The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1895-05-15
THE MONKEY AND THE MONEY.
Jocko Squandered His Purloined Wealth
In His Own Peculiar Way.

THE MONKEY AND THE MONEY.
Jocko squandered His Purloined Wealth
In His Own Peculiar Way.
II was mate on board the bark
Annie, trading between New 4ork
and Pernambuco," said the old SAIL
or. 1T was in 1886 or 1887, disre-
member which. All hands were in
first rate spirits, for we had just
made q profitable voyage, and the
crew was to get share in the prof
its. But off tho coast Of the Brazils
-we had got almost onto port
something occurred that seemed
likely to reduce the gains Of the trip.
"The captain had apet monkey of
which he was very fond. He had
bought it at Bahia, and tho animal
certainly did possess remarkable in
telligence. It had the freedom of the
ship, and I CHANGED to be the victim
of two or three of it's pranks, which
caused me quite a good deal Of both.
er, but only made the captain laugh.
One day, however, the captain went
to his cabin to- get glass of grog,
and-so he told me afterward-he
was just lifting his glass to his lips
when what should he sec but Jocko
skipping out through the door with
something in his hand. It didn't
take him a second to discover that
the monkey was walking away with
a bag of 500 doubloons. The skip
per was always an absentminded
man, and he had left the key in the
lock of the strong box in which he
kept his gold.
He jumped for Jocko, but the
monkey was too quick for him and
skipped up the companion ladder
and was on deck long before the cap
tain could get there. The beast,
with mischief in his eye, lost no
time in climbing up the mainmast
and presently was perched comfort
ably on tho main truck. To follow
him was hopeless, and the captain
just stood and looked at him, wait
ing to see what would happen.
Now, all of this time I was down be-
low, but got that part Of the story
from tho second mate, who witness
ed the performance
There was Jocko sitting way up
aloft, with the bag of doubloons in
his fist, while the skipper walked up
and down and swore like a pirate.
He ordered one of the men aloft,
but countermanded it right away,
thinking that it would be moro pru-
dent to coax the beast. He called
him pct names and promised him all
sorts of things he was fond Of if he
would only come down. But Jocko
paid no attention. He had got the
fastening Of the bag undone by this
time, and out Of 1t he took one of the
goldpieces. After looking at it for
a moment no SHE'D it overheard.
The captain groaned. There was $17
gone.
well, Jocko didn t seem to be in
any hurry. He took another gold
piece out of the bag, and after exam
lining 1t critically as If to discover
tho date on it he threw it into tho
sea. The captain was frantic. The
monkey took another and another
of the doubloons and threw them
overheard. It was evident that when
he had emptied the sack he might
come down, but not before.
1t was just at this moment that
I came on deck. It took me few
seconds to realize what was going
on. My first impression was that
the captain was On tho point of hay
ing fit. He pointed to Jocko, and
Isaw the beast throw something that
had yellow CLEAN as it fell into the
sea. Suddenly realizing the situa-
ton, said, III fix that for you, cap,
tain Then picking up a marlin
spike l aimed carefully and shot it
aloft at Jocko.
II did not care whether hit him
or not. My esthope was to fright
en- him. This I accomplished, for
the marlinspike flew close by him
and caused him to dodge. AS he did
so he dropped the bag Of doubloons,
which fell upon the deck, bursting
open, so that the goldpieces rolled
in all directions. The captain and
the rest of us ran to pick them up,
and / believe that only about a dozen
were missing. The captain locked
Jocko up, and when we got to Per-
nambuco sold him, I believe. -
Washington Star.