She always wanted to be the center of attraction herself,
which showed she was a vain creature. No matter how silent she had
been or how firmly she might have refused to talk only the minute
before, if Johnny came to my cage and called, 'Hello, Admiral! you're a
daisy,' Bessie immediately struck up such a chattering as would almost
deafen one.
"'Johnny dear, open my cage. I want to take a walk,' she would say in
her most coaxing manner. If she happened to be already out of her cage
and walking about the room, she endeavored to get him to leave me by
saying: 'Here, Johnny, boy, put me on your finger. Kiss poor
Bessie--p-o-o-r Bessie.'
"Mrs. Morris used to laugh at these schemes of the parrot to attract
notice, and said Bessie reminded her of some people she had met who
always wanted to monopolize the conversation."
"Monopolize?" said I. "That's a large word. I don't know the meaning
of it."
"Well, I think it means getting the most of anything and crowding other
people out," replied the admiral; "and it was true in Bessie's case,
for she always wanted the most attention. A gentleman friend of the
Morrises had this habit too. He had been a general in a war that took
place in the South a good many years ago, and was often entertained at
dinner at the Morrises'.
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