Madeline Leslie

“ To obtain the regards of man’s heart in behalf of the lower animals, we should strive to draw his mind toward them. The poor brutes look, tremble, and give the signs of suffering, as we do. A threatened blow strikes them with terror, and they have the same distortions of agony on the infliction of it. ”

“ A parrot will, by means of its beak, and aided by its thick, fleshy tongue, clear the inside of a fresh pea from the outer skin, rejecting the latter, and performing the whole process with the greatest ease.
“In climbing, I presume you have noticed, she uses her hooked beak as well as her feet; and in feeding she rests on one foot, [99] holding the food to her beak with the other. Her plumage is generally richly-tinted, while in some varieties, like this, it is superb. In all kinds the skin throws off a mealy powder, which saturates the feathers and makes them greasy.” ”

“ At night they crowd together as closely as possible, and hiding their heads under their wings, sleep soundly. As soon as the first ray of light can be discerned, they are all awake, chatting over the business for the day. ”

“ G.’s parrot,” cried Minnie, a few days later. “Was she as wonderful as our Poll? and was she as handsome?”
Mrs. Lee smiled. “If I should answer all your questions,” she said presently, “I should have work for the rest of the day. [69] My friend’s parrot was green, with a brilliant red neck and tail. She was a great talker, and seemed to understand the meaning of much of what was said in her presence. I can recollect now two or three incidents which are well worth repeating.
“Polly was very fond of children, and enjoyed being let out of her cage to play with them as much as our Poll does. ”

“ In summer, Poll lived mostly out of doors, hung in a cage at the top of the piazza. Here she seemed very much amused at the various operations she witnessed.
In the morning, she was placed in front of the house on account of the shade; but after dinner, the cage was carried round to a [48] porch, where the shed and barn were in full view.
From the front porch, she could salute all the early visitors, and watch the butcher’s cart as it passed, often startling him with the inquiry,—
“What have you to-day?” Then, if no one answered, she would quickly reply, “Veal,” or, “Only veal to-day.” ”

“ I should ad [91] mire to hear them talk to each other.”
“Yes, I should; but mother thinks one such noisy bird is more than she can endure. Father had Poll given to him when he was a little boy, and he says he couldn’t keep house without her. She is very old indeed, and is often sick, though now she is only making believe. Father will tell you how many years she has been in the family.”
[92] “There is nothing I like so well,” exclaimed Minnie, enthusiastically, “as to hear stories about birds and beasts.”
“Oh, I’ll get father, then, to tell you a funny one about Polly when he was a little boy. ”

“ One peculiarity of this bird is, that he has but one wife, and never marries again. The pairs form lasting attachments, and when one dies the mate sometimes mourns itself to death. They make a kind of nest in the hollow trees, and there bring up their young. ”

“ Among others who used to come there, was a man by the name of Brush. He was considered an inoffensive, well meaning man, with no force of character; but all supposed him [109] honest. Poll, however, knew to the contrary; and after a while she convinced others that Brush was a thief.
“It was noticed, when this man got excited by the conversation, that he always left the circle round the stove, and walked back and forth through the store; and it was at such times that he contrived to cut large slices from the bacon, which he carefully concealed in [110] his pocket. ”

“ Lee, “they are the most intelligent of the feathered race.”
“Yes, naturalists decidedly give them that character. Poll sometimes seems almost too human; and then they are so quick to learn. Did you know, Minnie, that a parrot is considered an article of delicacy for the table?” ”

“ The little girl now thought her hands quite full; but only the next Christmas, when her uncle came home from sea, he told her he had brought an addition to her pets; and true enough, when his luggage came from town, there was a bag containing a real, live monkey, named Jacko.
These, with the silver-gray parrot, which had been in the family for years, gave Minnie [15] employment from morning till night.
You will wonder, perhaps, that one child should have so many pets; and, indeed, the parrot belonged to her mother ”

“ Early one morning, when Poll was hanging up at a back window, she saw Tom polishing the boots, and whistling a merry tune, never once thinking of his enemy near him. Squeezing herself, as she often did, through [57] the wires of her cage, she crept silently along through an inner room into the shed, when she flew directly at him, caught him by the legs, and held him fast.
Poor Tom was frightened nearly out of his senses, and yelled for some one to take the parrot away. The servants enjoyed the fun too well, however, to release him. They laughed heartily, telling him to shake her off ”

