The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-01-27
THE CHIMPANZEE.

w ucu III lSIdlu Was very mucu
interested in the monkeys at the Zoo
logical Gardens, Regents Park, Lon
don. There were hundreds of all kinds
and sizes. from the giant orang-outang
to tiny creatures not much bigger than
large rat These monkeys had a
spacious glass house, heated by steam.
and, as tropical temperature was al
ways maintained, tall palms and luxur-
ious vines grew so vigorously within its
walls that have no doubt the quaint
inmates supposed themselves in their
native haunts. They chartered and
scolded each other, wildly chased stray
little dogs and kittens, and really
seemed to know so much that half be-
lieved an old keeper. who told me the
sonly reason they did not talk, was be-
cause they could make themselves well
enough understood without.
Many funny stories l heard of their
sagacity. Ore recall of a nurse who
shook naughty little boy in the pres
ence of some of the mother monkeys,
whereupon all the old monkeys began
shaking all the young ones until it
seemed as if their poor little heads
would drop Off
But, interested in all the singular in
habitants of the house, grew attached
to Joe. the young chimpanzee, who had
been brought baby from the coast of
Guinea the winter before. He had a
little room on the sunny side of the
monkey house, with stove, table,
chairs and a couple of beds arranged
like the berths in the stateroom of an
CONAN oto RoSiGoS ho bod n NAV
all to himself to wait upon him, and it
was no wonder the other monkeys were
jealous of his superior quarters and the
Difference paid him, for while Joe was
not handsome, he was worth more
money than all the others put together.
He was worth this great sum because
he belonged to the most intelligent and
interesting species of monkey family,
and only one or two of his kinsfolk had
ever been seen in Europe, while the
only one the Geological Society had
ever owned had died of lung fever be-
fore he had inhabited his comfortable
quarters many months.
Joe was about as tall as an average
boy of eight or ten years. He were a
thick cloth roundabout, and low, fiat
dents delight in.
One day walked to the door of his
room and knocked. The keeper said,
Come in" and, as I did, so Joe
walked erect over the floor to ME. pulled
off his cap with his left hand and put
out his right to shake mine. When l
said, 1T is fine morning." he bowed
briskly; but when l added, "Are you
pretty well, Joep" he shook his head
and looked very sober. The keeper
explained: Joe had cold, and that
made him very low spirited"
Joe was listening attentively, and
when the man had finished, he shivered
and drew up the collar of his jacket
round his hairy throat, as if to confirm
the statement. l gave him an apple,
which he looked at a moment, then
opened the door of the oven of his
stove, and put it in out of sight. Seem
ing to understand that the fire was low,
he pulled basket from under the
lower berth and took some bits of wood
from it to the stove. Then the keeper
handed him match, and he lighted a
fire as cleverly as any Yankee boy
ever saw.
"Show the lady how you read the
Times, Joe,' said the keeper.
Joe drew up chair. tilted it back a
little, spread his legs apart, opened the
sheet, turned it until he found the page
he wanted, then settled himself into the
| exact position of the comfortable En-
glish gentleman who supposes the
Times IS printed for his exclusive use.
1t was impossible to help laughing. and
the sly twinkle in his narrow eve as
sured us Joe himself knew how funny il
was. Quite a crowd had gathered at
the open door of his room, and, as he
noticed it, he put his hand in his peck.
ct. drew out the one eye-glass English
men so particularly affect, and put it te
his eye, looking as weakly wise as Lore
Dundreary himself. After little while
ne grew tired Of SO many spectators
left his chair, and quietly shut the doo1
in their faces.
Looking about as if he would de
something more for our amusement, he
remembered his apple in the stove
oven. Running there, he took hold o.
the door, but suddenly drew hack, fol
it was hot. He laughed little at his
discontinue, which he took in gooc
part, stood thinking a moment, ther
used his pocket handkerchief a.
deity as dainty lady would to accom-
plish his purpose. But, if the doc
was hot. the apple, Joe logically
reasoned, must be hotter; so he vent
ured not to touch it before opening hi
knife. Wondering what he was going
TO do, found him sticking the blad,
into the apple and bringing it out il
triumph. The keeper gave him plate
and after letting the apple cool a little
he offered it to us. We courteously de
cllned, but the servant tasted. explain
ing that Joe did not like to eat ANYTHING
alone. Then Joe followed, but did no
like the flavor, and being asked if i
was sour, he nodded. We were toll
that he. in common with the othe
monkeys, liked oranges and bananas
better than any other kinds of fruits
Yet he kept tasting little of the appl,
from spoon while the keeper told u