The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1896-12-19
MY FRIENDS DIARY.


house across the alley way was a de.
lightful old man with the genialest OF
smiles and enormous glasses on the end
Of his nose which he certoinly could not
Gee through nor yet ever quite see over.
And in his efforts t. achieve this latter
his head was grown to a most comical
slant. But his heart was as hOspitable
as his coat tails were long and smooth
and his mind was the abode Of most
amazing philosophy, which in its setting
forth he graced with naive enthusiasm
and the quaintest OF wit.
On summer evenings | used to discuss
all manner Of questions with this neigh
Dor Of mine from the alley fence, and in
winter, or when the weather was in
clement, he was invariably as "srr-
prised and delighted" to receive me in
his queer little study just tho night
before last, or the night before that, toe.
Nor lid l ever venture into the night
air" after ono OF these visits without
first drinking a cup Of hot tea. even
though the venture was merely across
the alley.
But recently my neighbor has van
ished, nor do know where to. for l
CHANGED at the time to be absent from
home and none OF my other neighbOrs
took pains to inquire. He was not in
innate with them as he was with me.
/ have felt bit lonesome on my friends
account and the other day thought l
would like to take look at his deserted
home. So went over to the empty
little house and entered. 1 opened the
door to his study-true it had served as
bed room as we'll, but to him, and to me
too, it had always been the study
Now it was vacant and mournful like
the rest OF the house. The monotony OF
it's bare walls was only broken by the
screw holes which marked where the
book shelf had so long upborne the Ii
brary volumes, all told,
ranged with geometrical precision from
the huge and ancient Webster's Un-
abridged down to the little paper COW
cred Dissertation Concerning Scientific
Discovery very megre little pamph-
let to be SO nightly titled.
As / stepped into the room l noticed
near one corner some scattered sheets OF
paper. Half hoping l might here find
some sort OF memento Of my friend l
gathered them up. And l was rewarded.
The sheets were strayed from one Of
his many diaries. pile of which had
rested here. Needless to say l was de-
lighted with my find. Not merely had
l gained the coveted memento but a
record which. on reading, l found valu-
able in ITSELF My friend had at one
time been much given to travel and re-
search. as had gathered from his con-
yersation. and the sheets l had found
recounted one OF the curious expert
epces that had befallen him--an expert
ence so unique that am constrained to
set it forth feeling assured it will be OF
interest however, much its scientific
value may be questioned. The telling
may best be his own.
June 3O-How we'll do / remember
when first / was privileged to see a
monkey! He was but small scrawny
creature yet instinctively l recognized
the relationship. Surely said he. "this
is nv brother Common ancestry, COM
mon progeritors must have been ours.
Else Why this remarkable similarity
From that hour it became my sole am
bition to establish the truth of this pre-
mouitio,. With my eyes on this goal /