Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-30
\ MISTAKE.
LEARNED WEE.
Jobnnnn. of New York. Has Been
Taught Ia Write and Draw.
(New York Worlc.l

lNtN 10TH NbllL.l
Johanna, the female chimpsnzee IN the
Central Park 100. may soon become
useful member o. society. Her keeper,
Mckay, and Assistant Director George
Il. Burns declare she has more bralns
than many men they have met. They
are teaching her TO write and TO draw,
and she is rapidly learning. An exceed
ngly interesting meeting VIII be arrang-
Ell when Professor Garner returns from
Africa.
Professor Garner is she man who
thinks he knows the language OF gorillas
and chimpanZees. lie b.ilt steel cage
in the African forest, and talked through
the bars with the man-like apes who
came 10 visit him. While he talks TO Jo-
hanna she may draw his portrait or
possibly write notes 10 him IN chimpan-
zee.
Johanna gave her first exhibition OF
her ability 10 wTfte and draw yesterday.
IL must be said that Johanna would
not Jake prize for writing In any school.
No one could read what she wrote. IL
may be that she was wrfCng in her
native tongue. But she draws weil She
can draw cork with grace and agility.
She always draws crowd around her
~
ure or a female yesterday. Tie figure IS
supposed 10 represent widow. She wears
a grieved expression, and her hands are
lifted, as ii I'm lamentatlOn. Johanna has
a fellow-feeling for a widow. She is her
self widow. She is the relict OF ChikO,
the famous chimpanzee. VINO came ito his
untimely end at Dayton, o., Ia July,
1885,.
Since Chiko's death Johanna has mourn
ed for HIN incessantiy-w IS pointed
out as a fine example 10 some women.
Various large ana attractive apes nave
unnecessarily tried 10 comfort her. az
she IS young for a widow-l3 years old
on January nth, last Even that dude ape,
the mandril. that has a sky-blue nose.
anu is Vsriously marked IN gaudy
color., tried Ia vain TO win the mourn
ing Johanna.
IL was 10 distract htr constant nina
from her bereavement that Burns ana
Mckay determined 10 teach Johanna 10
write ana draw Sno had so far advanc-
ed that they permitted her so snow her
accomplishments yesterday. They gave her
pencil, and large piece OF white
paper. Johanna took the pencil between
the thumb and frs, finger of her right
hand, and the paper between the thumb
and right finger of her left hand. Then
she put tne paper OF the Hcoi OF HtF
cage, and held it in place with her right
foot. Johanna has a great advantage
in writing and drawing over simple
human beings. She is ambidextrous as
TO her hands and fest TOO.
Having fixed the paper, Johanna squat
ted down, and looked around, smiling,
like those little mechanical monkeys that
smoke cigarettes, turn their heads from
side TO side. and grin. Then she put the
point OF the pencil between her lips
Then She stuck out her tongue, and be-
gan 20 write. With every motion OF her
pencil. she moved her tongue and twisted
Watch a class OF school-boys leaning over
their writing books. and you will see
many OF them do the same thing.
No one could read what Johanna wrote.
But every one could see that the figure
she drew was woman's figure. The
expression on the woman's face is in
tensely pathetic.
When Johanna can write better II is
possible that the smaller monkeys in The
100 may become her pupils.