"'La, how fine,' said Polly.

"The lady looked around angrily, thinking it was a boy.

"'Didn't see me, did you?' said Polly, and then the woman saw the funny
little green bird on the lawn and she petted and complimented her until
Polly felt very much puffed up.

"Miss Helen went in for a few minutes, though, and when she came out,
Polly was gone, stolen probably by some one that slipped up behind her.

"Poor Miss Helen grieved and grieved over her, and offered great
rewards, but to no avail. In about a year she went to Florida, and one
day, going by a bird fancier's that she knew, the man invited her to
come in, saying that he had a lot of new parrots to show her.

"O I wonder: if Polly is there!' she said, and told him about her.

"'No, I haven't any that know as much as that,' said he; 'but there is
one who looks as if she understood things, but she won't, or can't,
talk.'

"So Miss Helen went in, and there, sure enough, was her poor Polly
huddled up sulkily in a cage.

"'Polly,' called Helen, and Polly started and came to the front of the
cage.

"'Helen, Helen,' she called, going perfectly wild; '1013 H---- Street.