The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-11-16
Aunt James
Parrot
By CLARA DELAFIELD


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lDEAR old Aunt janet How well
/ remember herl How well can
see her now, saint that she was;
little, gray-haired lady, bustling In her
kitchen, always so gentle and kind and
soft-spoken! All Of US children took
our troubles to Aunt Jane. II ever
there was any family trouble dear old
Aunt Jane poured oil upon the trou-
bled waters. No one ever saw Aunt
Jane angry. No one ever knew her
do or say an unkind thing.
4 Dear Aunt Jane, with her fondness
for animals! ] remember when she
had all us children visiting her that
summer, how suddenly she decided
that she would like a parrot for a pet.
OF course everybody was eager to get
her one. We went to an animal shop
near the docks and bought an African
gray parrot. good talker. Aunt Jane
said she wanted a good talker.
She kept the bird in her room and
It was real companion to her. Mary
paid her a visit little later-every-
body used always to be visiting Aunt
Jane-and came back with the dread
full news.
What do you rhinki The parrot
seemed to have been owned by a sail
or, and 1t used-oh, the most dreadful
language Aunt Jane was so upset,
she had to get rid OF 1t. The best
feature Of this distressing affair was
that Aunt Jane didn't know what
most Of the words meant But she
understood one Of them-no. two.
Both began with ID"
Well, there was no help for 1t. The
parrot had to go. 1t was simply cor
rupting dear old Aunt James mind,
and none Of uo could have permitted
that.
Mary got Aunt Jane another parrot
at another animal shop, and the old
parrot was sent away, with many
tears. I don't know where 1t went,
but 1 think 1t was sold back to the
original shop, and probably went
eventually to another sailor with
taste for strong language. The new
parrot was beauty, Mary said-one
of the green kind with yellow COL
lar. and Aunt Jane was so pleased
with 1t that she almost forgot her
sorrow in the loss of the other one.
Roger and Dolly went to stay with
Aunt Mary the following spring, and
what do you think? The new parrot
was even worse than the old one.
Aunt Jane was perfectly miserable
about it. She had to keep it in the
cellar, she said, where the neighbors
wouldn't hear 1t. If you went near
1t 1t saluted you with the most hideous
abuse. Polly said-but then, never
mind about that. 1t was pretty bad,
and 1t had Aunt Jane so terrorized
that she was simply afraid to take 1t
back to the shop, the way 1t shout
ed in the street.
Roger covered It up and took II
away and did something with it,
never asked him what; and as Aunt
Jane was still crazy about parrots,
and Roger got her another, a young
one. positively guaranteed to have no
knowledge of the English language.
Roger was sure that everything would
be all right then. and Aunt Jane
thanked him with tears in her eyes.
Dear Aunt Jane! How sweet she
was all through her troubles!
hadn't been down to see. Aunt
Jane for months. kept writing,
suggesting a visit, but some Of the
other nephews and nieces were al
ways staying there, and as her house
was 30 small there was never any
room for me. Aunt Jane seemed to
spend all her time cooking for us boys
and girls and entertaining us. At last,
however, she had free week, and I
went to see her.
In the living room was the new par
rot. The moment I entered 1t salut-
ed me with flow of language that
would positively have done discredit
to bargee.
"Aunt Jane" I cried In amazement.
Aunt Jane wrung her hands. "Oh,
my dear, I meant to put Polly down.
stairs before you came. It's so terri
Bile, isn't It I'm getting to know
what some Of the words mean, too
Oh, why should I be doomed to have
such parrots?"
Suddenly a light came to me. I
grasped her firmly by the hand. aunt
Jane" I cried, "you taught him that
all Of them!"
For moment Aunt Jane looked
frightened, then defiant look came
on her face. "Well, what II did,
Elizabeth" she demanded calmly.
"Good gracious, Aunt Jane, 1t isn't
like you! I never heard you say
words like thosei"
"No, my dear" answered Aunt Jane
cynically, "those are the words I've
always wanted to say when I've been
cooking for the whole family all day
long. lists sort of comforting to |