Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-03-04

| ton of going to bed. With her depar>
ture, the other members of the party
betook themselves to cards, Irritation
or cigars. Capt. Passmore cleaned his
guns
It was IL o'clock, when noise was
heard at a distance as of the barking
OF many dogs; and the hurrying %
heavy animals through the under
growth arrested everykody's atten-
ton.
''MonkeysI" cried Passmore, W.T.
was outside the dining tent. ''Thc.7u
be all over the camp in Il moment"
shouted the host. Get a stick and
drive them back, or they'll play old
Harry. and brighten Miss Vape."
Snatching up stout bamboo from
against a tree. Passmore hurried iniC
the center of the glade. down both
sides of which the tents were pitched,
just as the monkeys streamed through
the encampment.
There must have been at least &C
tearing down the wide opening of the
forest in the brilliant tropical moon
light. Big. gray-whiskered fellows,
with long tails curled high up over
their backs. Seeing Passmore and his
bamboo. the rank and file turned and
took to the trees. Only the leader. a
huge ape. stood his ground. Some
thing he carried seemed to embarras
him not a little, for he held it aloft
with both hands, in order better to ex-
anime it.
By this time the host and others had
gathered round. He looks as if he
hod IN ~, Il
said someone. Lets make him DROP
his prize" -
Don't shoot!" cried Passmore. see
ing one of the others had brought
gun. He's too human. Let me get at
him with this bamboo
Here n native servant was heard to
whisper excitedly that neither bullet
nor bamboo would brighten Hanuman,
and that this was Hanuman in propria
persona there could be no shadow OF
doubt.
God or no god, however, the circle of
the monkeys enemies was fast closing
in upon him. Only the menace of his
formidable teeth served to keep his OPP
ponents at bay. With sidelong gait he
shifted towards a tree. What he SC
tenaciously clutched worried him more
than ever. He took, from time to time,
quick angry glances at it. Once, while
thus engaged, and off his guard, Pass
more hit him over the hands with the
bamboo, while the whole party made
combined effort to wrest his booty
from him. But they had reckoned
without Hanuman. With roar of rage
and fear the brute sprang off the
ground, thrusting as he did so his arms
into a mysterious bifurcated garment,
which cleaned in the moonlight with
a sheen of black satin. PasSmore and
the host afterwards declared that they
were overtaken by such an uncontrol-
liable fit of laughter at recognizing what
it was he had stolen. that they let the
beast slip by as he liked.
The natives, on the contrary. insisted
that the monkey had bounded 80 yards
or more into the air. higher than the
tops of the highest trees. and of course
clear of everybody's heads. Remon-
strated with on this unnecessary eX-
aggeration, they replied that it was
Hanuman, and that to the god who
had leaped from India to Ceylon a mere
matter of so yards more or less was of
small Importance. Hot foot, the party
pursued the monkeys back to the tenn
pie. They found them in high state of
excitement, jumping on and off the roof
into the branches of large fig tree and
making a tremendous noise. Compla-
Gently sitting on gargoyle, frills round
his wrists and evidently highly pleased
with his personal appearance, was their
chief. AS before, at the sight of the
men, all those who could escaped into