The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1875-04-30
TINE CYyOCEPHALUs.
BY JAMES HASTINGS.
Hearth and Home.

BY JAMES HASTINGS.
Hearth and Home.l
twenty-five years ago one. of the most
famous private collections Of wild ami !
mails was the one possessed by the Earl
of Derby at Knowsley, Lancashire, Eng
land. This gentleman was the grand
father of the late and still more famous
man, Macaulay's Rupert Of Debate"
The geological collection was fostered and
sustained with wonderful care and at a
large annual outlay. Emissaries were
employed in all parts of the world to pro-
cure rare specimens, and so perfect were
the arrangements for their reception at
Knowsley that the animals seemed to for
get utterly their lost liberty when the
rather eccentric Eearl became their pos
SCISSOR.
Among this varied and valuable collec-
ton was magnificent specimen Of the
orang-outang, or cynocephalus. Its
height when standing erect was nearly
five feet five inches; its limbs were enor-
nous, and its breadth across the shoul-
ders indicated prodigious strength.
Long, coarse black hair covered its huge
frame from head to foot, and when any
thing occurred to excite its il-temper its
features became terribly fierce and re-
pulsive.
Not far from the Earls beautiful resi-
dence there dwelt at that time well-to-
do farmer, who had acted for some years
AS one of the assistant stewards to Lord
Derby. He had recently become wild
over, his wife having died in her con-
finement. The farmers household con-
sisted of himself the baby aged four
months, and an old woman who did gen.
eral duty sAurse and housekeeper. The
house occupied lonely position, there
being no other dwelling within half a
mile or 80, and long and severe winter
had set in, covering the entire country
round about with a carpet Of snow.
On one dark and memorable night the
widowed farmer had retired to rest, hav-
ing partaken Of his supper in his bed
room on account of the comfortable fire
which that chamber boosted, and because
it was his custom TO have his child's
cradle in that room. Whenever the
nurse was required at night time the
father rang bell which communicated
with her apartment Immediately above,
access to which was obtained by mar
row flight Of stairs. On the night in
question the young infant lay in blissful
Inconsistencies in its warm cot near the
cheerful fire, and the father lying in bed
"between sleep and wake" Presently
he heard his chamber door open slowly,
and he reused Enthusiastically to see what
the faithful old nurse required, for he
concluded it was she who was about Ia
enter. But she did not enter. The door
remained open, and the farmer was on
the eve Of speaking softly to the nurse,
when, gently and with cautious, noise
less tread, the monstrous ourang-outang
glided into the room. The farmer sank
back in his bed dismayed. and his dismay
probably saved his life, for the visitor-a
fitting envoy from Nights plutonian
shore"-continued to be ignorant of his
presence. The creature then proceeded
to the neighborhood of the fireplace,
near which in its cradle the child lay,
happily unaware of the grisly intruder's
existence. The bright flames in the
old dark wainscoted chamber gave il a
rich Rembrandt touch. On a small table
were the remains Of the farmers supper
which had consisted of fowl. These
the animal deserted, and for a few min
utes they afforded il considerable interest
its thoughts and reflections being seem
ingly concentrated upon the anatomica
arrangements Of the deceased bird.
Alter toying with the bones and othel
remnants OF the repast, the brute's atten
ton was suddenly attracted to the cradle
To walk nearly erect was the norma
habit Of this ill-hvored beast. III
quietly approached the sleeping chile
and squatted down at it, side. IL i
probable that among the select visitor
To Lord Derby's museum the baboon ha,
never seen AN infant anyway 50 frail an'
young. The sight was therefore yer,
novel, and he gazed upon the uneonsciou
creature with manifest interest AS h
removed the coyerlet from its sleeping
form. The father from out the curtain
of his bed, beheld the entire proceeding
with Undesirable agony. II MAS no
presence of mind which prevented hin
leaping out 10 the rescue, but feelini
of spellbound helplessness. The poo
farmer Was not deficient ia ondinar,
courage, and would have faced dozeI
Of his own species without particle o
fear had circumstances den anded it, bu
he felt ultely incapable OF wrestling viii
such foe as the one now sitting beior