The Washington times., 1895-03-11
SPRING MATINEE AT The zoo
Everybody Enjoyed 1t and the Sun
shine Except the Polar Bear.
Some Reflections on the Maternal and Ton
sorial Eccentricities of the Eacque
Monkey-Cynicism of the Tiger.

The royal Bengal tiger and the South
African elephants held the first of their
customary spring receptions yesterday
afternoon at the Zoo.
1t was a balIny, delicious day for these
functions, and the exodus from town could
scarcely be Teckoned in the Book of Num-
bers. Every car going teand coming from
the park up to sundoWn was crowded with
live humanity. Everybody appeared to
realize that spring had grown tired of
winter lingering in herlap, and had dumped
him out at the last way station.
There are no vernaI blossoms yet, but
there are buds galore, ready to burst into
verdure after a few more sunbaths like
green leaves and waving branches. however,
was amply compensated for in the gay col
ors and shades of spring goods and
bright ribbons.
One OF the most attractive features of the
immense dress parade of yesterday was the
large proportion of children in the groups.
These little people have been signing for
snow and slush, and they got what they
wanted in profusion. But they looked aw
fully tired and blase with buffaloes and
things as they nodded and lurched about
on the spring goods on their way back to
the cradle and cot.
One little fellow made a scene in front
of the monkeys cage. He had begged
all morning to be taken out to see the mon
keys, and when mamma tried TO lift him up
to look over the shoulders of the crowd, he
kicked and screamed and swore, in his
way, that ''he didn't want to see no
monkeys" He sat flat ON the floor and
wouldn't bulge.
Now, Archie is not going to be bad
boy, is he?" said mamma, in her prettiest
palaver.
Yes, / is,' said Archie: and he was.
He compromised on the pelican.
Neycrthe less, the receptions We're a
great success. The tiger slept through
the ceremony with sort of the people be
ID smile on his cynical mouth, but
the elephants, Dunk and Golddust, received
socia bly, and asSimilated everyth ing
that passed through the ivory gates ajar.
I One of the busiest and most interesting
scenes on the grounds was around the
coon tree The coons were out in full
force and had secured reserved seats in
the topmost angles, from which they
possibly observed the eclipse later in the
evening.
The only uncomfortable looking mem
Der of the Zoo gang was the Polar bear.
The snow and ice are disappearing from
around his door, and he appeared to be
entirely out of sorts with the W Gather.
He was very restles for q half hour or
so, walked incessantly to and fro and
around his bath tub, and then backed into
his refrigerator for the night.
There hasn't been a new imported ami
NAL at the Zoo for some time They are
all naturalized citizens out there now, but
they are just as good as new. There is
a new Macque monkey, who was born on
the premises and who is in fair way of
being toiletted to death by his affectioDate
mother. She drags the baby out of his box
every three minutes and manicures his
head with her finger nails, and th EN- squeezes
him into a pulp to the great delight of the
children Perhaps this is the right way
to raise baby baboon, but it will also ac-
count for the scarcity of the tribe.
Man has moved up several pegs since the
period when his mother vitalized him by
scratching his head three times in ten