The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-09-08
JENNY RING.

JENNY RING.
One day my cousin entered the room,
with what L thought was rat; then,
looking closer. saw it was longer and
not so round as q rat, and it had heavy
tail; then | thought it was little bear.
but where did he get such small mite
of bear? How could he bring it in his
arms? He put it in my lap. II have
brought you pet" said he. ut is
not bear or q rat; it is tanned mon
gous."
The mongous is q native of Africa,
and lives on ants and other insects. Its
tongue is long. narrow and pointed,
and covered with sticky substance. 1t
runs its tongue down into the ant-hills,
and the ants stick to it, and the mon
gous draws it back into its mouth like
lash, then running it out again and
again until its hunger is satisfied.
Jenny Ring. that was the name of the
mongous, came to live with me. At
first, l was little afraid of her, but as
long as she lived she never bit
any one. 1 think she was the
most loving little animal. She
would lick your hand like dog.
When you sat down she would jump on
your lap, and try, in her dumb way, to
show how much she loved you. When
you said that was enough, she would
crawl up onto your shoulder, sit there
looking very wise, and trying to UNDER
stand all that was said.
Jenny loved company. When the
door-bell rang, it did not matter whether
she was asleep or where she was, she
would run and sit on the stairs and
wait until the door was opened. If it
was any one she knew, she would roll
herself up in a ball, roll down stairs,
coming with a thump to the bottom,
clucklng gleefully. The only noise she
made was to cluck like hen.
One day lady called that had not
heard of my pet, and, when she saw
Jenny sitting on the stairs, gave
scream, and said; There is a rat"
When Jenny followed me down stairs
she jumped on a chair, holding up her
skirts, screaming: take away that
rat, it will bite" Though Il told her
Jenny would not do her any harm, she
did not believe it.
Another time I heard Jenny Ring
making a great noise went to see
what was the matter, and found Jenny
had cornered the Cat, and there was
little fight going on. Jenny was coming
out the victor, and would have killed
poor pussy if had not come to the res
cue. l suppose the cat saw Jenny Ring
and thought, "Now, there is a nice
large rat" and sprung upon Jenny, to
find out, as she did afterward, that she
did not have a rat, but someth NO else.
After that, all the cats in the neighbor-
hood kept out of the way of Jenny,
and only when they were really hun Try
would they come to the house. and, if
Jenny was seen or heard. they would
run and hide.
l had collar and chain made for
Jenny, and one day when she was out
with me / missed her, and found she
had slipped the collar over her head
and ran away. On looking, saw the
people going to the other side of the
street, and soon guessed the cause, and
so walked back and called Jenny AS
soon as she heard me call, she turned
around, seeing me, and being frightened |
at so many strange people, she ran back
to me, and was not contented until | |
took her up in my arms. She acted |
like frightened child, but l soon
soothed her, and she settled in my
arms and went to sleep.
Jenny Ring was very fond of eggs,
and would steal them if they were not |
given her. She always cracked them
herself. She would take an egg in her
front paws, then back up against the
tree. swing her paws front. then back |
under her hind paws, cracking the egg,
then she would suck the egg. and clean
it as clear as any person could.
Sometimes, when Jenny was naughty,
l would say: Jenny, you are bad
girl; 60 in the corner until you are
good" Then she would 90, ALWAYS
with her face to the wall when she was
there, little while would cluck, but |
never stir until 1 said: Jenny, come
out now"
Jenny was very fond of playing tag,
and would always catch you, clucking
in great gIee. Her tricks were like a
monkey; she would lie on her back as
if dead, and not move muscle until |
tho piano was played, and then she |
would start up. pick up little hat that
was made for her. shoulder a stick, and
back and forth on her hind legs.
These, and many more tricks would she
do.
But Jenny Ring met with sad fate.
She used to love to lie in the sun and
bask herself, suddenly rising up before
people when disturbed. One day she
was startled by one of the strange men
of the farm, and seeing what he thought
was rat, he shot at it. and killed poor
Jenny Ring. heard faint cluck, and
knew it was from Jenny. found her
shot and trying to come to me. When
she saw me she gave happy cluck and.
as l took her in my arms. tried to lick
nv hand. then gave q little cluck, |