The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1916-09-07
Animal Stories.
BY Mrs. Grace e. D. Favre. Formerly
Miss Grace c. DenslOw.
A QuARTETTE OF PARROTS.

when this little article has been read,
few more people will agree with me that
not only have parrots sense OF humour.
and understand what is said, but that
they also know right from wrong.
Polly" lives with an English family
established in quaint old Amsterdam.
She is sullen and taciturn. Morosely
ensconced on her perch. she looks like
8 me bird of ill-omen. But just wait
until you know her; for she has warm
ana affectionate little heart, despite her
forbidding exterior. She has been own
ed by the same family for over thirty
years. The longevity of parrots is pro-
verbal.
just as much as "Polly" loves and
flatters humans does she resent the in
trusion of any other animal into her
home.
Whenever l called with my little dog.
she would Immediately scream: ''Dirty
beast! dirty beast! scat, fly. wh-r-r!" all
this in tone of intense anger. Nor
would she notice me or be Modified in
any way.
But if came alone, Establishments and
cajoling endearments were mine without
stint!
She has beautiful grey pit mage, with
vivid red tail feathers. Whenever asked,
where is your pretty tail, Polly?" she
spreads out her feathers fan-fashion and
struts ABOUT the table, well pleased with
herself.
She initiates every possible noise, and
coughs exactly like very old person
when one politely asks if she has cold.
Once strange cat wandered in and
chased her. She was badly frightened,
and While her mistress was soothing her
she said, at intervals mi aou!"
That was certainly attaching sounds
to IDEAS"
'Hansi," who lived in Antwerp before
the war Il wonder sadly what has become
OF him now, was most engaging bird.
He loved everybody and everything!
He was allowed his liberty all day long,
and was only shut up in his big gllded
cage at night for fear of accident. His
fond mistress owned the wel-known
"Pension internationally, and during
dinner 'Hansi' would call "Frau Kuhl
manu. at first in a sweet, soft tone
Then in an interrogative manner, "Frau
Kuhlmann?" Afterwards in an impera-
tive way. No notice being taken of him,
he would fly on to her shoulder and say,
'Hansi, pretty Hansi?" Then he would
hop down beside her plate and calmly
help himself to whatever pleased him
most.
He was very fond of meat. but had no
use for potatoes. Once l took him one.
He threw the potato violently on the floor
in great huff. You ought to have heard
his vocabulary!
can assure you it was mo mere repe-
tition of meaningless words"
On the contrary. he was quite explicit
on the subject of my behaviour. Every
one was simply convulsed with laughter.
Another time, in the early morning, he
was standing on the writing table, nip
ping at pile of envelopes. His mistress
scolded him, tapping him lightly with
ruler, and saying: ono, no, Hansi, no,
no!'
He stood very still for few seconds.
When she was otherwise occupied he
stealthily began again, one eye fixed on
her movements. Whenever she looked
at him he was innocently preenlng his
feathers, only to tear at the envelopes
again when he thought himself unob-
served.
He clearly knew right from wrong,
and did not intend to be caught in the
act.
He was very talented in singing songs.
and could whistle whole tunes without a
single mistake.
He was source of great amusement
and pleasure, as well of wonderment, to
US, during the month we spent in delight
full Antwerp.
Coco" lives in beautiful garden in
southern France. He is green with bright
scarlet markings, and such chatterbox.
All day long he enlivened US. He is
always free, on perch, amid the riotous
bloom.
At break of day he calls out, Good
morning, MISTRESS" to his deary below
ed owner. He never forgets, and never
says it at any other time. Whenever
cat or dog passed he was invariably
greeted with "Mi-aou" or "Wow-wow,
as the case might be. He could initiate
the canary so thoroughly that he deceiv.
ed everyone.
"He enjoyed calling Garry Arms"
If one said Garry" he would add
"Ar-r-ms, rolling his "r's" like true
Frenchman.
Sometimes the maid brought him in to
dinner with US, perched on her finger.
AS soon as he saw US all he would trium-
phantly exclaim, "Ha, Ha"
He had his own dish of soup with
piece of bread in it, which he ate with
relish. Then he visited each one of US
in turn, taking a juicy cherry here, a
luscious bit of cake there.
Such friendly, sociable little fellow,
and such good company. too. We all
liked him.
''Ki-Ki," the last member of my quar-
tette, lives here, in Ouchy. He was
brought, fierce and untamed, from Cen
trail Africa some years ago.
He is a funny little fellow, with the
keenest sense of humour. He will imi-
tate dog who is being badly hurt, and
when we rush to see what is the matter
he laughs derisively. My dog is always
taken in, and this pleases him immense
ly, for she, too, realizes the situation,
and has very shame-faced air.
She snarls at him in return, and he
chuckles with joy, which makes her
more furious. He is fond of saying,
Good Ki-ki," to himself, particularly if
any other bird or animal is being noticed.
The squeaking of rusty hinge he can
initiate to perfection.
He calls Ernest his little master,
until the boy comes and pets him.
His cagedoor is always open. He en-
joys frolic with newspaper He is
rolled up in it, hidden from view, when
suddenly out he pops his head, and says,
''Wow WoW-Wow!
When very pleased with himself he
makes cbuckling noise with his tonpue