National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-08-18
AMONG TIE ANIMALS.
what Reporter saw at Midnight in
the Museum.

the Museum.
"No, sir,n said the Waterman TO the re-
porter; "you can't go in there"
"Whyf"
"Wcll, you can't. Its after hours, and
that's all there Is Of it.n
The argument stopped here, the reporter
turning around and looking at the sun,
which was throwing its glare through the
clouds Of tinted amethyst and gold in the
western sky The Waterman turned also,
and cfter watching the epoiter suspiciously
went into the front door Of the national
museum and locked II after him. But the
reporter stood still. The sun went lower,
and the pretty coloring around II changed
to the distinct gold and then n BLUSH hue.
The trees moved In the gentle breeze, aud
over the capitol, n mile away, the moon,
or part of II, was resting lazily,
sending out golden beams as the
shadows Of evening docpencd and day
merged into night Laboring men came
and went through the parks, and then
lovers passed in pairs to hide themselves in
soquesterCd hooks to talk about love and
look at the moon. 1t seemed to be lots OF
fun for them, but II was not for the re-
porter lie had not gone to the Smith
sonian grounds to look at the moon or to
n mood.
"Nice scheme this" he unused, "sleep In
that blooming place all night among the
animals to write up experience Then
the poor reporter fell to marveling at the
| cruelty Of city editors in general and his
own in particular. To shorten the tale,
however, the lovers came and went the
moon hustled and got over to the west, and
the reporter glided in among the shadows
to the big frame building cast OF the mu-
scum and went in-threugh q window.
Ibis was his goal The building
was occupied by the taxidernists of the
museum, and contained the specimens of
mammaia that they were at work
upon. The housebreaker recalled
former visit few weeks since, when Mr..
Hornaday, the principal taxidermist, had
pointed out and named the specimens, aud
the number Of countries they represented,
and thought Of how pleasant his former
visit had been.
These pleasant thoughts stopped sud
denly, however, for the reporters foot
slipped and into the building he went pre-
cipitately, landing just in front Of n pan
| ther. Then out came the rcportorial knife
| and into the side of the mountain king 1t
went up to the bilt, but It wasn't reeking
with blood when II came out; instead of the
| squirting stream was just wisp OF straw
| just then the intruder heard n noise so pc
cullar and narrowing that Immediately the
| close-crOpped hair on his head assumed o
| perpendicular position and up the spinal
| column crept an icy feeling. Gazing in
the direction Of the sound through the
| gloom he could see tiger striped with yell
low and black, its eyes shooting sparks of
fire, and its form crouched as IL to spring.
Breathlcssly the sufferer waited, but the eyes
never moved, and the crouching position
never changed. Quietly and carefully the
reporter approached the enemy, but just
when two feet separated them the noise came
again, this time from an opposite direction.
The reporter reached out his hand and
stroked the tigers back. No movement
came In response, and even when a finger
was held close to tine eycballs of the tiger
the look remained as fixed as 1t had ever
| teen, and when the finger was pressed
against the eyeball there was no yielding to
the pressure. The eye was of glass.
The noise that had ut first attracted the
attention of the midnight marauder broke
| out again at this junctufe and wandering
In the direction from whence IL came the
reporter stumbled and fell over dog-a
great, big, shaggy, yellow brute, standing
erect and looking with fixed glance into
nothing. But when the reporter stumbled
q growl seemed to come from the beast, and
springing hurriedly to his feet the reporter
sought protection behind the tiger. Then
all was silence aud when the night watch
man passed through the hall his footballs
were the only noise.
When the echo of them had died away
the wearied scribbler ventured In the direc-
\ tion of the dog, and to his establishment
Il recognized an old friend. The dog was
once the pet of every one on the avenue,
having belonged to well known jeweler.
Just as the friends were about to communi-
cate-in the language Of the dog-the noise
came again, and tile reporter felt some
thing glide over his foot, uttering a
squealing sound. Well, there was realized
In the thought that some living thing was
in the same room, and breath came easier,
until the unlimited guest felt his coat
tugged, and glancing behind found himself
in possession of gigantic baboon.
| The horrors Of that one brief moment can
never be told. II is for human beings to
experience, but beyond their powegfOf de-
scrption. There must be some my OF es-
cape. The window was open. anT MI
II the reporter could only mike " nfssT IfSS5
was safe. 1t was worth the attempt, and
raising his hand cautiously the reporter
wiped the perspiration from his face, and
then made u dash, but the ape chung on.
At every step the reporter could feel the
claws Of the animal thrust into his flesh.
Just as the window was reached the clutch
was relaxed and the monkey fell to the
floor. After getting out of the window he
looked back and saw the ape, mounted on
board, lying on the floor. The reporter
felt the place where the claw had been, and
found that n piece Of lis coat was gone.
The intrudcr's coat had become hooked to
the apes claw.
After the Darwinian beast had been re-
placed the reporter concluded he had eX-
perience enough. BY this time the moon
had taken header, and there was stealing
up in the heavens the rosy outposts of day.
Then look around was taken, There
were all kinds of animals in the room, and
they were In all kinds of positions and
stages of mounting. Over in cage that
stood In corner were half dozen squirrels
romping about. This was where the noise
came from. In square box with wire
covering was small domestic toad. Up
on the limb OF an artificial tree were a
half dozen monkeys, in the most
natural position, and when one of
them chartered the speed with which
the reporter got out of the window
or tried to, was remarkable At the WIN
dow was an ostrich, and just as the news
paper man was halfway through the win.
dow, the big bird extended its beab and
clutched his trousers. The reporter could
not move. Every attempt to eXtricate
himself was impossible. Finally the suf
fering man could stand 1t no longer, and
opening his mouth he yelled:
"Iere, what's the matter with you. Got
'em again." and the reporter opened his
eyes and saw his friend, the Waterman
IWhat are you sleeping on this seat forf
Amt you got no home? Clear out now
and If | catch you here again, I'll run
you in"
Marriage Licenses.
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