“ MINNIE AND HER PARROT.
In these little books, I am going to tell you about Minnie, her home, and her pets; and I hope it will teach every boy and every girl who reads them to be kind to animals, as Minnie was. Minnie Lee had a pleasant home. [12] She was an only child, and as her parents loved to please her, they procured every thing which they thought would make her happy. The first pet Minnie had was a beautiful tortoise-shell kitten, which she took in her baby arms and hugged tightly to her bosom. After a time, her father, seeing how much comfort she took with kitty, bought her a spaniel. ”

“ When Minnie laughed, she would laugh too, and keep repeating, “Going out? Good by.”
Parrots are said to be very jealous birds, and are displeased [28] to have any attention shown to other pets.
I think Poll was so, and that she was angry when she saw Minnie show so much kindness to Fidelle. One day she thought she would punish the kitty; so she called, “Kitty, kitty,” in the most sweet, coaxing tones. Puss seemed delighted, and walked innocently up to the cage, which happened to be set in a chair. ”

“ 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 [9] sicken, and grow feeble with age, and finally die, as we do. They possess also instincts which expose them to suffering in another quarter. The lioness, robbed of her whelps, makes the wilderness ring with her cries; and the little bird, whose tender household has been stolen, fills and saddens all the grove with her pathetic melody.”
The author has been careful to select only facts well authenticated. She takes this opportunity to acknowledge most gratefully her indebtedness to those friends who have contributed original anecdotes which have come under their own observation ”

“ He already had a large Newfoundland dog; but Mrs. [13] Lee was unwilling to have him come into the house, saying that in summer he drew the flies, and in winter he dirtied her hearth rugs. So Leo, as the great dog was called, was condemned to the barn, while Tiney could rove through the parlors and chambers whenever he pleased.
In Minnie’s seventh year, her father bought her a Shetland pony and a lamb, which he told her was called a South Down [14] —a rare and valuable breed. ”

“ Breakfast that morning was a dull affair, without Poll’s lively talk; and as, after the saffron [116] 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 [117] house, the birds could not be seen. ”

“ At dinner, Minnie was introduced to the gentleman, whom she regarded with great interest, [93] on account of his fondness for the bird. No sooner was the dessert brought on the table, and the servants had retired from the room, than Lizzie Monson, her young friend, began.
“Papa, will you please to tell Minnie about Poll finding out who stole the bacon?”
Mr. Lee burst into a merry laugh, but presently said,—
“I warn you it is a dangerous business. ”

“ Lee, “of a story a lady once told me of a parrot she owned, and which was really a wonderfully intelligent bird. A new family moved into the neighborhood, consisting, among others, of two young ladies, who always dressed very gayly.
“Polly had a bad habit of [64] making remarks upon the passers by, as she hung in her cage overlooking the main street. If, as was sometimes the case, persons engaged in conversation stopped near the house, they would often be startled by the cry,—
“‘Go home, now! ”

“ Here his anger was speed [39] ily changed to mirth, for on going near the door he saw a parrot hanging in a cage over the porch, from whom all the noise had proceeded.”
“Oh, father,” exclaimed Minnie, greatly delighted, “that was a real good story. Isn’t there another one?”
“Yes; here is one where a man made his bird revenge his insults.
“There was once a distiller [40] who had long suffered in his business by a neighbor, who had several times reported him to the public authorities as one who made and sold rum without a license to do so. ”

“ 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 [131] 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 ”

“ That will do her more good than medicine.”
When her father came home from town, if he did not see his little daughter on the lawn, playing with Fidelle, the cat, and Tiney, the dog, he was almost [17] sure to find her in the shed where Jacko’s cage was kept, with Miss Poll perching on her shoulder.
When visitors called and asked to see her, her mother would laugh, as she answered, “I’m sure I don’t know where the child is, she has so many pets.”
Minnie was not allowed to study much in books; indeed, she scarcely knew how to read at all ”

“ It is astonishing how much she knows. Lizzie, run and open her cage, and bring her here.”
“She is, indeed, a splendid bird,” remarked Mrs. Lee, gazing with delight at her richly-tinted plumage. “See, Minnie, how her [97] neck is shaded from the most beautiful green to the richest mazarine blue.”
“And look at her breast, mother; see those elegant red feathers!”
“The parrot,” said Mr. Monson, “is an insulated bird. Its manners and general structure, and the mode of using its feet, as described by naturalists, are different from any other bird. Mr. Vigors, Mr. ”