Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-01-12
Story OF a Chimpanzee.

God keep you every time and everywhere!
Story OF a Chimpanzee.
A chimpanzee which 1 recently saw on
exhibition is the livest specimen I have
ever beheld, most of them being SO slug
gish and dull. But with the one I saw
lately the case is quite different, for he is
as lively as a kitten, and is seldom quie.
Tor two minutes together. When I ap
preached the cage, there was quite a
crowd OF spectators watching his antics
and admiring his wonderful agility. His
cage is very large one, and is fitted up
for convenience with some large tree
branches, a hanging rope and ladder
suspended from the roof by a couple Of
rings and staples, so as to swing back,
ward and forward. He is very clever
with this ladder, deliehting to set il
swinging and then to leap on it, swing to
the othor side Of his cage, transfer him
self to the rope and then return to 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
chlmpanzee at once saw his opportunity
darted tc the opposite end of the cage
swung himself by the rope to the ladder,
drew it as far back as he could, and then
released it, His aim was perfectly good,
for it struck the keeper smart blow on
the shoulder, and before he could start
up, tle ape was clinging to the very top
OF his cage, and looking down in defiance
OF the agsrieved keeper. I found after
ward that this was very common trick
with him, and that whenever the keeper
forgot to watch the animal, he was sure
to have the ladder swung at him.
just as | reached the cage, small
mirror had been given to him, and his
performances were most absurd. He
held it at little distance, and on seeing
another chimpanzee in the glass, he
stretched out his neck, protruded his lips
until they formed a tunnel-lijke tube, and
made all kinds Of grimaces, ending by
pushing his lips against the glass itself.
He then peeped behind the mirror to See
the imaged companion. Failing several
times in this endeavor, and evidently
thinking that the creature behind the
glass had slipped away while he looked
around, he ingeniously put a finger on
the glass. SO as to secure the supposed
companion, and then looked quickly be-
mind.
The keeper then took the mirror and
fastened it to the wall by nail. He had
not reached the door of the cage when
the chm panzee swung himself across bv
his rope, and III moment he had twisted
out the nail and flung the mirror on the
floor. AS to the nail, he put it into his
mouth, and held it there as if he were
trying to smoke it. The keeper was
much alarmed at this proceedings, think
ing that he might swallow it, and made
every endevor TO take the nail away. Ali
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
the keeper wisely gave up the chase, and
IN few minutes the animal dropped the
nail and did not trouble himself any
more about it,
The animal has his full share of vanity
and likes to be noticed, looking around
continually to see if the visitors are ad.
mlring him. Whenever he performs any
very absurd antic, and the spectators
laugh, he consider himself encored, anc
repeats the performance.
The chimpanzee was in very bad
state, seemingly far On the road to death
when he arrived in this country. One
day some potatoes were boiled IN the
room, and the animal contrived to steal
couple of them out of the saucepan
while it was standing over the fire in or
der to allow the steam to escape. He
would not give them up, and bit at any
one who approached him. The potatoes
were SO hot that he could not hold them
and was forced to toss them about from
one hand to another. When they had
slightly cooled he stripped Off the jack.
cts with his teeth, and ate the whole Of
the potato. This incident afforded a
clew as to the proper diet for the animal,
and from that time he has lived chief =
upon hot food, potatoes being the staple
Of his diet. About five P. NJ ne ALWAYS
has his tea, of which he is very fond
About half a pint of hot tea, well sweet
ened, is given to him, and he drinks ii
out OF the bottle, according to the keep
ers account. never putting Gown the bot
tie until the tea is finished. The bottle
being hot, he is very cautious as to the
manner in which he takes it, testing it
carefully before he trusts himself to hold
it. He has very curious method of
holding the bottle, taking the neck in
his lett-hand, and supporting the bottom
OF the bottle with the palm Of his right
hand, the thumb always pointing to the
floor.
Toward dusk he always retires to his
bedroom, which is smaller cage than
can be closed from without by means OF
a sliding door worked by 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 performance
with the blanket. First he spreads ii
widely open and laws it on the floor; then
he walks into the middle of it, gathers up
the corners, pulls them over his head, and
lies down. Even after the curtains that
surround the cage are let down he retains
his spirit Of curiosity, and when he hears
step near the cage he lifts corner of
the curtain and peeps through, giving a
grunt of recognition, if the person should
happen to be an acquaintance Every
action is performed with deliberation
many persons who have watched the ami
NAL are disturbed IN their mind, think
ing that it bears too close resem bIanee
to humanity Golden Hours.
Rosewood