Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-03-24
Joe. The chimpauzee.

Joe, The Ch1mpanzee.
grew attached to Joe, The young CHM
panzee who had been brought baby from
the coast of Guinea the winter before. He
had little room on the sunny side of the
monkey house, with q stove, table, chairs
and couple of beds arranged like the
berths In the state-room Of an ocean
steamer. Besides, he had man all to
himself to wait upon him, and it is no
wonder the other monkeys were jealous OF
his superior quarters and the difference
paid to him for while Joe was not hand.
some he was worth more money than all
the others put together. He was worth
the sum because be belonged to the most
intelligent and interesting species of the
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 wore thick
cloth roundabout and low, fiat trencher
cap such as the Oxford students delight in.
One day / walked to the door of his
room and knocked. The keeper said,
"Ceme in" and as l did 80 Joe walked
erect over the floor to me, pulled off his cap
with his left hand and put out his right
hand to shake mine. When 1 said, T" 1t is
a fine morning." he bowed his head briskly,
but when l added, care you pretty well,
Joe p he shook his head and looked very
sober. The keeper explained, :" Joe had a
cold, and that made him feel very low
spirited. "
Joe was listening very attentively, and
when the men finished, he shivered and
drew up the collar of his jacket around his
shaggy throat as if to confirm the state.
ment.
/ gave him an apple, which he looked at
a moment, then opened the door of the
oven of his stove and put it out of sight
Seeming to understand that the fire was
low, he pulled basket from under the
berth and took some bits of wood from it
to the stove. Then the keeper handed him
a match, and he lighted the 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 lit
tie, 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 English gentleman who
supposes the Times is printed for his ex-
elusive use. 1t was impossible to stoplaugh-
ing, and the sly twinkle in his narrow eye
assured US Joe himself knew how funny it
was.
Quite crowd had gathered at the open
door of his room, and as he noticed it he
put his hand into his pocket, drew out the
one eye. glass Englishmen SO particularly
affect, and put it to his eye, looking as
weakly wise as Lord Dundreary himself.
After little he grew tired of SO many spec
tators, left his chair and quietly shut the
door in their faces.
Looking about as if he would do some
thing more for our amusement, he remem-
bered his apple in the stove oven. Running
there he took hold of the door, but sud-
denly drew back, for it was hot. He
laughed a little at his discontinue, which
he took in good part, stood thinking for a
moment, then used his pocket handkerchief
as deity as dainty lady would to accom-
plish his purpose. But if the door was
hot, the apple, Joe logically reasoned, must
be hotter SO he venturned not to touch it
before opening his knife. Wondering
what he was going to do, l found him
sticking the blade into the apple and bring
ing it out in triumph. The keeper gave
him plate, and after letting the apple
cool little he offered it to US. We cour-
teously declined, but the servant tasted,
explaining that Joe did not like to
eat anything alone. Then Joe followed,
but did not like the flavor, and being
asked if it was sour he nodded. We were
told that he, in common with other mon
keys, liked oranges and bananas better
than any other fruits. Yet he kept tasting
a little of the apple from spoon, while the
keeper told us how the sailors, who had
hoped to capture his mother, only suc-
ceeded in bringing him off after they had
killed her. They had hard work to keep
him alive on board ship, but found warm
nook for him by the galley fire. He was
in fair health when they landed, 80 they
obtained the large price offered by the
Geological Gardens, but in spite of the most
devoted care he seemed to languish in his
new home.
"Do you love me, Joe 2" the man ended
his story with. Joe nodded, smiled, and
put his hand on the others shoulder.
As we left that day, Joe took bis hat,
cane, and heavy wrap and escorted us to
the great door of the monkey house, shak-
ing our hands as he bid us good-by.
Another time when we called he was
taking tea, using milk and sugar and hand
ling cup and saucer as if he had been ia,
miliar with them from his earliest days.
He motioned us to take chairs. We did
SO, and he jumped up and found cups fol-
us, and then passed plate of biscuit,
laughing with glee when we took one.
have taken tea with many curious indi'
viduals, but never expect to be honored
again with an invitation by chimpanzee,
Noticing his hand was feverish, found
his pulse was l30 said, what ia the