Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-01-12
The Dignified Monkey


monkey and his funny tricks When
those miserable looking foreigners came
about with the red-iacketed and jaunty.
capped fellows who swept with a cum.
ming little broom, danced on a small
table, took off their caps and bowed
like gentlemen, and performed all sorts
of tricks, Willie was always overioyed.
and would almost empty his pockets oil
pennies for the fun of seeing the mon
key Jump for them andpu them in his
pocket. When he grew to be man he
still had the same liking for the cute,
knowing animals, and was interested ID
their performances. When he was in
London he, of course, visited the 90.
log cal Garden-or the Zoo, as they call
it there-and, althou h there were ami
mails of.all kinds, from all quarters OF
the globe. he was most entertained in
the home of the monkeys.
And what kinaE of house do you
think they hadp Why nothing more
nor less than a real crystal palace; a
house made al, OF glass, about two hun
dred feet square and sixty feet high. In
it were several large trees. and monkeys
of all kinds and all sizes were friskino
about, climbing the trees, swinging
from the bran hes. hanging by their
tails, JUMPING across from one tree to
another, chasing each other in all direc.
tons. and hav NC the best time poss ible.
VI course, the IN nkeys could not feel
at home away from trees, and if there
had been large forest in which tHey
could. climb and chatter. they would
doubtless have been better satisfied
said there were all kinds of monkeys in
this glass house, and on know there is
a great variety ever of the smaller 81 es.
They had been brought from Asia
and Africa, and the forests OF
tropical America. There were
bowling monkeys, with pointed
heads and bearded faces, which make
there were little olive green, wild-eyed
monkeys, which sat back in some quiet
corner, and grinned slightly at the an
tics Of the bo,sterouS ones; there were
reddish brown monkeys, with long hair
and beard, and dismal. blue black faces;
the were jet blacl monkeys. which
swing so much by the tail from the trees
that they are called the spider monkey;
there were monkeys with short, bushy
tai like squirrels; there we're others
with long, S ender caudal appendages.
sometimes much longer than their bod
les; there were some pretty, gray mon
keys, with well formed h nds, who are
great climbers, and others with the four
fingers, and no thumbs. There we're
olive brown monkel s.. with black
crown like monks cap, above their
eyes. and so called Capuchins, after the
monks of that order in Italy.
There were other fierce looking fell
lows with claws. who eat meatas well
as vegetables and insects, Ike the 9TH
ers. There were narrow-nosed monkeys
from America, and great broad nosed
fellows from Asia; there were proboscis
monkeys, with noses several inches
long, and faces that resemble foxes;
there were short-legged and long
legged monkeys, and several of the
King monkeys, which have long, coarse,
flowing hair on the head, their bodies
shin ng black, and their Is pure
white; and there were green monkeys
with white bands over their heads
They all looked so knowing. and
played so many good tricks on each
other, that it was very amusing to watch
them. Most of them were very lively
and playful. but we noticed one old fell
low. very large and stout. with yellow
hair, and gray, shaggy beard, who
looked. upon the frolics of the others as
though he thought they were wonder
fully silly set of monkeys, and he, off
in his corner, would sit up in the most
d gnified manner possible, with an air
OF conscious superiority, glancing occa
Islonally, at their sports, and then turn
away IN a sdafn. As though he thought
to mself What frivolous creatures
these are. to spend all their time in
frolic and play. while my mind is occ /
pied with high and mighty thoughts
abo It our race and its wonderful devel-
opment and future posi- bilites We
shall one day rule the universe, just as
these men. who are only little in ad
vance Of us. do now" e
Two very frisky little. fellows, who
seemed to appreciate the s tuatiotl,
chartered to each other, and seemed tc
plan to take down this old fellow and
make him laugh in spite of his dign led
manner. Then. looking very knowing.
they stole up softly behind him each bit
him on the ear, and jumped quickly
back. But old Mr.. Dignity did not
deign to look around not he. He
would pay no attention to such trifiing
creatures; his great tho. gifts were not
to be interrupted by them! They stoo ,
behind him "a moment or two. then
winking to each other crept up slylv
again, and pull ed his long hair. Still
he took no notice of these juvenile
intruders. any more than, IF by
had lighted on his majesty. They
chartered away to each other behind
him and soon walked quietly toward
him, and DIT his ear with considerable
spite and ferceness That was carry-
ing a-io a little too far. and as quick
as thought the old fellows great hand
was lifted, and he gave them such a
broadside across their faces as, sent
them s, uealing to the top branch of
one OF the trees. guess no monkey
ever made quicker time than did they
on a climbing expedition -. :,
They were still sitting there. chatter
ing away to each other, putting their
hands up to their hurt faces. and saw NO
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