Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-14

est the moment the music began. A
sailors hornpipe was played and these
keen-nosed aud narrow-heade animals
jumped up and down as II they we're try
ing to carry out the peculiar steps OF this
stimulating dance. After the music stopped
they fairly beloved for more. Nor was
the encore enough. for even after the I'D
dler moved away the wolves continued In
a state Of excitement and made an uproar
that made impracticable any further ex-
pertinent in the sam section,
Pleased the Monkeys.
The monkeys were especially delighted.
The llveller the music the keener their en-
ioyment. When a doletul number was played
they gave a most woebegone expression Of
sympathy with the spirit OF the music
and when 1t comes to sorrowtul looks. the
monkey has the world beaten. There Is
nothing in animal life that reflects so WV
idly the sadness Of discouraged human
nature like the face Of an alling monkey,
II there are any cheer up" clubs In the
world the face Of a sick monkey would
be a good emblem for them to cherish. as
pointing the moral worth, yes, physical and
intellectual worth. OF good feeling. IL was
laughable, really, to watch the sober mien
Of these cunning animals when a sacred
piece was played. They settled into a
worshipful attitude with forearms crossed
and eyes closed and one expected every
second to hear a loud exclamation Of
"amen."
When Gay Paree" was added the
blithesome youngsters. and several Of the
old dodgers, who probably ought TO know
better. danced around the narrow quarters,
oiroled around each other and elevated
their extremities as II in true Partisan
sympathy with the galloping Jingle. The
only musical pieces that did not seem to
fit the monkey nature were those Of Turk
ish origin that came into vogue by way of
the Chicago fair. These strangely human
like animals appreciated hymns, sentiment
tai ballads, coon melodies, Sousa
marches, rag time dances, Venetian
waltzes, but the Asiatic wiggle. with it's
museum flavor, was too much for the mon
key, even II II did get an award of APP
prevail by way Of the Chicago fair,
One Of the Quaintest things Of the after
noon was the way in which a middle-aged
monkey, speaking from the monkey point
OF view, responded to the Last Rose OF
Summer" This monkey was a clean
limbed, fair-skinned. bright-eyed chap Of
his kind, who wac obviously on good terms
with the troups Of which he was one. As
soon as this beautiful love song was I'M
folded in musical number. the monkey In
question became a live coal of responsive
interest. His eyes spread like an awaken-
ing child's. They became liquid soft, and
were fairly eloquent of tender feeling.
No human could manifest a livelier SYM
pathy under the spell of musical influence.
The monkey is more than an animal of
instinct This musical axnoripnant ,op,n,l,
attention to this fact. An animal that
answers instinctively to the varying phase
Of music with a spirit almost humanity
expressive of Intelligence Is more than
a creature Of instinct.
Eject Upon Birds.
The last experiment Of the day was made
with a cage full Of gaily feathered birds
from China. II was singularly interesting
to watch the effect OF music upon these
gentle creatures. Sober numbers were OBJ,
viously distressing. Those OF light quality
with dancing movement, say, were es-
pecially stirring. The birds, big and little.
would manifest the keenest interest. jump
from perch to perch as II directed by the
baton Of a leader. This motion was beau
tifully rhythmic, with musical flow, and
conclusively illustrated a responsive chord
Of nature to the gaiety Of sound in music.
When the musician moved away they
grouped together in the center of the cage
and acted almost like human beings, gath
ering together to comfort each other at a
time when the best in life had flown.
Even the African hog, a repulsive crea-
ture, with snarled teeth and bullying eyes,
who Is said by the animal keepers to have
a strange power Of fascination over other
animals, yielded to the soothing quality
OF the music. This homely brute paid no
attention whatever to the filppant tunes
of the time. go Away Back and Sit
Down" was wasted on Mr.. Hogship. II
took a good, old-fashioned Sunday school
hymn to bring him to a Boer sensibility
Of the uses OF music. When this old church
hymn was played he lifted his heavy
head and looked toward the musician as
II he had found a friend, and would gladly
lift his voice in song praise of the wisdom
Of a Providence that permits the a~ristoc-
racy OF his flesh to be cooped up in a mar
row circus cage for the Indifferent notice
Of a new world.