PATTI'S PARROT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1517, 25 November 1886, Page 4

PATTI'S PARROT.

"Some time ago, when Patti was walking down Fourth Avenue, New York, escorted by Nicolini and Franchi, she expressed," an American writer telle, " a desire to sample parrots," and went into a bird-faneier's near Fourteenth street. The fowl she now owns was aaleep in a cage. " This seems to be a beauty ; please.wake it up," said the diva to the proprietor. " Can it talk 1" " Talk llt can beat Gladstone and Randolph Churchill together I" " Indeed 1 Let us hear it, pleaße ?" The boss tickled Polly with a piece of lunar caUstic, and ithe bird awoke, yelled, and waited foe instructions. '•• Ta'k, Polly—sh6w you* talents. This is Patti, who has come to see you." "Indeed," said the bird, "is this Adelina? Truly it seems to me that her visage ia resplendent with radiant beauty." " Why this is manellous," cried the ckritatrice. M Can he say morel"; "Indeed he can;,. He speaks eight languages fluently ; he is a gay old bird." "Polly wants a cracker (biscuit)?" "Crackers be banged. Sing me a song. I have heard that the Horiture you introduce in ' The Barber' are dazzling. Let's have them 1" Patti complied with the fowl's request, and, when she had finished, the critic in feathers remarked, " "Very good, indeed; you remind me of JBosio. That re was pearly and altogether excellent, the sustained G also good. Before passing judgment, ! sing me "Ah noon giunge" from the I ( Somnambult.,' and then we will siog the duet in 'Linda.' I can take the shine out of Scalchi easily." "How much is the bird I" asked Patti. " Two hundred pounds, madame." Nicoloni handed over the money, and the bird, after talking learnedly about consecutive fifths, was carried off in triumph to the Windsor Hotel. When Patti got it safely home, she invited her friends to call, and addressing the bird, said, "Now, talk again, pretty Polly." " What de yer say!" said Polly." "Ob, the horrid thing it ia vulgar !" " Caramba I" murmured the bird. "And, oh, it swears in Spanish I" The metamorphosis was 1 complete. Polly swore, and sang naughty tongs, but spoke no more. The next day the diva discovered that when shiV was in the shop a hired ventriloquist bad spoken for the bird.

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