The Washington times., 1901-08-25

and drop tear upon his grave, a pecu-
liarly vicious rattlesnake who died SEINE
time ago had its mourners. The royal
Bengal tiger has many admirers among
the human kind though, so far as car
be ascertained, he has not returned
any of these affections. He habitually
exhibits an Indifference to human ad-
miration, while there is something in
his mien that checks familiarity. In
deed, nobody has yet approached him
sufficiently near to shake hands, and,
like Mr.. Wrinkles horse. he turns a
deaf ear to verbal cajolery.
| One old lady comes in her carriage
quite frequently to see the big African
lion. She is quite attached to the ami
I NAL which she terms the ''lordly
brute" and is always quite solicitous
| in ascertaining the condition of his
| health and spirits.
An aged gentleman Is a regular Wis
| itor to the elephant house. lie has con-
templated the huge quadruped so con-
tinuously that 1t is said he has gotten
into the latter's habit of swinging his
body from side to side. The delight of
this gentleman's life is evidently
| watching the elephant. Both stand
wobbling to and fro, and contemplate
ing each other Just what the old gen.
tleman (who is deaf and dumb thinks
of the elephant. and what satisfaction
he experiences in gazing at him and
perhaps unconsciously initiating his
movements would be as difficult to
guess as to define the feelings of the
elephant himself upon the matter.
There is a lobbyist who frequents
the Zoo who is. perhaps. the most re-
markable member of the species in re-
gard to the popularity of his hobby yet
noted. This gentleman is a firm be-
lever in the doctrine of the transmit
grafton of souls, and he seeks among
the animals for human resemblances.
He believes that nearly every human
being resembles some particular animal,
and conversely that every animal re-
senlbles some human being. He regards
such resemblances as indicating that in
the animal is imprisoned the soul of
some long-deceased ancestor of the per-
son whom it resembles. and he believes
that, from long practice aided by a
natural faculty for keen observation,
he can trace in the animal when con-
fronted with his human kith and kin
some faint signs of recognition of the
true state of the case not perceived, of
course, by the latter. When, therefore
he sees visitor who he thinks re-
IL, r.
lows that person around until he
reaches the cage wherein is confined his
metamorphosed relation, when he
eagerly watches the result on the ami
NAL. The method of calculating the
theory of this strange individual is de-
scribed in the following narrative:
A very cadaverous gentleman, with
very large hook nose had paused in
front of the cages containing the
macaws and parrots. A reporter who
was present was touched upon the
shoulder at this juncture by a gentle
man with very grave cast of features.
who whispered eagerly into his ear:
DO you observe the similarity? No,
no; don't laugh. I assure you I'm not
joking Look at the face of that ma
cawi"
The bird in question was contemplate
ing the gentleman with the hook nose
with great attention. Suddenly he set
up most ear-piercing screetch.
"Ah. 1 thought So" exclaimed the
gentleman who had previously spoken.
Il knew l could not be mistaken" and
then it was that he proceeded to ex-
pound his theory.
The greenhouses of the Botanical
Gardens and the Agricultural Depart
meut afford delight to many lobbyists
on the subject of botany. One lady of
advanced years visits these greenhouses
regularly when able, being escorted
from her carriage by her footman, who
accompanies her during her peregrina-
tons among her beloved flowers and
plants. Occasionally, in her enthusi-
asm, she will turn around to John and |
invite his admiration of some excep-
tionally rare or fine botanical specimen, |
but that stolid functionary never dis |
plays the slightest emotion, and is, to |
all intents and purposes, for the time |
a mere machine.
Such are a few of the lobbyists whose |
existence is gladdened by the collec- |
tons in this city that are passed over |
so carelessly by the many