Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-04-23
THE GoRfLLA's LOVE STORY

CoLuUHUs DaEANDB's vTN'GEET At CHICAGO.
Nv article on the Origin OF the Human
Species had been months in preparation.
Much of the fame which have since secured
hy its publication in that widely circulated
magazine. the lnter0cc8uic Month.v. i- due
to the fact that / spent week, in deep iuve--
tisatious in chronological science. comparing
results, and especially examining tle points
of resemblance which exist IN tie brute crea-
ti1n and the nobler race oiman. To s1y chat
/ utterly overthrow the Darwinian theory,
and quite demolished the tribe of Tretenders
who have nee attempted TO imi .atc taat great
apostle of error. may not be strictly I'm acclr.
dance with molesty, but hosts of candid
friends will admit thar i- Is strictly true. ]
know well that though my untiring lahlrs DO
the cause Of science are not yet thoroughly
appreciated, an admiring posterity viii dwell
with delight on the name OF Samuel >imcox
us the cue.actor of bic race, Who showed
where that race had its birth. and from what
primitive elements it sprang. For further
particulars, see the Inter0ceanic Monthly for
June. Is.
Ny fav0rite haunt during the progress OF
nv article was C0riander's : Menagcrie; hay-
piece of my life,l spared dneither labor nor cx-
pense upon it, and actually procured season
ticket to the menagerie, and passed many
pleasant hours in watching the wild animals,
studying their habits, and drawing many va
luable conclusions from their points OK resem-
bance and difference Consequently, though
the apes and monkeys had furnished me with
an inexhaustible fund of amusement and in
terest, was delighted beyond measure when
it was announced that Coriander had secured
a live gorilla for his collection Of wild beasts
IN agent had been dispatched to Africa and
had sent home, with great secrecy, real -pc-
cmen of this dreadful beast; and so well bad
all the negotiations been kept that nobody
knew of what was being done, until the nous
ter was fairly Gagged and on exhibition at Cor
ianders menagerie. entered with zest upon
a study of the creatures habits and peculiar
tiles and. while the curiosity of mere won
der-mongers kept a vast crowd about the cage
wherein the furious beast was couhnet.l calm
ly surveyed it from a safe distance and made
nv scientific observations for the benefit oI
mankind And when vulgar wonder at tie
strange beast had somewhat subsded and
could get nearer the cage and watch the gor-
lila, was more and more impressed with the
human traits which discovered in the extra
ordinary animal. Its manner of reclining wIs,
though impish, half human and hls grotes-
que gait, as he sprang from side to side 1i the
narrow prison, WAS suggestive of hs supp1si-
titious cougener - man; even his terrible
howl, which rent the air Of the museum con-
stantlv, had a human shade Of sound.
One rainy day when the great hall of the
almost leanel against the cage in my eager
watch Of the movements Of the gorilla.
fancied him roaming his native African Jun
j giles, the terror OF every living thing, or rear
ing, with a strange and grotesque solicitude,
his young family. ! wondered how much
akin to human love and hate were the pas
si0ns that ragged beneath that hairy breast.
and how much Of real feeling was in the loud
and anguished howl that occasionally burst
from those fang-like jaws. Thus speculating
| drew incautiOusly near the bars Of the cage
where the monster restlessly paced up and
down, and was inexpressibly startled at feel
ing his hot breath on my cheek, while from
his huge, hairy lips came the sound Sam
| actually jumped with astonishment, where
upon the creature beseechingly said 'ior hea-
ven S sake do not leave me = Mastering cou-
rage enough to ask what all this meant, the
gorilla answered 4 am your old friend, Jacl;
Gale don't leave me.
So Coriander's famous gorilla was none
other than my old crony, Jack Gale.
And this is how Jack happened to be a
gorilla Coriander's keepers were TOO watch
ful to permit much conversation, but taking
from the gorilla-for such he still was to me
the address of Jack Gale, No. 1888 Morus-
multicaulis street. | went home to revise
some of my deductions relative to the origin
of the human species, founded on observation
of the gorilla in state Of comparative wild
ness. The menagerie closed at ten O'Clock in
the evening, and precisely at half-past ten
was at Jacks lod gings, to which climbed
nm four flights of crooked and very dark staiI
ways. The room was small and cherries
the windows were carefully guarded by thick
curtains; three or four swinging bars depend
ed from the ceiling for the practice OF Its IN
mate in acrobatic exercises; across the loot
of the bed lay well dressed gorilla's skin,
and at small table, and absorbing the con-
tents of a pot of beer, sat the wearer OF the
discarded robe. This was the haunt of the