River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-01-16
Story of a Chimpanzee.

:
A ciimpanzee which recently saw on
exhibition is the livest specimen / have
ever beheld, most OF them being SO slug
eish ana dull. But With the one I saw
| lately the case is quite different, for he Is
I as lively as 8 kitten, and is seldom quiet
/ for two minutes together When ! ap.
! preached the cage, there was quite
crowd OF spectators watching his antics
and admiring his wonderful agility. Has
! cage is a very large one, and is httted up
1 for convenience with some large tree
/ branches, hanging rope and ladder
suspended from the roof by a couple OF
4 rings aad staples. so as to swing backr
ward ami forward he Is very clever
with this ladder, deliahtDg 10 set il
swinging and then TO leap on it, swing to
/ the othor SIDE Of bis cage, transfer him
selfto the rope and then return 70 the
ladder as it swings back again.
While / was watching him, the keeper
entered the cage, and was employed IN
arranging the straw on the floor The
chImpanzee at once saw his opportunity.
darted tc the opposite end OF the cage,
swung himself by the rope 10 the ladder,
drew it as lar back as he could, and then
released it His aim was perfectly good.
Tor il struck the keeper q smart blow on
The shoulder, and before he could start
up, tae ape vas clingiDg to the very top
OF his cage, and looking down Ill defiance
OF the aggrieyed keeper. found after.
ward that this was q very common trick
with him, and that whenever the keeper
forgot to watch the animal, he was sure
10 have the ladder swung az him.
4 Just as I reached the cage, a small
mirror had been given TO him, and his
performances were most absurd. He
held il at little distance, and on seeing
4 another chimpanzee in the glass, be
stretched out his necg, prutTu6ed his lips
until they formed a tunbel-like tube, aud
made ali kinds Of gTimaces, ending by
pushing his lips against the glass itself.
He then peeped behind the mirror to see
the imaged companion. Failing several
times in Tins endeavor, ana evidently
thinking that the creature behind the
glass had slipped away while he looked
around, ne lngeniously put finger On
the glass, so as 10 secure the supposed
companion. and then looked quickly be
hind.
The keeper then took the mirror and
fastened it 10 the wall by-a nail He hal
not reached the door of the cage when
the chlmpanzee swung himself across hy
his rope, and IN q moment he had twisted
out the nail and flung the mirror on The
floor. As TO the nail, be put it into his
mouth, and held il there as if be ware
trying TO smoke it. The keeper YVES
much alarmed at this proceedings, think
ing that he might swallow it, and mace
every endevor TO take The nail away. All
his efforts were futile, for he could NOT
come near the ape, who ran up the sides
+ of his cage and looked defiance At last
I the keeper wisely gave up the chase, spd
/ in few minutes the aElmal dropped the
nail and did not trouble himself aEy
more about 1t.
/ The animal has his full share OF vanity
/ and likes to be noticed, looking around
/ continually 10 see il the visitors are nd.
mlring him. Whenever he performs any
very absurd antic, and the spectators
LAUGH, he consider. himself encOred, IL q
repeats the performance.
The chimpanzee was Ia very bad
state, seemingly far on the road To death
when he arrived in this country. One
day some potatoes were bollpd IN the
room, and the animal contrivee to steal
q couple of them out of the saucepan
while ii was standing over the fire in CT
der TO allow the steam to escape. tie
would Not give them up, and bit at aay
one who approached aim. The potatoes
were so hot that he could not hold then,
and was forced to toss them about from
one hand to another. When they had
slightly cooled he stripped OF the jack
cts with hls teeth. and ate the whole Of
the potato THIS incident afforded d !
clew as to the proper diet for the animal, !
and from that Jime he has lived chiefly /
upon hot food, potatoes being the staple !
oi his diet About five P. NJ ne always (
has his tea, of which be is very fond /
About half pint of hot tea, well sweet 1
ened, is given to him, and he drinks il |
OUT of the bottle, according TO the keep !
ers' account never putting Gown the bot |
tIe3 until tine tea is finished. The bOtde |
being bot, he 10 very cautious as TO the |
manner in which he takes II, testing il |
carefully before be trusts himself to hold |
it. He has a very curious method of i
holding the bottle, taking the neck in
his left hand, and supporting the bottom
Of the bottle with the palm OF has right
hand, the thumb always pointing 10 the
floor.
Toward dusk he always retires to has \
bedroom, which is smaller cage lkan
can be closed from without by means g..
a sliding door worked by Il rope He has
a red blanket in whrch he can wrap him
self, and before he goes in for the night
he goes through quite q performance
with the blanket. First be spreads II
widely open and Laws IT on the focr; then
he walks into the middle Of il, gathers up
the corners, pulls them over his head, ana
lies down. Even after the curtains ti1ei
surround the cage are LET down be retains
his spirit of curiosity, and when he hearR
q step near the cage he lifts corner Of
the curtain and peeps through, giving
grunt ofFecognitieD, if the person shAeild
happen to I've an acquaintance. Every
action is performed with deIiberation
many persons who have watched the ami
nal are disturbed IN their mind, think
ing that it bears too close q resem biaoee
TO humanity Golden Hours