Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-02-02

tlOn-An irritable Genius.
New York, January SO-The Sun
says: Johanna, the big chimpanzea
who is lodging for the winter season in
an iron-bound cage on the second floor
of the arsenal in Central Park qavs
an exhibition Of her literary and artis-
tic ability yesterday before several
newspaper men and friends of Keener
Mckay and Assistant Director George
r. Burns. Johanna is a remarkable
animal. In the first place. She is the
most perfect specimen Of her kind i'm
captivity since the death of the lament
ed Crowley. She is extremely inteui-
gent, and she and her keeper seem ia
understand each other thoroughly
She shows a deep interest in every
movement he makes in her presence.
and being Of an initiative nature. she
often tries to do whatever he does.
Now, Mr.. Mckay has great faith in
her intelligence, as well as her ability
TO pick up the little refinements of life
but he never dreamed that she would
get any higher than drinking wine and
admiring herself in mirror. So fond
is she or the latter diversion that she
has been provided with a mirror of her
own, and every day when il is brought
to her she studies her reflection critical
ly and grunts with immense satisfac-
, ton. She has also been taught t6make
her own bed and to peel an orange be-
fore eating it,
Some time ago she happened to see
Mr.. Mckay writing with a lead pencil
on q pad of paper. She appeared to be
greatly interested and she watched the
pencil intently as 1t moved across tho
paper. Then she expressed desire
to try her hand at writing, and by way
Of experiment Mr. Mckay handed her
the pad and pencil. A. first the chin
panzee seemed trife puzzled. and she
handled the implements Of literature
awkwardly. Finally. after few trials.
she put the pad of paper on the floor Of
her cage and held the pencil i'm her
mouth while she arranged the paper to
suit herself Then she took the pencil
between the fingers of her right hand
and began to make scrawls on the pad.
After she had scrawled for a fe4 min
utes she passed the pad and pencil
through the bars of her cage TO her
keeper, for inspection and, presumably,
applause.
Yesterday Mr.. Mckay drew 4 rough
sketch of Johanna's head on piece
Of card board, and passed the drawing
and pencil to her. Johanna laid the
ri N rI ia
had studied the outlines of the sketch
critically, she put the pencil between
her fingers and began a little artistic
work on her own account While no
work she squatted close to the floor. and
leaning sideways. she threw her left
arm across the top of the paper Her
movements with the pencil were awk-
ward but quick, and she evidently tried
hard to copy exactly the motions OF
her keeper When she had finished
she handed the card beard and pencil
back to ME-EGt:..
her work TO TIE aston.
result Of her (rustic end
not, in all probability, recglye d"
mention from any arJiC outside 10.
Beardsley school. but il was quite as
ineligible as some Of the pictures put
forth in these days In the rude draw
ing there was faint resemblance to
the lines of Johannes own gro,esque
form, which she studies so complacent-
~ in her mirror
After the artistic exhibition Mr. Nc
Kay handed her q folded piece OF writ
ING paper and the pencil. Then he
spoke a few words 20 her i'm an un-
known tongue. Again she squatied and
put the paper Oh the floor Taking
the pencil between her fingers she made
some scrawls ON the paper that would
pass muster for handwriting in almost
any printing office.
These achievements Of JohannaS
created a great deaf Of amusement
among the company, and she seemed 10
enjoy the entertainment quite as much
as those who witnessed IT, As re-
ward for her display OF intelligence Mr..
Mckay gave her a half dozen eggs ana
two huge bowls of hot coffee Of when
she is inordinately fond Mr. Mckay
has the drawing in his Office, and no
says he is going to have 1t framed
Johanna is the property OF James ".
Bailey, the circus man, and barring
slight tendency at times to Kill her
keepers, she is an ideal chimpanzee.
She has the strength Of a half dozen or
binary men and she IS very dangerous
when she is vexed. The iron bars or
her cage are u inch in diameter and IN
front of it at a distance Of about feet
there is a heavy glass partition Ma
one is allowed to go inside OF this en-
closure except when Mr.. Mckay or Mr.
Burns Is present.