FORMAL FUNERAL FOR
ENGLISH GIRL'S CANARY.
Bird Victim of Hardships Was
Buried in Depot Matron's
Back Yard.
In the yard in the rear of the home of Mrs. Ollie Everingham, the matron at the Union depot, is a little mound. Beneath it in a tin box lies the cotton encased body of a little canary bird, the sole companion and pet of Miss Ethel McFarland, an English girl, who immigrated to this country just seven weeks ago. Bobbie, the bird, died yesterday morning, just after Miss McFarland had stepped from a Wabash train from St. Louis, where she had been looking for employment. Miss McFarland, who is Mrs. Everingham's protege, was her guest last night.
A little more than two months ago Miss McFarland, a clerk and bookkeeper in London, left her home for this country. She had read much of the United States and believed her future lay here. When sh e departed she had, besides her clothing, her pet canary bird, which she had reared from a nestling. The little fellow, whom she named Bobby, was attached to her as she was to him. A charge of $2.50 was made for carrying the bird on the ship, and when Miss McFarland reached this side she discovered that she owed the steward $1 more for caring for it en route.
Seven weeks ago a ruddy faced girl with a decided English accent, carrying two suit cases and the cage containing the canary bird, got off a train at the Union depot. Mrs. Everingham's attention was attracted to the girl and from that time on, Miss McFarland declares, he one best friend was the matron.
Mrs. Everingham secured lodgings for the girl, and the next day got her a position in a household.
"I don't want to work at books; I want to learn to keep house as they do in America," she told the matron.
Two weeks ago the family with whom Miss McFarland lived departed for the North. She heard of a position in St. Louis and a friend whom she had met through Mrs. Everingham offered to assist her in securing the position.
St. Louis was not to the liking of the English girl and she started back to Kansas City Friday night, arriving here yesterday morning. The ride was too much for the bird, which was dead when Miss McFarland arrived at the depot.
With tears streaming down her face and almost heartbroken at the loss of her little companion, Miss McFarland sought Mrs. Everingham. The sympathetic depot matron had a tin box in her desk. Some cotton was secured and the little bird was wrapped in the cotton, placed in the box and given a ceremonious burial in the back yard of the matron's home.
