Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-09-08
The Arab and the Monkey,

-EHtHi6 SiOW
The Arab ana the Monkey.
During a recent railway accident in
pass of the Sierra Morcna, Il valuable
monkey escaped from the cars Of
Brcntano's circus and in spite Of i'm.
mediate pursuit managed to vanish in
the cliffs of the rocky mountain slope.
1t was trained baboon, valued at coo
pesos, and, as the wreck of the engine
involved n delay Of several hours, half
hundred persons, led by the circus men
and the employees Of Thc Spanish railroad,
joined in the search, but only made
matters worse, for the first attempt to
capture the fugitive resulted in a break
neck chase, in which the native of the
Abyssiniau highlands easily distanccd
the swiftest OF his pursuers. They had
caught sight of him in pile Of loose
powders, searching for insects with the
gravity Of professional naturalist, and
managed to approach him within fifteen
steps when he thought it was time to
beat retreat, but at so lci,urcIy
gait that young mounta'nccr
conceived the fatuous idea Of run
ming him down. Seeing that
his pursucr was in earnest, the four
handler too, mended his pace so much
so, indeed, that his would-be captors
found it impossible to keep even in
sight Of him, and returned after having
stampcded him nearly mile down the
steep mountain side. The Brcntano
folks had already given him up for lost,
when an old Arab, the trainer cf the
camel team, demanded an interview
with the managers, and induced them to
intrust him with ono Of the baby mon
keys Of the circus mcnagcric. After
chucking the young,tcr into sack and
filling his pockets with dried Gluit, he
wound leather strap around lis arm
and started down hill without explain
ing hisplan Of procedure, but with the
promise that he would hc back an hour
after dark. Messengers had lcen dis
patched to the next telegraph station,
and the travellers were grouped around
camp-fres and caboose stoves
when series Of cheers at one
OF the outdoor bivouacs announced a
welcome arrival with such emphasis
that some of the passengers made a rush
for their sacheh. 1t was the Arab, lend
ing the old baboon, who in his tun hud
charged himself with the care of tic
youngster, every now and then snatching
him up in his arms or helping him over
the obstacles of the path. The three
night walkers at once became the centre
of the bivouac circle, and the bipcd pro-
cccded to explain his modus opcrnl.
With his leather strap h. had tied the
youngstcr to a thorn bush OF The lower
mountain slope, near point where the
footprints Of the young mountainecr in
dicated the terminus of the recent
stccplc-chase. Then, bidding nim good.
by, he commenced the ascent of the cliff
as if he intended to leave him to his fate.
As lie expected, the young monkey, after
desperate attempt to tear his fcttors and
follow him, began to scrcech out his sig
nal Of distress. lie was Il native of eastern
llindostan, bu, monkey us, Gcosmopitan
language, and inlcss than fifteen minutes
the distant relative of the chained
baboon babe in the woods pccpcd around
the cliff, and, seeing the coast free, at
once made up to the screcchng brat and
huggcd him as if he was trying to silence
him by process Of sutfocation. All
that while the Arab was hidjag behind
a tree, biding his time till twilight had
pretty well advanced when he quickly
the thorn bush and, without
the least opposition on the part OF the
senior fourhander, removed the strap
from the neck of the youngStcr and
Transferred it to that of his companion,
who SCENE not only ready but anxious,