e
Revolution; he certainly knew many--violent expressions in that
language."

"I want to know if he did!" exclaimed Miss Penny, regarding the parrot
with something like admiring awe.

"Why, I've never heard him use any strong expressions, Miss Vesta. He
does speak French sometimes, but it doesn't sound like swearin', not a
mite. Not ten minutes ago he was sayin' something about Jehu; sounded
real Scriptural."

"Oh, I have not heard him swear for years," said Miss Vesta. "Aunt
Marcia cured him by covering the cage whenever he said anything
unsuitable. He never does it now, unless he sees some one he dislikes
very much indeed, and of course he is not apt to do that. Poor Jocko!
good boy!"

"_Arma virumque cano!_" said Jocko. "Vesta, Vesta, don't you pester! ri
fol liddy fo li, tiddy fo liddy fol li!"

"Ain't it mysterious?" said Miss Penny, in an awestricken voice. "There!
it always makes me think of the Tower of Babel. Did you want to take
little Darlin' back to-day, Miss Blyth? I was thinkin' I'd keep him a
day or two longer till his feathers looked real handsome and full. I
don't suppose you'd want him converted red, would you, Miss Vesta? I'm
told they're real handsome, but I don't s'pose you'd want to resk his
health."

"I do not understand you, Penelope," said Miss Vesta. "Red? You surely
would not think of dyeing a living bird?"

"No'm! oh, no, cert'in not, though I have heerd of them as did. But my
bird book says, feed a canary red pepper and he'll turn red, and stay so
till next time he moults. I never should venture to resk a bird's
health, not unless the parties wished it, but they do say it's real
handsome."

"I should think it very wrong, Penelope," said Miss Vesta, seriously.
"Apart from the question of the dear little creature's health, it would
shock me very much. It would be like--a--dyeing one's own hair to give
it a different color from what the Lord intended. I am sure you would
not seriously think of such a thing."

"Oh, no'm!" said Miss Penny, guiltily conscious of certain bottles on an
upper shelf warranted to "restore gray hair to its youthful gloss and
gleam."

"Well, then, I'll just feed him the Bird Manna, say till Saturday, and
by that time he'll be his own beauty self, the handsomest canary in
Elmerton. Won't he, Darlin'?"

"And I hope Silas Candy is prepared to answer for it at the Judgment
Seat!" said Mrs. Weight, in the doorway of the inner room. "Between him
and Mis' Tree