Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-07-19
NOTABLE CRANkS.
Remarkable Traits Exhibited By
Illustrious Men.
Their Love FOR Rats, Apes, Figs, Hens
aud Other curious rcts-The singular
Things which Have Amused arsat
Mc,--An Interesting Compilation.
fSan Francisco Alta.1


and even spiders.
Goethe rarely passed day without
bringing out from the chimney corner
live snake which he kept there, ana no
carcsscd It like q bosom friend.
Tibcrus, n Roman Emperor, also made
an intimate companion OF scrpeht,
which he trained to take food cut OF his
hand.
AUGUSTUS was exceedingly fond OF
parrot, but still more so Of quail, the
loss of which made him rs sad ns u he had
lost battle.
uonorius, another Roman Emperor, was
no prioycd at the loss Of n favorite hen
named Roma that hc would willingly
have given Rome ilself to bring II back;
but Alaric had taken Rome
Tho Emperor Domitan occupied his
eisurc in catching flies.
Louis Ni., when i'll in Plessis s-ie-Tours,
only found pleasure in an exhibition OF
dancing PIGS, oddly dressed up, which
ment.
Richter was very fond OF tnmc animals
which he constantly had about him.
Sometimes mouse then Il great white
cross spd, r, which he kept in paper
box with a glass top. There was little
door beneath. by which he could feed his
prisoner with dead flies. In the
autumn he collected his winier food
for his little tree-frog ana MS
tame spider. ''IIow | WISH" he wrote
once TO his friend Otto, that you could
have mot me In the street or In the Har-
mony. Then you would have seen my
littl" squirrel upon my shoulder, who
bites no longer"
Next to his money, Rembrandt loved
nothing so much as his monkey. He was
one day painting picture OF noble
family, when the news was brought to
him of his apes death. He could scarcely
contain his grief, and iamented his un-
happy lot. Sobbing and crying, he forth
with began delineatng the form OF the
apo upon the family picture They re-
monstrated with him. and protested that
an ape was quite out Of place In the COM
pauy of such distinguished psrsonAges.
The family were most indignant, and
ordered him to eface the traces
OF the animal. But he continued
to weep, and went on painting his ape
The head of the family demanded to know
whether 1t was his portrait or that OF
monkey which Rembrandt was pretend
ing to deliueate. at is the portrait OF
monkey" said Rembrandt. ''Then you
may keep the picture" 'Ithink so," said
the painter. And the picture still sur
wives.
Henry ILL., Of France was so foolishly
fond Of spaniels that he used to carry a
litter of them In n basket suspended round
his neck when giving his audiences. His
Al, nto ht th.,
average not less than 10000 crowns n
year.
Charles |. of England was also very
fond of spaniels, and the breed Of his dogs
Is still famous in this country. Frederick
the Groat was also great dog -fancier.
The painter Razzi formed friendships
with all sorts OF animals, and he filed his
house with squirrels, monkeys, Angora
cats, dwarfs, asses, he goats and Elbs
ponies. Besides these, he had an enor-
nous raven, who gravely strobe about
among the other animals as II he were
the exhibitor of this Noah's ark. When
anyone knocked at the door the raven
called Come IMP in loud voice.
Poisson, co fined in the Bastile, made a
friend of spider, which he tanned. The
jailcr, one day, seeing Poisson take pleas
| uro in contemplating the insect, crushed
1t under his foot, and left the prisoner
distressed and melancholy at the loss OF
his friend.
Latude, in the same prison, made COM
panions Of some six-and- twenty rats who
inhabited his cell. He gave each of them
| n name; and they learned to come to him
at his call. He fed them, played with
| them, and they thus greatly relieved tho
| ennui of his captivity.
But Latude only made friends Of rats
| from necessity. The Marquis do Monte.
| span, in perfect freedom of choice, had the
extraordinary taste to amuse himself with
mice when occupying the gilded apart.
ments of Versailles. True, tho mice were
white, and had been brought to him ali
the way from Siberia; but the taste was
Il most odd one, nevertheless.
| Cardinal Mazarin, the French minis ster,
employed his leisure in playing with an
ape, and Cardinal Richeleu amused hin,
with his collection OF cats.
| The poet Aliieri was proud Of his horses,
and took great delight In fondling and
caressng them.
Cowper was at no time 80 happy q,
when feeding his tame hares.
There are other historic names associated
with pet animals, among which may b.
named the vulture of Semiranis, the but.
terHy Of Virgil, the startling Of Nero, the
ape of Commodus, the sparrow OF Hello.
gabalus, and the dove Of Mohammed.
| Among the other relaxations of Learned
and great men may be mentioned Calvin,
game Of throwing dice along a table
whereas Luther was great In ninepins