The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-02-19

them in the dawn of time, and will
continue such unto the end OF this
planet.
When we first entered this monkey
palace, with it's lofty dome, It's
tassellated marble floors, and It's loud,
chattering crowd, l thought perhaps
| had. after several Intellectual efforts,
got into congress, or the legislature,
for the modest expense of twenty-five
cents! But as none Of them offered
me cigar, nor asked me out to take
4 drink, | realized my mistake.
We proceeded now to where the
bears live in fine style and with ap-
propriate surrounding. 1t was regu-
lar bear-garden. There is, in the sky,
among the consultations, the Greater
and Lesser Bear. Well, they were all
here, little bears, big bears, white
bears and cinnamon bears. way back,
among the rocks, was stretched Out
the marine and ponderous frame of an
cid grizzly" He looked like he be-
longed in the Rocky mountains. If L
were younger man, l would rather
have the strongest girl in Blue Earth
county hug me, than to tackle the
mighty arms and paws of that savage
monster. When you see all these va
rieties of bears, you appreciate the
difference in them. There were two
white, polar bears, of immense size.
Notwithstanding the GOODNESS of
the weather, these huge fellows
plunged into the big stone basin, and
seemed to enjoy their bath like a pic
mic. The black and brown bears
were very fine specimens. They are
the kind that lay torpid in caves and
trunks of trees, during the winter,
and some out in the spring, thin and
gaunt.
After this we encountered whole
pack of wolves, fitted out with caves
built in rocks. They looked hide0uS
and dangerous. There were Two jet
black wolves, some very large timber
wolves, and quite pack Of the com,
mon grey wolves. One old mother
wolf had five little baby wolves The
only thing can see that wolf is lit
for, is, when Il poor and honest mau
kills them and gets the bounty.
And now we entered very large
building well heated with steam,
where there were elephants, Ostriches,
kangaroos, sea-liOns, and such like
monsters.
There were two elephants, one
very large, and the other small one,
only four years old. Right under
and about the feet of the big ele-
phant. was an old black cat,
with a litter of little kittens. II
the elephant should happen to step on
one, it would be thinner and flatter
than one of Bryan's silver dollars.
But the keeper told the children that
the kittens were never stepped on.
The kangaroos, with their pockets in
their stOmachS, and their enormous
hind legs, reminded US of Australia.
The children were greatly interested
in the immense ostriches. They had
legs like the fOrelegs Of horse. They
had a good many feathers, which,
when curled, might ornament lady's
bonnet. They were big stout fell
lows, and looked strong enough to carry
a man. | have read somewhere
that they could carry person;
l think it was in one of Haggard's
African novels. What a sensation it
would create if we could have John G.
Wise and John f. Meagher mount
these Ostriches, and run race, from
the stone quarries to the B ue Earth
bridge! Front street wouldn't hold
the people that would come to see
that sort of race.
We then came to an enormous cage
Of fowls. The children said there were
of them. They were big
fellows, with very erect ears. l think
l never saw so solemn an assembly.
They had arranged themselves in
rows, side ny side, and 1 venture the
opinion that there are not nineteen
deacons in Minnesota, all in Il row.
who could look so grave and serious as
did these awful owls.
We afterwards went to look at
ter-fowls, the wild geese, the
swan. pelicans and elder ducks. But
the children we're getting tired am
we had to stop and lunch. This is
really wonderfully pleasant and in
structive place to visit, and is well
worth a trip to the Queen City to
study and enjoy it. The children saw
other wonderful things in this zoolo-
gical garden, but we have said enough
J. II. BAKER.