New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-08-01
MONKEY LIFE ~ INDIA.
From Tic London TeienrnpA

In India where the monkeys hive among men. and
the playmates of their children, the IIIud00s
have grown fond OF them, ana the iOur-handed folk
participate IN all their simple household rites. IL
the early morning, when the peas ant goes Out 10
yoke his plough, and. the crow " axes mp and the
dog stretches himself and shakes o Il the dust In
which be has slept all night. the old monkey cTeep3
down from the peepul tree. only half awake. and
yawns. and looks about him, pats straw m his
mouth and scratches himself cont emplauyc'Y.
Then one bv one the whole family come slipping
down the tree-trunk. and they all yawn and look
about and scratch. But they are sleepy aud peeyIsh
and the youngsters get cuiicd Tor nothing ana begin
10 think life dull. Yet the toilette has To be- per-
formed, and. whether they like 1t or not. the young
stern.y pulled up, one by one to their
mother 20 undergo the process.
he scene. though repeated exactly every morn.
ing loses nothing of It's ghttnl c0micality. and
the mOnkey-brats seem ALL TO be IN tie joke Of
taking an mamma" But mamma was young her,
self nos so very long ago. ana treats each udcrous
afectatIOn OF suffering with proiOundcst uncOnceln,
and, she ismlSSes one cleaned ngster with
cuff stretches ont her hand for the next ones tHl
leg m the most bu-lness-like and serious manner
possible. The Youngsters know their turns quite
well. As each feels the moment arrive u throws -
self on lis stomach as II overwhelmed with appTc-
tension the Others meanwhile slIillHg the sails
faction at the capital way "so-and-so Is dong it,
ana the instant the maternal paw Is EXTENDED
TO grasp the tail the subject of the next
experiment utters piercing shrek, aid throw
ing its forward in the dust, allows itself
so be DRAG ged along limp helpless carcass wink
ing all tie ume, no GOubs, at It's brothers and So
ters at tie way 10 N imposing on the old lady. but
me OF. Ia az VIII Siilt M nOi ana ilP
child g SIDE up proceeds TO Pot 1t iorghs; takes
the kinks one If is tai, and the knots ont OF IS
fur pJkeS It's fingers INTO lis ears and looks at each
of It's toe, the neXprcsslble brat all the time
ing on IT'S lace absurd expression OF hopeless, and
ncurable gret those who have been already cleaned
looking witn delight at the screaming farce. and
those who are waning wearing "A becoming aspect
of enormous gravity. Ine old lady. however. has
her joke too, which Is to cuf each yOIulster bcoTs
she lets go, and. nimbie a her offspring are. She
generally to her credit be IT saId. manage, 20
etcn them one on the ears before they are ont VI
Jcb.
HE father meanwhile. sits gravely with his back
TO al these domestic matters. waiting for breakfast
Presently the mats befOIe the hut doors are pushei
down, ana women with brass vessels m then hands
come Out, and while they scour the pots and paBs
with dust exchange between songs the c0mol-
mentS Of the morning. The monkeys by this time
have come closer to the preparations for food, and
St S0lcmnIy, household By household. watching
every movement. HudOos do not hurry them-
solves in anything they do, but the monkey has
plenty Of patience, and IN the euu, When the crow
ami the children are al SATISFIED. the poor iras-
nIrnts OF Che meal are thrown out on the ground
Tor the " 0hnnder-l0cue," the monkey-peope,
and It - soon discussed, the mother feeding
the baby before she eats herself When
every door has thus. IN turn, been sited and
chance 81 further .eediug remains, the monkey, 20
raWlug the wafer for Che cay, and the monkeys slt
ami wat, the Old ones In the front. seutenuOus aud
,crlouS, and the Youngsters rolling about IN the dust
bchind thcm, TIL at last some glfl sees the
creatures waiting and IN the name Oh Ram Spills
"a lotah fnll ot water IN hollow OF the glouud,
where upOn the monkeys come around 10 IN circle,
ANA siOop down aud drink. with their taIls all
-uiied up over their backs Ike notes al inicIrOga-
non. There Is no contention or lOstiing 4 forward
;hlid gets box Oh the car perhaps. bus each one,
~ n has satisfied Its thirst, steps Quety ont OF the
'hcle and wipes its mouth The day thus fairly
;Onmeuccd, they go of 20 see what luck may tung
hem The giaIn-,lealePs shop temps them 10
otter but the experience previous attempts makes
heit hOpe -, iVr the bunny with all bis years
'eTy nlmbe Oh his legs n ii an aStOnishlugy good
hot with pIpkln. so the monkeys merely make
heir salaams To him and pass To the fields. II
he corn Is ripe they eat enough for the
lay. but. If not. they ~ wandering about picking
~ m0uthiuls here al insect and there berry, tail
Be un gets 100 hot ana then they creep up into the
lark shade OF the mango tOpe ami snOOZr through
he afternoon. In tine evening they are BACK IN The
liage again To share IN It's comforts and enleTtan-
nents, assisting at the convention Oi the elders
hd the TOmpS ot the children. looking On when the
aqulr comes up 20 collect his little dues of salt and
on and oil, and from hInl IN their turn eXactiug
lOus toll, listening grayely to the village musician
TIL they get sleepy. and then one by one again.
hey chamber up INTO the peepul. and the men sitting
Dund the fire with their pipes see, If they look
r. the whole colony OF the bhuudcr-Ogue aSleeplu
)ws IN the tree above them.