The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-08-27
How Uncle Eli .-Took In. zeb Parker

l
being the only resident OF Larimy county
who could boast Of the ownership Of a
trained African ape. Old Eli had pur-
chased the brute from n travelling circus
company that had stranded IN Tardy-
town the summer before The animal
was known by the non-attractive name
"Zeke."
Hes well educated" said the show
man, when he sold him TO the farmer
an he's as harmless as a fve-days-old
coyote"
Kin ne do stunts?T asked Eli. expec-
family.
Kin he" said the man in an exagger-
ated tone; well, you jest orter see i'm
Why. that brute's got more tricks up his
| sleeve than Houdin or Hermann ever
dreamed of havin
Now, Uncle Ell had never heard OF
I either Houdin or Hermann, but he took
it for granted that they were come
/ celebrated magicians and he took IN with
pleasure all the Snowman said. though
somewhat inclined TO doubt the fact that
Zeze had stunts up his sleeve.
The ape was at first confined in the
/ barn. where his playful nature assert
/ ed itself. principally in removing the COW
! ers from the feed boxes and barrels and
then unfastening the horses and cattle
! and in amusing himself in various other
ways 70 the CONSERVATION and dlsmay
/ OF Uncle Eli. But his disposition seeming
1 to be d gentle one he was allowed the
/ freedom of the yard, where he manifest
4 ed the greatest interest for farm work
/ and became a. useful help TO his owner.
Before he had been there week Zeke
| began to show his liking for the <armer.
| He was Just as tall as Eli and in proper
ton he was the same build. From morn
ing to night he was with his owner,
helping with the chores, seeming TO be
\ TO ar7ff n what
could.
Uncle Eli was a trained athlete and
/ he soon began TO teach the ape q few
! tricks in the acrobatic line. A gymna-
SUM was fitted up in the barn lot re-
hearsals being held twice day, Zeke
learning at such a fast rate that he
babe fair to excel his teacher.
AN talk about stunts" said Uncle
Eli TO a neighbor one morning; why,
Zeke Jest let's EN- roll out of his sleeve
ez though they wuz bugs fallin' from
a later vine
Ten thousand dollars would have been
no inducement to Eli to sell the ape after
he had him a week
Zeke practiced many of his tricks In
the village, but the best one of the
season, Uncle Eli said, was when de
took in old Zeb Parker on Muskeeter
hill.
The story was told by the farmer him
self at the annual meeting of the school
board at Terdyville Center.
1T was tn slickest piece of work any
animal hez ever attempted said Uncle
Eli. as he perched himself on the back
of chair, ZEN 1t seems doubtful to
me if any critter aside from Zeke could
hev succeeded in dom it.
How'd it happen?" inquired Charley
Bascom, one of the town commission
ers.
wal. it amt long story" replied
Eli, but it's one tibet amt bein' given
out every day, an it's all tn more
good OWN TO tn fact that It's rig nal
Ye all know Zel1e an ye all know what
tarnal lot of inginooity he's p sessed Of
He's alIus inventin' some sort of new
dodge which is sure [ work well W EN-
ever he give it, although in this case 1t $
no morn right. out of credit to myself,
to say thet it was my idee which proved
to be sech a great fooler to Zebbie. OF
course, Zelxe carried it out an tn sue
cess of tn whole skeme is reckly due
t him. 1t was jest this way: Zebbie,
bein' as We know. one of them penoorius
sort of neighbors, allus wuZ kind or
rnizerly an war ever wantin' to borry one
or more of tn farm implements. OF
course, this sort of thing viii wear on
We in time an l grew tired lettin' him
have things. Wal, bout tn middle of
las Girls mas week Zebbie came over an
asst to bOrry tn curry-comb. tn ole Is
a-i'chin,' SEE he, an I'd like TO give I'm
a good scrubbin' down. Course l had
no pertickler recon fer holdin' back an
I wuz bout Zeke gives me dig in III
side an looks up TO me eZ much ez 10
say tibet [ hadn't orteT do it. So l
told Parker he cud hev il if he minded
comm back to- tn house after dinner.
Zeb said yes an went away Then L
looked at Zeke an inquired why il wuz
he didn't care TO heV tn farmer take
tn curry-comb. He jumped around an
made moshuns which l interpreted as
meanin' tibet Zebbie ment 10 keep tn
comb. an so I told Zeke tibet EN- he
came arter dinner tibet I wouldn't let
him hey it. Thet seemed to please tn
ape fer he sort o grinned ez though he
liked it. an nudged round tn table an
chartered e much ez to say tibet l mad
decided well.
Il thort 'twould be good joke to
hide on Zebbie when he came an make
him think there WIZ no one at home
cause didn't want to face him arter
givin' tn promise, ye know. Wal, tn
more I thort of tn matter. tn less
pleased I became. At las an idee struck
me- tell ye what well do, Zeke,
SEE I. Wen jess play a trick on Zebble
thet'U scare him out of his wits an keep
Zeke wuz all attenshun an he issened
with CROWN interest TO what mad
TO propose. Now. Zeke,' SEE ], III Jest
rig We up in my ole buds an when Ieooie
comes arter tn curry-comb ye Jest go
out an make believe Yer me Zeke jump
ed around ez though he enjoyed II, an
when tn time came I took down my ole
ulster an held il up while tn ape put
his neck an put on my ole felt hat an
the ear-muffs. arter which Zeke opened
tn door an started out 20 do his stunt.
-Zebbie wuz comm down N road
when Zeke started out, but IN ape went
across til farm in an op-zit direckshun
He wuz half cross tn field Tore Aepple
saw him an 7 WIZ jest beginnin' 70 rear
that tn decepshun woulc IAN but II
didr-t. FL soon ez Zebbie's eyes lighted
en- tn ape he stopped an, piacin' his
hans up TO his lips ike trumpet. he
hopered. Hey Eiir an then started
hack TO run Zeke of. Wal. / never thort
tn. skeme wuz goin' 10 pan out ez well
ez it did, an Zeke an l had long
laugh out OF it when he got back.
watched il all from tn door an 1 saw
tn aue climb over tn fence an start
,to TN road lest IN same ez I would hev
done If I'd a-been him. Zeooie was nun
min all tn way. tryin' 70 catch up an
bollerin' HEY. Eli. I've come over 10
berry III curry-coub.
wal when hel Amos caught I'D 70
him Zeke turned around. Zebbie got one
look then Topped around an started
for no ore knows where Zeke came
Back an toofr Of my buds an we both
had a good laugh TEen We sat down
am I gave Zeke Jest what he deserved.
aa tibet wuz d steemin bowl OF rolled
cats
-Did Zebbfe ever come u dc any
more borryin e. asked Charley 8ascora-