A Knowing Old Parrot.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVII, Issue II, 13 July 1901, Page 53

A Knowing Old Parrot.

I’arrots are said to live to a great a o e - A few years ago a venerablelooking stranger was sauntering along the street, when he came to a window, outside of which hung a cage with a parrot in it. As the stranger came up the bird suddenly broke out into crying, “Coals! Coals! Coals!” Neither the people of the house nor the neighbours had ever before heard the parrot cry Coals, and quite a little crowd gathered to listen and express surprise. The aged stranger in contemplative mood looked on, and at length addressed the bystanders in these words: “I am a native of Newcastle, and when a boy I served a coalman here. While my master carried in the bags of coals my duty was to watch the horse and keep crying. ‘Coals! Coals! Coals!’ This parrot was here then; I remember her well. One and sixty years I have lived in America, and am now here on my first visit since I left Old England. This parrot is the only sotfl that recognises me in Newcastle.”