from whisky. or worse. II
81 camp he gave Rajah much freedom
Ut its wings being clipped; and nothing
as pleased the little rebel so much a
to to claw his way up to his MASTERY
or shoulder, sit there and watch tR(
es. progress Of the razor, with intArmkS
nd tent "jawing" at his own reflection b
an the cracked hand mirror.
'ss Up and down the Hrawaddy. at thu
ln resthouses. on tho boats. 70 those o.
go q 3ocular turn of mind the three yer,
'os known as Parrot & Co.. Warning
LOS toms amiability often mialed the vari
ne Gus scoundrels with whom he was q
AZ times forced to associate. A maj
Ws who smiled most OF the time ant