The Sun.
London, England, 1818-09-09 00:00:00

MANSION-HOUSE.

AN ODD SCENE.—The LORD MAYOR, in the
course of his business, was interrupted by a sailor,
a showman, and a inonkey, who arrived at the
Justice-room, with a great multitude behind
them.

The monkey was making, a most hideous noise,
and the sailor and showman, who hail been
arguing on their way to the Mansion House, were
so completely absorbed in the subject of dispute,
as not to take notice, for sonic time, of the autho-
rity presiding. The monkey, however, was more
respectful in his manners, and seemed to have a
due impression of the dignity of the Magistrate
before whom he was brought.

His Lordship having noticed the respectful de-
meanour of the monkey, called upon the sailor and
showman to follow the example of the animal,
who at that moment began to exhibit some of his
most amusing tricks—such as pulling the show-
man's nose, untying his cravat, dragging open his
waistcoat, &c.

The LORD MAYOR desired that if there was any
complaint to be made it should be proceeded
upon. The sailor said he and the monkey were
the injured party; the showman was the ag-
gressor.
His Lordship seemed to think that the monkey
would he as well able to explain the matter as
either of his companions, and this conclusion ap-
peared to be just, for while the features of the
men were agitated with passion, the monkey's
was as grave as those of a philosopher.
The monkey kept his eye fixed upon the Lord
Mayor, and at the conclusion of every sentence
from his Lordship, uttered a piercing cry.
The sailor at length made his complaint. He
stated that he went into Gilman and Atkins' ex-
hibition of wild beasts in Bartholomew Fair, and
while he was looking- at the curiosities, he recog-
nised the monkey, which was now before his
Lordship, to be his own property. He had pur-
chased it for four or five dollars at St. Kitt's,
some months ago, and upon his arrival in this
country, he had lost it at Portsmouth. Upon en-
tering the show he immediately told the keeper
that it was his monkey, and have it he would.—
The keeper refused to give it up, and declared that
his master had bought it fairly for one pound.
The showman here got into a high passion with
the monkey, who had seized him with such vio-
lence by the nose as to make him roar out. The
animal growing more and more averse to the con-
troul of the keeper, held his paws out to the sailor,
and moaned piteously.
The LORD MAYOR said, the only way for him to
decide upon a case, in which there was positive
assertions on both sides, was to leave the matter
to the monkey himself. His Lordship limo di-
rected that the monkey should be placed upon the
table, and that each patty claiming him should
use his powers of fascination, in order to ascer-
tain to whom the monkey was most attached.
The monkey was put upon the table, but nar-
rowly escaped death, from an attack made upon
him by a dog, a constant visitor at the Mansion
House. Having escaped this danger, the Lord
Mayor marked the acct. of so important an ad-
venture, and seeing that the monkey fled to the
arms of the sailor (who skewed most concern) for
protection, and that the animal throughout had
evinced towards bins the 'greatest. attachment, he
thought he was the rightful owner. The desired
experiment, however, was now made, and the
showman 'pot a pkce of stick into the monkey's
paw, and desired him to shoulder arms. Instead
of obeying this order, the monkey struck the
keeper WI the head, and then threw it in his face.
The sailor next called upon the animal, saying,
" Jack, look sharp, and make a salanz to his Lord-
ship.'' The monkey instantly stood erect on his
Lind lees, raised his paws to the top of his head,
and made a low bow to the Lord Mayor in the
Turkish style. He then hugged and fawned upon
the sailor as before.

" if any thing else is necessary," said the
" to prove him mine, l can spew it. There
is a hole in one of his ears which I bored in St.
Kitts, for it is fashionable for the bucks to wear
an ear-ring there. His left paw is walked by a
lisping-hook, and part of his tail is bitten by a
parrot that used to quarrel with bin)." These
marks were observed.

The LORD MAYoR advised the showman to give
up all claim to the monkey, but he refused. The
sailor refuse►! to part with th►e mo►►key, and the
monkey would not part with him. The disputants
at length left the Office, the monkey clinging to
the neck of the sailor iu the most affectionate
manner.