Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1896-10-01
COMEDIANS OF ANIMAL REALM.
Grotesque In Appearance aud Clown.
ish in Their Manners.

Grotesque In Appearance aud Clown.
ish In Their Manners.
Pigs, especially happy pigs. when no.
too fat, but only "well liking" and free
to wander in a big yard and forage for
themselves, are among the most comic
animals. Almost all the necessary ele-
ments are p~resent--fat bodies and fat
cheeks, twinkling eyes, tightly curling
tails, short, turned-up noses, voices
capable Of expressing in a grunt intense
self-satisfaction, curiosity and all forms
Of squeaks and squeals for surprise.
fear and panic. The writer has watch
ed a family Of young pigs. about eight
cen inches long, Just turned out to spend
the morning In a meadow. and returned
convinced that there was not a mo-
ment at which their appearance and be-
hayiOr was not too comical for descrip-
ton. Each flower and weed was tast-
ed by the little pigs with the air of a
connoisseur trying a new dish, and
when they found Il horse lying asleep
taking Its Sunday rest the whole litter
stood In a semi-circle round its head
as If grouped to sing in a chorus.
Pigs are so funny. and everyone So
thoroughly recognizes the fact now
that it seems rather odd that the dis
covery should be SO recent. There il
plenty of allusion to the pig as a filthy,
ugly creature in the East, and many old
English anecdotes of their cunning and
knowing ways about weather and food.
but except the pig-seiling scene in the
Acharnians, which is sadly wanting in
humor, there is hardly any early recog-
milton of the comicality OF pigs. The
reason is that 1t is only the modern
improved British pig that is comical.
His alone are the round stern, the
curly tail, the short nose, the dumping
cheeks and the fine high spirits. The
wretched greyhound pig Of the East
or Of the unimproved breeds of Europe
has not al atom of humor in him.
Even a young wild boar is a glum little
fellow, only growing lively as he grows
hungry. We the "comic pig to the
encouragement of the Smithtield show
and the Royal Agricultural Society.
But there is room for difference as to
the humorous side of animal life in
creatures which are not domesticated
and have never changed.
The owl is a case IN point. The
Greeks looked upon him as a grave and
wise bird and assigned him to Athene.
We think his appearance comic, and in
common talk the owl represents a be-
wildered, rather dense person, who can
not see the obvious. Though the Greek
revered the owl, the Hindoo feeling is
exactly the same rs ours. To call q
stupid servant "ooloo" ("you own
would convey exactly the same mean
Ing in India as it would here. A ply
steal explanation is just possible. We
and the Hindoos think Of the night
owl, a bird bewildered by light. Ath-
ene's owls, which are now sold in large
numbers in London as pets, are little
wideawake ground owls, able to see
by day as we'll as by night. Most peo-
pie who have watched penguins hop
ping on the ground will own that when
moving about they are irresistibly fun
ny. Their little wings, like fat hands
without arms. round white w~aistcoats,
short necks and short legs with little,
fat, black feet, make them a bird
edition Of Mr.. Pickwick. Their only
movement is a series of hops, with the
head bent ~nervously forward as II
they were afraid of falling-which they
are-and their little wings stuck out
on each side to balance them. OF
course, the penguin has not the least
notion that IL is funny or amusing, and
is as uncomfortable as n Chinese lady
trying to walk across a rice field. Puff
fms rank high among the comic birds.
Their makeup" which is that Of q
city waiter, is enhanced by the big
red and yellow bill, which is set on like
a Guy Fawkes mask. Young pufins,
which have not developed this adjunct
to facial expression" are far less lu-
dicrous to look upon and have none of
the exaggerated, inspection-like air Of
their seniors. The japanese artists,
who have a fiue sense of the ludicrous
In nature. but usually read in some
portion Of human wit into their studies
OF animal life, show a proper apprecia.
ton Of the comicality Of the crab. They
cast bronze crabs in all attitudes, the
most effective being the enraged crab
sticking up his pinching claws In q
position Of defense. II their mechani-
cal skill also allowed Of a clockwork
movement, by which the crab could be
depicted %retreating sideways. with his
claws raised and swapping, these works
OF art would be perfect illustrations of
the comic side of submarine life.-Lon.
don Spectator.
Money Lavtshea ON Trifles.
Expensive trifleS have ceased TO he a