"Flash"

White House correspondents gave Presidential Secretary William D. Hassett a talking mynah for his 69th birthday present last year, and the black, orange-ruffed bird caught on fast. He learned to cock his head and cry: "What about the appropriation?" Hassett, an old newsman himself, soon taught the bird to squawk: "Flash! Get me the desk!" "Flash" became his name.

Each morning, as White House Messenger Robert M. Goodloe lifted the curtain from Flash's silvery, over-sized cage, the bird would greet him with a dulcet, patronizing "Hello, boy." As girl workers arrived, beady-eyed Flash greeted them with wolf calls. When crossed, which was seldom, Flash cussed the air blue. He was fond of raisins, and newsmen slipped him plenty, though some said he preferred bourbon.

This summer, because the air-cooled White House was too chilly for his health, Flash has been living at the home of White House Correspondent Merriman (Thank You, Mr. President) Smith. There, last week, at the untimely age of 18 months, Flash died. The rumor that death was caused by an extra large slug of bourbon was disproved by the Department of Agriculture, which performed an autopsy. The verdict: pneumonia.

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