Viewing page 41 of 56

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

40

bird's memory.  So when the men came in to look at it, the bird spoke up and said, "How about the appropriation?" General Lord gave it a dirty look, and the bird said again, "How about the appropriation?" So General Lord turned to Bill and said, "I call that impertinent."  And the bird said, "So's your old man." It really happened just that way.  So General Lord said, "Who educated that bird?"  Bill said that he had no idea but he would certainly find out and punish him properly. . .[laughter]. . .for being so rude.

Henson: General Lord was a rather dour character, wasn't he?

Mann: I guess, I never knew him.

Henson: I've heard that he was a rather somber person.

Mann: Actually I don't think we had much to do with him because we were on the District budget and not the federal one.

Henson: Dr. Mann also used to show up with pets for the appropriations hearings, wouldn't he? I read that at one point.

Mann: Oh, yes, I suppose so; I should think he would have.

Henson: He liked to entertain the appropriation committee with a monkey on his shoulder or something while they were trying to debate the zoo's appropriation.  Shortly after you got married he got the money for the bird house, and then the money for the reptile house.  How did he manage to get that at that point?