The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-11-11
yntelligeaeer.
FEATHERY PETS.
Something About Monkeys and other
Gentle Pets.

readily responded to Ills inquiries.
The first batch of information was lost
to the seeker after it in a pandemonlum
of hows, yells and screeches. However,
becoming somewhat accustomed to the
uncanny noises, he comprehended that
she was bewailing the paucity OF trade.
"Monkeys?" went on the young wo'
man, in response to further inquiries:
"No, we haven't one in the store, and L
hope may never see one OF them again
as long as live. They just nuisance,
and that's all. l never could see nothing
funny in them. We haven't had one In
the house Tor mouth. Let's see, the
last Que was Capuchin, and we sold 1t
to a newly married couple who live in
Denver. They were awfully rich, and
had conservatory for flowers, you know,
and the lady said she thought a monkey
in the conservatory would look just too
cute for anything. And the husband
we'll, 1 could see that anything she want
ed she could have. They bought the
monkey. Pm perfectly sure OF one
thing: by this time they either haven's
any monkey or they haven't any consefv..
atory. A 'monk' is death on plants OF
any kind. Why, this same monkey we'd
sold once before to an artist on Monroe
street, who said he wanted it tor an
ornament for his studio, whatever that 49,
The artist lent the beast to man who
was growing century plant on the Lake
front together with a museum. That
monkey consumed the century plant one
night for late supper, and it didn't DIS
turb his digestion any more than II 1t
had been Welsh rarebit. don't know
what kind of century plant it was. 1t
might have been a young plant. Any,
how, back went monk to the artist and
then back here, when the owner OF the
shop bought him in again at half price.
We had monkey here once that had a
broken arm. He couldn't use it, but n
man bought him just the same. He said
he was doctor. So Isuppose he wanted
to experiment on him." ~
The reporter was tired OF monkey talk
and turned to the occupants of tbs cages.
''Those love birds there" said the
accomplished young woman, don't sing,
but we sell 'em for S. a pair. That
there's Tuncan. He's worth $780,"
The bird alluded to appeared to the
uninitiated eye neither valuable for its
beauty of plumage nor sweetness OF voice.
II is native of Central America, and,
though in appearance quite as revolu.
tionary as most of the denizens OF tnat
part of the globe, has the one redeemlng
virtue of being gentle and incapable OF
the ferocity which its villanous'l looking
beak would suggest.
"That bird" said the reporters infor-
mant. pointing to fat little creature
contentedly warbling to itself, "that bird
is Japanese robin, and the price of it is
SS." This article in the feathered line
resembles the ordinary robin in appear
ance, excebt in the fact that 1T is nearly
as bright. .hued as parrot.
The demand, the 7Tibune's represen'
tative was informed, is greatest for
canaries, after which come mocking-b birds.
The sale of black caps, bird whose title
betrays its chief characteristic, he was
told, came next in the estimation OF fan
ciers, to the nightingales as song-birds.
The only further information volun.
teered was that Guinea-pigs were rated
in the household-pet market at from 81
to $3.50 per pair.
At another establishment, similar to
the one lust described, there were the
same rows of cages, containing canaries,
parrots, doves and pigeons; the same as.
sortment of aquariums, abounding in
cold and silver fish. In a corner of a
cage fully fifty tiny white mice were
huddled closely together. Gray pigeons
and white doves cooed plaintively from
dark places under the counter. On a
high perch sat most naughty looking
parrot, evidently proud of its brilliant
plumage and vet oblivious to the fact
that it's tail feathers were disgracefully
deficient in number. Other parrots there
were whose feathers we're colored by ma
ture with hues the blending of which
successfully defes mans crude idea 'of
the proper harmony of tints. Three
diminutiye marmosets looked forth from
their retreat with their bright, sparkling
eyes, seemingly full of good nature. AS
q matter of fact they are almost untama-
BILE. AS they darted about their cages
they resembled so many hairy comets,
the disproportionate size of their tails to
their bodies producing that effect.
Like the first store visited the noises
were indescribable. Let one immagine
sounds composed of commingled abs, ees,
saas, ooos, and uuus, which were shrek.
ed from every nook and corner. Away
from all light fully dozen little parrots
were wasting their gorgeousness in dark,
dilapidated cages. A disconsolate and
solitary monkey scratched his cheek in
an embarrassed way as the reporter ap-
preached its cage and added evidence to
the "origin. Of species" doctrine by his
perfect frenzy of fear and anger when he
first got glimpse of the reporter. Before
the reporter had left, however, the animal
had so far succumbed to the usual course
of coaxing adopted by interviewers that
he betrayed very evident curiosity as
to what kind of queer bird his visitor
might be. He even went so far as to
attempt to relate his personal grievances
in doleful chatter. His confidence will
never be betrayed.
An employe stated that the foreign
birds are all brought from New York,
where the iobbers buy them as they are
brought from the sbips.-Caicago 7fi-
6une.