A parrot that can only say 'Polly wants a cracker,' don't
amount to anything--what we need is new style parrots that can converse on
the topics of the day, and say things original. Well, when Ma got back I
guess her conscience hurt her for the way she had been carrying on in
Chicago, and so when she heard the basement of the church was being
frescoed, she invited the committee to hold the Wednesday evening prayer
meeting at our house. First, there were four people came, and Ma asked Pa
to stay to make up a quorum, and Pa said seeing he had two pair, he
guessed he would stay in, and if Ma would deal him a queen he would have a
full hand. I don't know what Pa meant, but he plays draw poker sometimes.
Anyway there was eleven people came including the minister, and after they
had talked about the neighbors a spell, and Ma had showed the women a new
tidy she had worked for the heathen, with a motto on it which Pa had
taught her: 'A contrite heart beats a bob-tailed flush,'--and Pa had
talked to the men about a religious silver mine he was selling stock in,
which he advised them as a friend to buy for the glory of the church, they
all went in the back parlor and the minister lead in prayer. He
got down on his knees right under the parrot's cage, and you'd a dide to
see Polly hang on to the wires of the cage with one foot, and drop an
apple core on the minister's head.
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