The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1891-03-21
midas SACRED MONKEYS.
They Are Pest, But They Must Not
Be Killed-Monkey Eeroism.

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 modest
/ them. They run about the streets. help
themselves to whatever they please in
the shops, rob orchards and gardens, and
I play havoc generally. To thrash them
is regarded as misdemcanor and to
shoot IA monkey might cause second
mutiny.
The gentleman had Il garden where grew
delicious fruits. The sacred MONKEYS
easily scaled the walls and helped them
selves. 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 lie thrown
at them. An idea struck the English
man one day, and he at once proceeded
to carry it into effect with great sue
cess. lie got large basket of the
largest potatoes that were to be found
and had them boiled. When they were
scalding hot he had basket and potatoes
placed under one of the trees. The
monkeys were watching these move
ments from the trees. Presently every
monkey seized hot potato, and then
followed the most unearthly scrceches
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 a 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 very
pathetic, as well as heroic, scene in one
OF the city squares, in which the sacred
monkeys were the actors. He saw a
number of monkeys seated and standing
in large circle, and female monkey
hugging and wailing over the dead body
oil her baby that had Just been killed by
a cobra's bite. The other females were
trying to console her by caresses, while
the males appeared to be in earnest con-
sultation among themselves. In the
centre OF the circle was the large cobra
that had inflicted the fatal bite. coiled
and with head erect watching the enc.
mics by whom he was surrounded.
Suddenly a young and athletic male
monkey sprang into the arena. He
carefully approached the cobra, which
prepared itself to strike. The monkey
made few passes, and just as the snake
was about to dart its head he sprsng to
one side, and then over the cobra. This
was repeated so often and with such as
tonishing rapidity that the cobra became
0ewildered, when the monkey seized the
snake by the neck and proceeded to crush
Its head to jelly by rubbing it on the
ground with all his might. The snake
-ried to 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 a shapcless mass the
'oung simian hero dropped the cobra and
executed seri,s of hops and somer-
aults.
Up to that moment the other MONKEYS
lad maintained the most anxious silence.
Watching every movement of the com.
'atants with eager interest. The snakes
leath, however, was the signal for the
most joyous gatherings and gambols.
hey took hold Of the cOnquerOr Of the
make, patted him on the head, scratched
is back, danced round him and gave
very manifestation of their great appro-
latIon of his valorous achievement.
ne poor mother carried about her dead
abe for two days longer.