Minnie was quite distressed one morning,
when, on going to Poll’s cage to say “Good
morning” to her pet, she found her unable to
answer, only returning a feeble moan. She ran
in haste to tell her mother, who thought it one of
the parrot’s tricks. When she came down,
however, she found Poll was really ill.
“Dear Poll! darling birdie!”
she said, tenderly, stroking the beautiful head.
“I’ll make you some tea, which I hope will
soon cure you.”
She went at once to a side closet,
and taking a little pinch of saffron from a paper,
sent it to the cook, with directions to steep it at
once.
Breakfast that morning was a dull
affair, without Poll’s lively talk; and as,
after the saffron tea, she did not at once revive,
Minnie began to mourn so much lest her dear parrot
would die, that her father, to occupy her attention,
took her to the library, and read her some anecdotes,
a few of which I will repeat.
“A tradesman in London kept
two parrots, which usually hung in a cage over the
porch projecting from the front door, so that when
a person stood on the side of the street nearest the
house, the birds could not be seen.
“One day, when the family were
all absent, some one rapped at the door, when one
of the parrots instantly called out,-
“‘Who’s there?’
“‘The man with the leather,’ was
the reply.
“‘Oh, ho!’ retorted the parrot.
“The door not being opened as he expected, the
stranger knocked again.
“‘Who’s there?’ repeated the
bird.
“‘Why don’t you
come down?’ cried the man, impatiently.
’I can’t wait all day.’
“‘Oh, ho!’ was the only response.
“The man now became furious,
and leaving the knocker, began to pull violently at
the door bell, when the other parrot, who had not before
spoken, exclaimed, ‘Go to the gate.’
“‘What gate?’ he asked, seeing no
such convenience.
“‘Newgate,’ was
the answer, just as the man, greatly enraged at the
thought of being sent to Newgate prison, ran back into
the street, and found out whom he was questioning.”
“Dr. Thornton, a benevolent
physician in London, once visited the menagerie in
Haymarket, where he saw a parrot confined by a chain
fastened to his leg. He talked with the bird,
and found he could imitate the barking of dogs, the
cackling of fowls, and many sounds like the human
voice. The bird, however, seemed melancholy and
restless, which induced the good doctor to try and
buy him of the owner. He succeeded at last in
getting him for the sum of seventy-five dollars, which
Dr. Thornton did not regret, since it would rescue
the poor creature from her present unhappy confinement.
“The first thing he did was
to loose him from the chain, and carry him home, where
his diet was changed from scalded bread to toast and
butter for breakfast, and potatoes, dumplings, and
fruit for dinner.
“At first, his poor feet were
so cramped, and the muscles so much weakened from
long disuse, that he could not walk. He tottered
at every step, and in a few minutes appeared greatly
fatigued. But his liberated feet soon acquired
uncommon agility, his plumage grew more resplendent,
and he appeared perfectly happy. He no longer
uttered harsh screams, but very readily learned many
words, and amused himself for hours repeating them.
He attached himself particularly to his kind benefactor,
and always cheerfully practised his little accomplishments
to please him, calling out, ’What o’clock?
Pretty fellow! Saucy fellow! Turn him out,
Poll.’
“He was friendly to the children
of the family, and to strangers, but exceedingly jealous
of infants, from seeing them caressed.
“He was remarkably fond of music,
and danced to all lively tunes, moving his wings,
and also his head, backward and forward, to keep time.
If any person sang or played a wrong measure, he stopped
instantly. When his quick scent announced the
time of meals, he ran up and down the pole, uttering
a pleasing note of request.
“When any food was given him
of which he was not very fond, he took it in his left
claw, ate a little, and threw the rest down; but if
the variety was nice and abundant, after eating what
he wished, he carefully conveyed the remainder to
his tin pail, saving it for another occasion.
