The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1869-04-24

light shining through an. .alsbaster vase
Clara Coriander was certainly as lovely D
girlas one ever lay eyes upon. Besides,
she was an only daughter and old Corian.
der had grown rich in the menagerie bust.
ness. Jack was a lucky dog gorilla, i
should say) to gain her hand--if he ever
did /; but one could nothelp thinking, as
he noted her dainty manner and delicate,
somewhat distingue face that she was
hardly the girl to fancy a fellow who had
'personated q gorilla, even for her hand,
Twas afraid that Jack had madeR mis-.
take in thns, debasing himself or the abb
suId passion of her cruel parent for the
possession ofla gorilla. Moreoyer, by de-,
barring himself her society for the
greater portion Of the time (Supdays only
excepted)l he left the field open for some
more fortunate rival who might, In the
meantime, carry off the prize.
But Jack felt sure that he was all right
and by precious bit Of deception he had
led Clara TO believe that he was hard at
work, night and day, at some legitimate
calling, earning money for his future am
bilious, designs in lie. The poor little
thing believed in him, but Jack said it
was very hard for him to be Obliged to
see his beloved flirting. right before his
eyes at the menagerie (for the girl had
taste for natural history, and was there Of
ten), with some perfumed dangler who
was in love with her pretty face and old.
Coriander's money. On these occasions
he hated himself for his mean disguise,
and found satisfaction in bowling at the
gay party in such dreadful fashion as
sent them quaking from his cage and
then he cursed himself for having driven
away his lovely angel, and was snitten
with sudden remorse as he saw her rose.
hued cheek blaneh at his terrific cries.
At such times he could with difficulty re.
strain himself from shouting: "Don't be
frightened, dear, it's only Jack" !" But he
was fortunately preserved from such an
untimely exposure t- o..
Old seaneoks was very mean, and,
though he accepted my article on the 0ri-
gin Of the Human Species, only paid me
the pitiful sum OF twenty dollars for that
valuable contribution to knowledge
Twenty dollars for the labor and thought
of weeksl Was ever anything so absurd?
And there was Jack confidently expecting
at least twenty-five dollars to purchase a
birthday present for Clara. Jack loved to
make presents, and the deeper he got into
debt the more presents did he bestow on
lihis friends Such another Whole-souled
fellow as he was, to be sure.
But Iipocketed the disappointment
along with the money, and went straight
way to the menagerie. There was. quite
q crowd about Jacks cage, standing at a
respectful distance. In his capacity as the
real African gorilla, Jack had just avenged
himself on a dangerous rival by snatching
off his matchless wig. This gentleman
had long deceived his friends with his am
brosial locks, but Jacks quick eye had
| discovered the cheat, and he seized a ia
Vorable moment to make q grab for it.
To his inexpressible Joy, it came off in his
paw, and the discounted gallant stood
with his bare poll in the presence of the
giggling and amused Clara Corisnder.
The amateur gorilla Was'in q frenzy of de-
light, and tore up and down his cage,
scattering Mr. JonquiPs chestnut Curls
with savage glee. Old Ooriander after
ward had to pay for his wig Of course, but
he was so delighted with the stroke Of
Snowman genius displayed in its destruc-
ton that he paid the bill without a muir
mur. None but wild and savage ami
NAL, Of course, would "snstch a gentle
man bald-headed," as the old man, sX-
pressed 1t. Isuppose some of my readers
who now recollect the occurrence, will
agree with Mr.. Coriander in his opinion. 4
After thelittle crowd which this anus.
| ing affair had drawn around the cage had
! dispersed in various directions, I drew
near enough to hand Jack ten dollar
note, which was his share Of the proceeds
of my article in the Interoceanic Monthly
He snatched 1t fttrtively, for the keepers
were not far OF, and examining it into his
feFocious jaws Qined with blood-red vel.
vet), he hoWled in his usual. staccato ttyle,
"Didn't scalp old Jonduil, though !"
One Of the keepers approaching me said
suspiciously, Look-a-here, young man,
you make entirely too free with that ere
beast. He's awful, he is, and some day
he'll just go for you, If you amt keerful.
Why, this AFTERNOON, he Jest tore gentle
| mans skelp clean off his head, and he was
bore out in faintin condition. Jest
see the hair of him all scattered over the
cage"
humbly thanked him for the caution,
and drew of, asking for information as to
the creatures habits. he was very com.
municative, and enlightened me with much
valuable knowledge relative to his diet,
averring that he was invariably fed before
the 1ltenagefie was opened, the raw meat
and live rabbits which he devoured exas,
/ perating him bytheir blood to thatdegree,
that it was not safe for any person but q
keeperto come into INSIGHT, The gorilla
enjoyed this confidential communications,
and rOared his approval thus: " He is the
head liar of this menagerie.
/ Jack and / kept up a casual correspond
/ ence from day 10 day by means Of our
telegraph signals, for / had little time to
isee him when off duty Occasionally l
| strolled in Of an evening to commiserate
his fearful gRRuS and cheer him with a
/ friendly aign, or when opportunity offered
to. chat fnrtiYely with the man gorilla,
| who swore dreadfully at the bad bargain
which he made. His confinement was
growing excessively irksome, and though
his constant exercise kept him in good
bodily health, poor Jack lost his spirits
and grew positively Wretched in mind,
Ono night when ! managed to find time
to visit him ct his 4 den 2 in Morusmuli-
caulis street, he grew plaintiVe over hiis
unhappy conditions fl m5
Hang AZ, sam, said he, you have no
idea how mad it makes me To think that I
have shut myself up in that cage for 3
iiyesr and With no chanoe,of getting Out
\ without telling Clara what j. have been
/ doing. And there she goes potteFing
about the menageFie, blessed little
4 iangel aS she Is; without the least idea that
i Jack, unhappy Jack, ID glowegiBg at hel
from his acc1rsed gorilla prison, longing
to say the words that would bring confu-
sion and dishAay upon all ofus. And
then when see some other fellow flirting
around with her, and old Coriander Ieer,
:. ing over her head at me, knowing full
well how aggravated | am, why, it just
makes me Wild
a comforted Jack as well as could, arC
bade him hope that some stroke OF lucl
would yet deliver him from his voluntary
thraldon1 and bring him TO his love, III
was hopeful that old gpriander would fint
n the gorilla business improbable anf
would offer to buy him of, or consent d
shorter terms He vowed one day tha
unless relief soon came, hs would address
the crowd about his cage and inform then
4 that he was an unpitigated humbug; tina
be was no gorilla at all, but distressed
~ ~ s4~v.4 Aat,,V.e,