The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-16


their shade. and a hundred PAGES to the
left showed the wide expanse of tropical
swamp with uncertain luster in frame Of
green.
| was too exhausted TO sleep soundly and
hardly lost entire consciousness. With
closed eyes and lying on my side, I still
saw the surrounding country and heard
what going on. And. all the time,
was dreaming all sorts of dreams, caprices
and surprises until. in the end. became
aware of the presence of living being.
Yes, biped, but neither bird nor human.
1 was quite sure OF that.
Its presence did not Cypress me, but I
longed to make sure, nevertheless, and
tried to raise my eyelids. To be sure, there
was another face right near. above my
own. 1t peeped at me through the openings
in the branches, straining its muscles with
funny grimaces. A pigmy, 1 thought Two
round. extremely agile eyes, with an ex-
preston of childishness and youth in them
-ah, and such an amount of inquisitive-
ness, truly woman-like curiosity
| And with the savageness common to all
huntsmen I grabbed my rife. But at the
same time found out that 1 was really
asleep my hand sank down listlessly. my
right leg, bent to facilitate getting up,
stretched out again. Morpheus, vanished
for moment, resumed his empire
Meanwhile the funny little face continued
looking at me-the more 1 slept the more
conscious I became of its presence. Now L
heard voices. too-the hum and buzz of a
| thousand insects. Immense dragon flies,
with metallic glittering wings. vast null
titude of armored, wanton, feathered beau
| ties, clad in the colors of the rainbow, few
by, dancing and pirouetting in the sun
light, enjoying the heavy air that is death
to all not born on the soil. The atmosphere,
pregnant with strange odors that threat
ened to stife me, was their very elixir Of
| life.
Slowly the feeling of stupefaction and
confusion wore off and under the steady
| gaze of the little creature in the branches
above 1 awoke. When fully conscious,
| reached deliberately for the murderous
weapon at my side.
AT that moment my curious observer
thought it time to withdraw. 1t was a
young monkey. Leisurely, without show
| of suspicion, indeed somewhat reluctantly,
he climbed from his perch His movements
| vastly amused me, they were so comical,
| yet Mr.. Monkey took every precaution not
TO make a noise. AS he bent the branches
| and twigs aside to secure a passage way
for himself he seemed the embodiment of
ease and grace, and, his eyes fixed on mine,
seemed to say: Now, you will not harm
me, will you? You are much too big and
generous to seek to destroy little one like
me. who hasn't an evil thought in his head.
| See, not even impertinent, just a bit
curious. But that iron stick in your hand
L do not like at all. 1t looks dangerous and
1 prefer to get away from it. Once more,
excuse my prying. See. 1 am off,"
And further down the road I saw two
large apes, the parents of the little one,
suppose. for they were issuing shrin notes
of warning. But what was their anguish,
what was the tiny monkeys good-natured
appeal to me? l, the lord of creation,
wanted his skin-a fine skin, it would make
an elegant muff for my mistress in far
away Paris. took aim and three seconds
later the shot rang through the wilder
ness.
Leaves rustled and fell in tatters, birds
shrieked. animals of many kinds, doing in
the shadow, awoke and uttered startled
cries. A butterfly, big my spread hand
Hchanged from one ebony tree to the other
filing its immediate environment with
bluish luster and leaving metallic sheen
behind.
AS he was shot, the little monkey tried
desperately to steady himself on the near
est twigs, but had not the strength. His
body rolled slowly from branch TO branch,
and reaching the last fell upon the ground.
When L raised it. life was not wholly ex-
tinct, but power of resistance was L
handled it as L would a dressing case or
valise.
Then I looked my newly-acquired prop
erty in the face. The monkeys narrow,
shrunk lips twitched convulsively and his
big childish eyes bore a never-to-be-forgot-
ten expression. Horror of death, fear Of the
hereafter, anguish, all, and reproach, were
plainly painted his features.
YEA this insignificant animal hurled a
world of execration against me in his dy-
mig gaze, and as L became aware of it, l
saw my foolish, abominable act in it's true
light.
And 1 kept the monkey in my arms and
caressed the dying head, oh, so lovingly
If it had been that of the most beautiful
woman in the world 1 could not have
fondled it with more tender sentiments.
Above us, in the treetops. the parents of
the young one l had murdered, continued
to issue fierce cries and challenges They
ground their teeth. Fear TO draw upon
themselves the fate that struck down their
hopeful, alone kept them from attacking
and managing me. What Joy they would
have experienced in scratching and biting
me-but there was my rifle. symbol of civ
ilization.
Leaning his forehead against my breast
the little monkey died. In his last moments
the expression of fear and reproach had
given way to that of absolute helplessness
He was as helpless and trusting as a sick
child.
And L went back to camp at war with
myself. 1 felt that to regain my self-re-
spect, must despise and loathe myself for
the brutal deed / had done, for the despic-
able animality slumbering in my soul.
During the five years following the muir
der of the little monkey / did not touch a
gun, save when the service compelled me
and even then / felt great repugnance
Still. 1 was not cured of my evil passion
not entirely so, for one day l went hunting
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