Parrot & Co

In Short

Set along the trade routes between Burma, Singapore, and New York, Parrot & Co. is an early twentieth-century romance of exile and redemption. Paul Ellison, living under the name Warrington and nicknamed "Parrot & Co." for the colorful Rajputana bird that travels everywhere with him, stumbles into a fortune in the Burmese oil fields. On a riverboat, he encounters Elsa Chetwood, an independent American heiress struck by his uncanny resemblance to a man she knows back home. As they travel through Asian ports, pursued by rumors and shadowy swindlers, their growing attachment forces Paul to confront his past, clear his name, and return home to face the family and the woman he left behind.

The Story

The narrative opens along the muddy banks of the Irrawaddy River in Burma, where a vagabond engineer known only as Warrington earns a living while carrying a trained parrot named Rajah. Though ragged and secretive, he is well-educated and honorable. After years of wandering, he strikes it rich by discovering oil land and selling his claim to an American syndicate for sixty thousand pounds.

On the Irrawaddy flotilla, Warrington meets Elsa Chetwood, a wealthy and self-assured American traveling with her companion, Martha. Elsa is instantly startled by Warrington’s appearance: he is the mirror image of Arthur Ellison, a cultured, sheltered poet in New York to whom she is loosely tied. Drawn by curiosity and his quiet integrity, Elsa strikes up a warm acquaintance with Warrington. He finds himself falling in love with her, though he is convinced that his mysterious past forbids him from seeking her hand.

As their journey continues through Rangoon and Singapore, tension mounts. A pair of scheming travelers—the aggressive copra-grower Mallow and his card-sharp companion Craig—harass Elsa and target Warrington. A midnight scuffle in Warrington’s room leaves him bruised and missing his letter of credit for fifty thousand dollars, a loss he traces back to Mallow. Meanwhile, rumors about Warrington’s mysterious history circulate among the ship’s passengers. Elsa defense of him never wavers, even after she accidentally comes into possession of his missing letter of credit and discovers his true identity.

Warrington approaches the U.S. consul-general in Singapore to send a cable home, setting in motion his long-delayed return to America. It is revealed that ten years earlier, Paul Ellison fled New York to take the blame for an eight-thousand-dollar embezzlement committed by his twin brother, Arthur—the very man Elsa knows. Paul had spent a decade in self-imposed exile to protect his mother and brother, believing his sacrifice was necessary.

Returning to New York as a wealthy man, Paul visits the headquarters of the Andes Construction Company, where he is offered a high-level engineering contract in China—a position recommended by Elsa herself, whose late father founded the firm. Paul then arrives at his family’s home. He reconciles with his mother and forgives Arthur, who realizes his own moral debt and steps aside. Elsa arrives at the house, having traveled eighteen thousand miles to find the man she truly loves. Reunited, Paul and Elsa prepare to begin a new life together in China.

How It Unfolds

The riverboat encounter On an Irrawaddy steamer, Elsa Chetwood notices a ragged, sunbrowned traveler carrying a bright bird, whose strong features exactly duplicate those of an admirer back home. They break the ice over afternoon tea, beginning a tentative friendship built on mutual respect and open conversation.

A sudden fortune Warrington sells his Burmese oil claim to an American syndicate for a fortune, settling his debts with his faithful servant James and planning his return to civilization.

Shipboard malice During the voyage toward Singapore, two disreputable men named Mallow and Craig attempt to provoke Warrington and bother Elsa. A night break-in leaves Warrington’s room tossed and his fifty-thousand-dollar letter of credit missing.

The consul's office In Singapore, Warrington enlists the help of the American consul-general to cable New York and arrange his finances. He admits his real name is Paul Ellison and reveals he fled home a decade ago following a financial scandal.

The missing papers revealed Elsa discovers Paul’s stolen Manila envelope containing his letters of credit on her cabin floor, dropped during the commotion. Her faith in his character remains firm despite the gossip spreading among the passengers.

Reconciliation in New York Paul returns to America, secures a major engineering contract in China through his old professional network, and enters his mother's house. He reunites with his blind mother and his brother Arthur, putting ten years of sacrifice to rest just as Elsa walks through the door.

The People

• Paul Ellison ("Warrington" / "Parrot & Co."): A principled civil engineer who spent ten years wandering Asia to shield his family from disgrace. He wants to rebuild his life honorably, though his self-imposed exile makes him reluctant to press his feelings for Elsa.
• Elsa Chetwood: An independent, wealthy American heiress traveling the world. Disillusioned by conventional suitors, she values individual strength of character, falling deeply for Paul despite the mystery surrounding his past.
• Arthur Ellison: Paul's twin brother, a soft-spoken poet and collector of rare art living in New York. Weak-willed in his youth, his past misdeed drove Paul into exile, though he ultimately steps aside when he realizes Elsa loves his brother.
• Martha: Elsa’s older companion and chaperone, who worries constantly about propriety, shipboard gossip, and the strange, sunburnt man who looks so much like Arthur.
• Mallow and Craig: A pair of opportunistic rogues encountered on the steamer line, who attempt to cause trouble for Elsa and rob Paul of his financial drafts.

In Its Own Voice

"The real grim desolation, where the ax cuts but leaves no blaze, where the pioneer disappears and few or none follow."

— The author describes the wilderness along the western bank of the Irrawaddy River.

"There has been a deal of chatter about shifty untrustworthy eyes. The greatest liars I have ever known could look St. Peter straight and serenely in the eye."

— Paul shares his pragmatic view of human nature with Elsa over tea on the ship's deck.

"Humanity in the bulk is mediocre. And odd as it seems, individuality (which is another word for genius) believes it leads mediocrity."

— Paul discusses his philosophy of life and society during a quiet moment at sea.

What It's Really About

Beneath its scenic travelogue and romance, Parrot & Co. examines the nature of self-sacrifice and the true measure of a man's honor. It contrasts the quiet resilience of a man who builds bridges and battles wilderness against the refined, sheltered life of artistic leisure. The story questions whether conventional social judgments carry any weight when stripped of context, showing how easily gossip misinterprets complex human motives. It is also an exploration of redemption, arguing that ten years of hardship can neither break a man's fundamental integrity nor prevent him from reclaiming his place in the world.

Why Read It Today

Parrot & Co. appeals to readers who enjoy romantic adventure novels of the early twentieth century, rich with exotic steamship travel and clear-cut moral choices. MacGrath writes with a brisk, cinematic flair, capturing the vivid atmosphere of colonial Asian port towns, dusty river landings, and quiet ship decks under tropical stars.

Modern readers should note that the novel reflects the racial attitudes, colonial phrasing, and period stereotypes of its 1913 publication date, particularly in its depictions of native riverboat workers and foreign servants. The dialogue occasionally leans into the grand sentimentality typical of popular Edwardian fiction. Nevertheless, the novel remains an engaging narrative of loyalty and love, driven by a memorable, honorable hero and a heroine who insists on thinking for herself.