Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-04-09
sAcREp MONKEYS oE INpIA.

They Have Things An Their own Way
and Cut Up Some Queer cspers.
An English gentleman who has lived
many years in India tells some queer stories
about the sacred monkeys that are great
nuisance in some parts Of that country.
No one is allowed to molest them. They
run about the streets, help themselves to
whatever they please at the shops, rob
orchards and gardens and play havoc gen.
orally. To thrash them is regarded as q
misdemeanor, and to shoot a monkey
might cause second mutiny.
The gentleman had garden where grew
delicious fruits. The sacred monkeys easily
scaled the walls and helped themselves.
They were not content with simply eating,
but amused themselves with throwing half
munched fruit at each other. To shoot
these pests was out of the question, and to
hit them with stones was impossible as
they easily lodged any missile that might
be thrown at them. An idea struck the
Englishman one day, and he at once pro-
ceeded to carry it into effect, with great
success.
He got large basket of the largest po.
tatoes that were to be found and had them
" hCn OIC1 mCI6 uOU u6
had basket and potatoes placed under one
of the trees. The monkeys were watching
these movements from the trees. Presently
every monkey seized a hot potato, and then
followed the most unearthly screeches and
gatherings A monkey will never let 60
any article of food that he once gets hold
of, even if he has to die, and these monkeys
true to their nature, would not drop the
hot potatoes.
They held them in one hand and then in
the other, and then they would take bite
and scald their mouths; and roll in the
dust, writhing with pain, but never letting
the potatoes once out of their grasp. They
ate up the potatoes, and then disappeared
over the walls and never returned.
| The Englishman once witnessed pa
thetic as well as heroic scene in one Of the
city squares, in which the sacred monkeys
were the actors. He saw number Of
monkeys seated and standing in large
circle, and female monkey hugging and
| wailing over the dead body of her baby
| that had just been killed by cobra's bite
The other females were trying to console
her by caresses, while the males appeared
| to be in earnest consultation among them
selves. In the center of the circle was thu
large cobra that had inflicted the fatal bite
coiled and with head erect, watching tht
enemies by whom he was surrounded
| Suddenly a young and athletic male
monkey sprang into the arena. He care
| fully approached the cobra, which pre-
pared itself TO strike. The monkey mad,
few passes, and Just as the snake wa!
about to dart its head he sprang to ont
side, and then over the cobra. This wa
repeated so often and with such astound
ing rapidity that the cobra became bewil
dered, when the monkey seized the snake
by the neck and proceeded to crush it:
head to jelly by rubbing it on the ground
with all its might. The snake tried tC
free itself by coiling around the monkeys
neck; but in vain; its struggles became
weaker and weaker until life was extinct
When the snakes head had been reduced
to shapeless mass the simian hero dropped
the cobra and executed a series of hops ant
| somersaults.
| Up to that moment the other monkey.
had maintained the most anxious silence
watching every movement of the combat
ants with eager interest. The snakes
death, however, was the signal for th,
most joyous gatherings and gambols
They took hold of the conqueror of th
snake, patted him on the head, scratches
his back, danced around him and CAV
every manifestation of their great appre
citation of his valorous achievement. Th
poor mother carried about her dead bab
for two days longer.-Chicago Tribune.