The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1869-04-22

was to me-the address of Jack Gale, No
1883 Morusmulticaulis street, went hom,
| to revise some of my deductions relativ,
to the origin of the human soecies, found
ed on observations of the gorilla in stat.
of comparative wildness. The menagerit
closed at 10 o'clock 10 the evening, anC
precisely at half past ten l was at Jack.
| lodgings, to which / climbed up foul
flights of crooked and very dark stairways
The room was small and cheerless the
windows were carefully guarded by thick
curtains: tiiree or four swinging bars de-
pended from the ceiling for the practice
| of its innate in acrobatic exercises across
the foJt of the bed lay well.dressed gor
| illa's skin, and at a small table, and absorb
| i1g the contents of pot of beer. sat the
wearer Of this discarded robe. This was
the haunt of the African gorilla. He told
his story in few words.
"When you and | were used to talk
with each other along the TallapOosa and
Athens wire, never thought to meet you
as live gorilla but here | am. After
the war was over, and the Government
discharged so many telegraph operators
it was hard scratching for while; and
| after you and 1 left the Decapolis Office, ]
was well-nigh broke more than once, only
few cents standing between me and beg
| gary. But / kept stiff upper lip, and
struggled up to Cincinnati, where met
with Coriander. He was out there with
his menagerie, and was about to come on
to this city and open big show. He is
great old villain, but he has the sweet
est, incest little daughter that ever was
given to man. You haven't seen Clara
Coriander, have yous MOI Well, you
have not seen the lovelest and best girl in
the world, then. But, as was saying
Old Coriander was preparing for years
campaign in this CITY, and allotted great
deal on a real, live gorilla which had
been captured in the wilds of Africa
somewhere. Oh, curse that gorilla;
wish l had been dead before ever l heard
of him."
And here Jack groaned.
| AZ loved Clara Coriander. I suppose
| you have guessed that out already But
| it was the old story; poor young man,
| without fortune or friends; cruel parents
| determined that their only daughter shall
not marry beggar; young lady incon
| solable and devoted to aforesaid poor
| young man, but dreadfully afraid of papa
| whose only child she Is Well, Coriander
came on here and followed, the old man
giving me the job of writing his posters
and advertisements-to keep me from
starving, I suppose. The long expected
GOoroO arrived from Zanzibar, but nc
gorilla was there on board for Mr.. Corian-
der; there was skin of that celebrated
| animal. the beast himself having departed
this life off the Island of st. Helena, in
| imitation of the example of another much
| feared person who once resided in that
locality.
"COriander was frantic The great
card for his menagerie was not to be his.
His long cherished plans were wreck
his money was spent for naught he had
no gorilla After all, rather like the old
wretch (Coriander l mean). He has an
absolute passion with his profession as
he calls it, and was more in despair be-
cause he had no gorilla, than because it
was bad financial operation, which
left him without that fer which he had
spent 80 much money. He was wretched
in his disappointment, and postponed in
definitely the opening of the menagerie,
though my elegant advertisements were
in all the papers, and our flaming posters
covered the walls of the city from one
end to the other. Gloom reigned in the
house of Coriander.
"This was my opportunity. l was in
love with Clara and without any perma-
nent occupation. Presenting myself be-
fore the old man, said: Mr.. Corian-
| der, you want gorilla?'
"'To be sure said he testify.
"'I will furnish you with one.'
"The devil you willI'
"Look here said 1, stepping back a
| few PAGES. Grasping the top of heavy
old wardrobe that stood in the room. ]
| swung myself up. clambered along the
| top, sprang up and down, over chairs and
| tables raced around the room with huge
| strides and jumps, and finally wound uI
my performances by rushing at the aston
| ished COriander, and, beating my breast
gave terrific howl that fairly made the
| old man quail as he writhed in his chair
| had not been practising for nothing
evidently. Coriander was actually fright
ened
| "tWhat does this mean9' he gasped
with some rage mingled with his pertur
baton.
"'I am the live gorilla from the wilds o.
Africa said /. Give me my skin thai
arrived by the Gooroo from Zanzibar, and
I will scare this city out of its senses
when the menagerie opens. after brie
delay on account of the difficulty of pre-
pairing for enormous additions, which s
discriminating public will be delighted
to see.'
"Old Coriander embraced me, will
tears in his eyes. declaring that l was 6
real genius and was born to the show
business
"But,' said 1, though I am poor and
need the money which you will pay me,
have one other condition, and that is tha
you shall give me your daughters hand
If / succeed
"The old man was rather taken back al
this, and fatty refused at first and We
wrangled over the matter 6or two or three
days, but, after seeing me, in the skin o.
the gorilla. go through many antics and
performances, he reluctantly gave in ant
agreed that after one year of gorilla life
in his service, 1 should have the happi
ness of marrying Clara. He only stipu
lated that should not hereafter tell any
body of the cheat and that not even Glare
should know of it now.
II am aware that my profession is not
high art, as you call it, and on hot days II
is precious uncomfortable. But wha'
won't fellow do under the pressure o.
an exchequer in distress, and enticed by
the promise of the hand of the pretties
aud best girl in the world! The pay il
not much, but keep soul and body to
gether, which is more than some pool
devils do in this great city. By the way
Sam, have you got five dollars abou
your"
Now, if there was anything that Jacl
Gale specially loved, it was the state o
being in debt. He was never SO happy
as when in debt, and when by accident
or the interference of friends, he got ou
Of it, he was uneasy and 1retched, appa
| roratlu until ha nat In naix Tho nAr