The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-12-15
Kindergarten for Educa-
tiOn of Monkeys.
Il IS Hoped to Make Simlan
Valuable as a Servant.
A Very Novel and Valuable Stamp
C0llection-Coats of Mall.

The kindergarten is q comparatively
OF education and has proven most valu-
able in every respect, and il is interest
ing to note that an institution based
somewhat on this same lines, but for the
education OF monkeys, instead of chill
dreu, has recently been established In
Calcutta This is the method pursued in
the novel scheme for the ducation of
the simisns: A young mos ~ is taken,
and teiore him is placed set of blocks on
which are painted in capitals the letters
OF the alphabet. These blocks are, In
fact, exactly similar to those which
children play with in every civilized coun-
try in the world, and they are used in
precisely the same way as IL the monkey
were young specimen OF the human
race. There Ia one professor for each
monkey. and the monkey is taught by
means of the blocks to spell certain
words. IL the word is "fruit," for exam
pie, the monkey, after having been
taught to arrange the blocks so as to spell
the word quickly and without error, re-
ceives a bit OF fruit as his reward. The
same exercise is repeated with other
words and IL Is hoped that In time the
simians will learn how to read and spell,
and understand English, IL they cannot
speak II. An effort will also be made, 1t
10 said. to educate these beasts SO that
they may become fairly efficient domes-
tic servants. The sch ool is so young as
yet, however, that what it will accom-
plish il entirely q matter OF speculation.
There are many stamp collectors In
Providence and some of their collections
ara very valuable 1t is doubtful, now
ever, whether among them all there 10
one that can match In it's unique quality
that OF Mrs. George Wilson of Birming-
nam, N. Y. Mrs. Wilson has been col
Iecting stsmps for the past seven years,
and the mum Der has reached over half q
million, s62, 900 being the number. The
value OF these stamps has been estimated
at x3, 3,sO0. All of these stamps have been
carefully washed, dried and pasted on
after the style of q crazy patchwork
quilt, and represent large patience and
great amount Of labor. There ore seven
pieces OF furniture In all decorated. This
curio is valuable, an offer OF 300 from
Cornell University having beon refused
by the owner. II is, perhaps, the most
novel collection of foreign and domestic
stamps in the United States. The stamps
srs stuck on with glue. and are covered
with heavy spar varnish end can be
washed without injury to the stamps.
Is great wealth worth having after all?
This question will occur To those who
read the statement made by the mana
gers of gISnefiield, Eng, msnufactur-
ing concern that four well-known Ameri-
can mtIlionaires have recently ordered
oats and vests Of steol. The armor is of
light chain mail. allowing perfectly free
movements, does not interfere with per-
spiration, and weighs very little indeed.
When q man has worn q mail coat for
week or two, the manufacturer says, he
gets quite used to II and suffers no in
will not turn a bullet nor prevent the
penetration OF dagger or sword at short
range. they are sufficiently strong TO
turn either sword or a dagger driven
at long range. A spent bullet will not
affect them in the slightest degree. The
same manufacturer says that in the last
five years his firm has received more than
300 orders for light srmor. A Dumter of
English statesmen protect thnmselxes- by
using this srmor. la the days when
Fenianism was rampant there was hardly
an English politician of note who did
not adopt this means of securing partial
safety. II Ia declared that four IN mem bers
Of the present English government have
these coats OF mail. and that one of these
four men either wears bis steel coat
whenever he goes out or else is guarded
by detectives.