Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-04-23


length on The floor ot his cage with his
face sullenly turned TO the rear partition.
Passing BY the poor fellow, with little
psng OF regret stopped before cage OF
apesS poor Jacks next door neighb0rs.
No wonder that Ee felt blue sometimes.
Spddenly,thero was n rush of hurrying
feet; q strange confusion pervaded the
whole place lately so quiet aud sttl, and
above the pungent odor OF the meuagerie,
l detected that Of burning wood. The
place was on fire and instantly everybody
ran for the exits. The hall was filled with
bllndihg smoke The red tongues of flame
thrust themselves eagerly through the
thin partitions which separated the main
exhibition hall from tho lumbe-.rooms in
the rear. And the people who rushed sell
ishly down the narrow stairways, fed not
only from the flames, but from the poor
beasts who coveted in their cages or
roared angrily as they caught the mad ex- I
element around them. The scene was
terrible; the .cracSlina, roaring fires
sweeping out into the long room; the
wild terror of the Gagged animals; the
sbrieks and cries of hocks of suddenly
liberated strange birds, and the surging
clouds OF smoke which rolled through the
high arches overhead. Passing near the
-nerillAis -oass I hoard Jeck's Voiueg 90 he
yelled with stentorian lungs: VIII no
body let me out2 Oh, will nobody let
me outs" Quick as .hought ran behind
his cage, and unfastened tho narrow flap
that closed the opening. In another mo-
ment the African gorilla was out and
across the hall, TO where blonde young
lady in white dress was being helplessly
borne along by old Coriander, also
encumberedl by the stout mother of
Miss Clara, for Jack had seen that his
beloved was in mortal danger. Raising
the fainting girl in his strong arms, the
hairy monster rushed down the stairs,
astounding the coming firemen with the
sight Of a ferocious gorilla carrying off a
respectable young lady, whose flaxen
curls lay lovingly over the dreadful shoul-
ders of the beast, which, with ludricious
failure, endeavored'to caress the palid face
Of the young lady with his hairy Jaws,
stiff with padding and whalebone, and
nicely lined with blood-red velvet g-r
The gorilla fed up the street, bearing
his dainty burden--for, once in sight, he
could not stop without exposure. Plod-
ding travellers Oh the illuminated sidewalks
were startled by the swift apparition of
gorilla carrying off young lady, who
was borne into dark alleys to be eaten in
the obscurity of some hidden den. Casual
wayfarers through the dark streets shrek
ed and ran as they beheld flaming dra-
gon, leaping with enormous strides, and
carrying the corpse of q nice young per-
soE hanging over his shoulder. Good
Mrs. Harris, who keeps the lodging house
at No. 1888 Morusmulticaulis street, fell
in deadly swoon at her own doorway,
as she was returning from class meeting,
10 see the evil one, equipped with the tra-
ditional head horns and tail-breathing fire
and sulphurous smoke, and violently de-
porting beautiful young lady, who had
for love of dress and other worldly vani-
ties, sold herself to Old Nick. Vaulting
over the prone body of the insensible Mrs
Harris, Jack eluded his few pursuers, and
darted up stairs to his own private den,
where he shut and locked himself and his
fair burden from the world.
The lovely Clara revived shortly, and
opening her eyes shut them again with a
great scream. She was in the den of the
African gorilla. There was more fainting,
and more anguish on the part of Jack,
who cursed his luck and his folly together.
"Its Jack, it's only Jack, he cried with
real agony as he tore off ms mask, and the
young lady, slowly returning to her senses,
nnee moro opened ner eyes and beheld
her lover, real African gorilla from his
his chin downward, but possessing very
resolute, yet anxious human head--very
like Jack Gales with the scalp and grim
ming jaws of the defunot monster hanging
behind his ears. sf at
This was an extraordinary situation; a
nice young lady in strange garret, CON
fronted by an erfatic young man in semi
gorilla costume /; his countenance flushed
with excitement and exercise his eyes
wild with anxiety and alarm his whole
manner that of a person who Is in a state
of utter quandry. The truth of history
compels me to record the fact that Miss
Clara Coriander threw up her hands and
laughed as if she would die. She was a
sensible girl and liked good Joke. Old
Corianders plans were laid bare to her
clear vision in one moment; she saw
through the whole trick and laughed in
the face of the astonished Mr.. Gale.
"0h, jack said she, as soon as she
could recover her breath, " how could you
be such foolf where am 1? How shall
ever get homer Oh, oh, OH" To all of
which Jack could only reply in install
ments. But, by secluding the young lady
on the stairway, he succeeded in preparing
for their return to the Coriander mansion.
Through the half-deserted d'streets the young
couple went in different guise from that
in which they had before astonished those
who saw them flee. The gorilla delivered
up the old mans daughter. and was glad
to be told that the menagerie, not quite
ruined, must needs be closed for a few
months for repairs.
J The show opened again in due season
with new attractions, underathe manage
ment of OOriander and Gale. But in all
the lines of cages of rare beasts, no Afri.
can gorilla was to, be found. In lieu
thereof they showed a handsomely stuffed
skin of the much lamented beast which
came to an tntimely end in consequence
Of a cold caught by exposure at the great
menagerie fire. Coriander's heart re-
Tented when Jack saved his daughter from
the burning building, and he found his In
ventive genius Invaluable In the show
business. ~ g es4A42s
have seen the only young gorilla born
on the American soil, Of which there is
any account
1t has pink cheeks and blue eyes, and is
learning to answer TO the name of Clara
Gale.-0 0UerIaad Monthly. l.s..