Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-04-09
Monkey Shines.

Monkeys soon make friends with
other animals, and are cunning enough
to make other animals do them a SER
vice. They resemble man in this re-
spect. whatever else may be said about
the likeness. And we ee from what
Uncle Bob has told us that a monkey
can be taught to do almost anything,
and if at all kindly treated can be
trained much more quickly than any
other creature. There is a story of one
that used to walk hand in hand with its
master within a month after it came
into his possession. It would answer
his call like a servant. 1t was honored
as guest and had seat at the table,
1t would drink tea or milk out of a
cup, and help itself to an egg or to
bread or meat, and it lifted what it
wanted with the right hand.
A French traveller named La Vail
laut, who went through Africa became
interested in a chacma monkey, one Of
the haboon species, that he got at the
Cape, and which was very useful to him
IN his wanderings. He made this mon
key, which he called KEGS, a sort of
s'taster." That is to say, when he
came to place where there were nuts
and berries of kind he had not seen
before, he offered them to KEGS. If the
monkey ate them the traveller would do
the same, and anything the monkey
would not touch, the Traveller, unless
when he knew better, would avoid as
poison. KEGS was of value also during
the night as well as at meal times. He
was the sentinel of the camp. He was
alert and gave the alarm at the slight
est sign of danger. Even the dogs
trusted to the monkeys watchfulness.
When the party began its journeyings
it was the duty of the dogs to give
warning when there was any trouble;
but in time they put such confidence in
KEGS that they went soundly to sleep at
every resting place. With monkeys, as
with men, lone good turn deserves an
other" and so KEGS, tired out with
walking, would now and again leap on
the back of one of the dogs, and get
carried in this way for miles at
stretch. All the dogs did not like this.
There was one of them that would not
on any account be made horse of; and
this one took a very cunning way of
not prevent KEGS jumping on his back,
but he could do this-he could refuse
to move. As soon as the monkey leap
ed on him he stood perfectly still. The
camp being in motion the dog and his
would-be rider were speedily left be-
hind. KEGS would keep his seat, think
ing, no doubt, that the dog would
change his mird and trot after his COM
panions before they had disappeared.
But the dog knew better. As long as
he felt himself burdened he would not
move an inch, and it was, always KEGS
that had to give in. When this took
place the two animals would set off at
their best speed to overtake the travel
ing party. It was like a race between
the two, but the dog took care to keep
second place, so that the monkey
might not again have the chance of
jumping on his back.
There is very pretty story of the
monkey in an ancient Hindoo poem.
The monkeys, we are told, were once
employed in a great contest in India,
between good and evil powers; and it
is something to know that the monkeys
were on the right side in the dispute.
In the end the good powers won. Now,
during the struggle the chief monkey
performed what may seem at first
sight d very courageous act. He made
his way into the garden of very terri
bic giant, and took therefrom the IA
nous mango tree and gave it to India.
Surprising such an act had been the
work OF human being, we could not
think of doing too much to reward the
hero of it for his pluck and bravery.
But the poem does not look at the mat
ter in this way. The monkey stole the
tree, and although what was done was
of benefit to the land, it was a crime
and sin and it had to be punished.
Up to this period the monkey had clean
hands and clean face, but because of
his offense in robbing the giant his
hands and his face were blackened, and
black they remain to this day.