Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1867-10-19
OLD SERIES, VOL. %, NO. |.


The diary of menageric or museum
keeper would, il published, be full of start
ling adventures. Within a twelve month,
mad elephants have burst their bonds, lions,
tigers, boas and rattlesnakes escaped from
their cages--and terror and death have ac-
companied their flight. But with such cpl
sodcs of horror we at present have nothing
to do. The story we propose to tell is OF
the ludicrous order. 1t relates to She escape
oil baboon, the king of happy family on
exhibition in New Orleans.
With all his patriarchial airs, this indivi-
dual had always nurscd n secret desire to
withdraw from the society of which the
visitors considers him the most interesting
ornament, and not many months ago he
scilcd upon favorable opportunity and put
his design into practice. Tie lcapcd to the
roof OF the lofty building which contains
the museum, and after inhaling the breath
OF freedom and scratching himself with a
feeling OF independence altogether unwon-
ted, he began to look round for an asylum
from the pursucrs who his instinct told him
would soon be ON his track. He bounded
from roof to.roof with the agility of noun
tam goat but the gulf across to the opposite
block was too broad even for his tremendous
powers, and after making a tour Of the whole
square, and finding himself isolated, as it
were, he quietly ensconscd himself in dor
mcr window, which happened to be open.
The keeper and his myrmidons searched
yainly after the fugitive for several hours.
They secured the adjacent houses without
finding n trace of the missing biped, until at
last they stumbled upon him accidentally as
he was enjoying gentle sumbcr on the
window sill. The sound of their footsteps
reused him before they haG time to lay hands
on him; he sprang into the garnet and
plunged madly down the steps. A large
skylight on the highest floor for the use Of
the lower stories met the monkeys eye. lie
was not aware OF the brittle quality of the
glass and the fragile nature of the wood
work. As 1T shone in the midday sun it
dazIled his unacCustOmcd eyes, and he was
lost in admiration Of its briliancy until the
noise OF his keepers aroused him to sense
of his situation.
We must pause here to give some account
Of the basement story and its occupants
This floor was used as tailor shop, the pre-
siding genius of which was sturdy little
German, well do in the world, with several
journcymcn and Il comey frow, who carries
a big baby at the breast. Schneider was
sitting cross-lcggcd on his counter, sewing
steadily, and in his stocking feet his work
men were ranged on either side, as busy as
ing the cradle and queting her baby to sleep
with Tcutonic lullaby.
At this very interesting moment tho mon
key made prodigious spring to the very
center of the skylight. The irail fabric gave
| way like a spiders web under .he shock and
with a clatter equal TO the breaking of a
! thousand empty wine bottles, down came
! the fugitive right upon the bald head of
! Schneider. The shock paralyzed them both
| for q moment. Not so with the frow and
| the journeymen. They looked upon the
! unexpected visitor with the same terror and
ama2cmcnt which must lave animated those
! who saw MulCher when he was thrown by
angry Jovc sheer DER the crystal battlcments
and dropped from the zenith like falling
star. Pale with alright, and concluding it
surely was the devil, come to claim the un-
! fortunate tailor, they rushed frantically into
! the street, shouting and screaming at the
top of their lungs.
| Which of the two-the man or the mon
llcy-was worse scared can never be decided.
As soon as they recovered their senses, each
broke i'll an opposite direCtion-thc tailor
for the street, the monkey toward the rcal
premises.
A crowd of sympathzing shopkecpers
soon gathered around the startled tailor and
his staff, and several policemen, attracted by
the row, also appeared upon the scene. Tho
incoherent version of the devils appearance
from the skies with his torked tail and his
hidcous lincaments was listened TO with
iucredulity; but at length one Of the keeper.
came up and explained the mystery. Every
body now went quietly to his or her avoca
tion and Schneider resumed his seat on the
counter