“Every Friday a scissors grinder
came and worked under his window. After listening
attentively, Poll tried to imitate the sound with his
throat, but could not succeed. He then struck
his beak against the perch; but his quick ear discerned
a difference. Finally he succeeded by drawing
his claw in a particular way across the tin perch,
and repeated the performance of grinding every Friday,
much to the amusement of those who saw him.”
Minnie was so much interested in these
stories that she quite forgot her grief, until her
mother opened the library door to tell her that her
pet was beginning to sing.
Minnie flew to see her, and before
noon had the pleasure of knowing that Poll was quite
recovered. Indeed, she had never seemed more gay.
She hopped first on one foot and then on the other,
in curious imitation of a polka dance, tossing her
head on one side in a most coquettish manner.
Then she talked and laughed with Minnie,
exclaiming every now and then in a cunning tone, “What
are you about, you rogue? O, you little rogue!”
The little girl was delighted.
She held Poll on her lap, caressing her fondly, and
calling her by all sorts of endearing and funny names.
The parrot on her part seemed desirous
of showing her gratitude for relief from pain by doing
all she could to please her little friend. She
often heard the cook calling Tom, who was apt to run
to the barn when she wanted him; and she began in
a loud, impatient tone, “Tom!” her voice
rising; then again, “Tom!” falling inflection;
“Tom!” again; “I say, Tom; come
here, you rascal!”
Finding this made Minnie laugh heartily,
she began to call, “Leo, come here! Lie
down, sir! Tiney, Tiney,” in a small, fine
voice, like the child’s; “Tiney, Tiney,
Tiney! O, you little rogue!”
After this she chattered away like
Jacko, cocking her eyes and looking as if she thought
herself very smart.
Once in a while Poll talked Portuguese,
which she had learned from some sailors who were in
the vessel when she came over, more than fifteen years
before. She began now to talk what sounded to
Minnie like perfect jargon, but which so much amused
the bird that she kept stopping to laugh most heartily.
By and by Mrs. Lee was ready to sit
down; and she said Poll had had excitement enough
for a sick bird, but told Minnie if she would bring
the book about birds, she would try and find some true
stories to read to her.
The next hour was passed most pleasantly
to both of them. Some of the stories I will tell
you.
“A parrot belonging to a lady
in England was fond of attending family prayers; but
for fear he might take it into his head to join in
the responses, he was generally removed.
“But one evening, finding the
family were assembling for that purpose, he crept
under the sofa, and thought himself unnoticed.
For some time he maintained a decorous silence; but
at length he found himself unable to keep still, and
instead of ‘Amen,’ burst out with, ‘Cheer,
boys; cheer!’
“The lady directed the butler
to take him from the room; and the man had taken him
as far as the door, when the bird, perhaps thinking
he had done wrong, and had better apologize, called
out,-
“‘Sorry I spoke.’
“The overpowering effect on
those present can be better imagined than described.”
“Here is a story,” continued
Mrs. Lee, “of a parrot who acted as a police
officer.”
“In Camden, New Jersey, Mr.
John Hutchinson had a very loquacious parrot, and
also a well-stocked chest of silver plate. One
day some robbers thought they would like to use silver
forks, goblets, and spoons, as well as their rich
neighbors, and watching their opportunity broke into
the pantry.
“They had already picked the
lock off the thick oaken chest, and were diving down
among salvers, pitchers, and smaller articles, when
they were terrified to hear a loud, angry voice exclaim,-
“‘You lazy rascals, I
see you! John, bring me my revolver!’
“Dropping the silver, which
they had taken, on the floor, the robbers made a rush
for the window, which they had forced open, and in
their hurry got over the wrong fence into the yard
of a neighbor who kept a fierce dog.
“Bruno, not at all pleased with
the appearance of his sudden visitors, sprang upon
them, barking at the top of his voice.
“The noise called the police
to the place, and one of the robbers was secured.
“The watchful parrot saved his
owner’s silver. When he was praised for
his timely interference, he would arch his head, and
begin at once to call out,-
“‘You lazy rascals, I
see you! John, bring me my revolver!’”