The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-08-03
The Artist and the Monkey.

The Artist and the Monkey.
The friendship between them cam'
about in this way: A book was to b'
published in which a small gray mon
KEY played q very important part
The publishers wished to illustrate the
book with many pictures. and because
this artist was known to be so fond o.
animals that he drew them betterthar
most others, he was asked to make
these Illustrations. If were to men
ton his name, you would know al
once.
He read the manuscript and then sci
about finding his models. Men, wo'
men, and children were at hand to an
swer his purpose, but where was the
monkey to be found?
He went up to Central Park and
looked among the swinging, chatter
ing, wrinkled-faced creatures. Final
ly he found one answering to the de
scription in the manuscript. In ordel
to make his drawing before the crowd
of visitors focked to the m%enageries
he used to get up very early in the
bright spring mornings. and go and
sit before the great monkey cage ant
make sketches of the little creature in
the various queer positions that II
seemed fond of taking.
After q time the monkey noticed
him, and came to the very wires o.
the cage ut once upon his arrival every
morning.
Tt reached for a pencil, smelled oft,
turned it over many times, bit the lead
offat the sharpened end, and gravely
gave it back with an air that said: 81
am surprised that you do not know
how to prepare your pencils"
But all the time it seemed to the ar
fist that the monkey was sad or Ill.
Now, the artist was a tall mani and
broad-shouldered. His head reached
far higher than the most men we meet.
Perhaps that was why every small,
weak thing seemed to know and like
him, for you know large natures pro-
tect the weak.
So he set himself to find out what il
was that troubled his little friend
The keeper was called and question
ed.
20, the little gray monk isall right
said the keeper. "You're payin' him
a good deal of attention an be thinks
he's got to make out a case. Monkeys
are awful fakirs; an them little gray
ones are sharper'n most"
So the artist went on with his work,
and the monkey sat by the wires, chat
tering his sad little tale, all about the
home he had left in q tall cocoanut tree
and the friends that were like him
self.
And the artist answered: "yes, yes
old fellow, it's a bigshameW And bis
heart was very tender toward his little
gray friend. -.
Then the monkey began to rub itt
little hands across it's stomach, as II IL
were in pain. The keeper was calico
again.
IT tell.y Pm afraid there's some
thing the matter with the little fellow
after ALL"
The keeper watched the small crea
ture a minute or two, but it sat perfect
ly still.
lilies all right" said the keeper again
"He's young, an he's CROWN fast
Growing pains, maybe"
When the keeper had gone, the lit
tie monkey came very close to the side
of the cage and chartered very softly
and reached out n little gray arm
The artist went up to the cage. In
monkey took one of his fingers, am
with a great deal of looking over it:
shoulder and chattering and twisting
about, rubbed the finger up and dowr
over the front of his little gray ful
Waistcoat.
And what do you think?
The artist found a strong string tlec
tightly about the monkeys stomach
The end had been broken off and tn
fur had covered it from sight. 1t hat
been tied on when the monkey wa
little, and, while the poor thing hat
grown larger, the string had remained
the same and cutting into the 1esh. .,
The artist at once took out bis knlf'
and opened q shining blade. Thl
frightened the monkey, but after a lit
tie faith in his big friend helped bin
to be brave.
The cord was cut and found to hav
made a sore all about the waist-of tn
little one. The artist went at once t.
the attendant, who brought some olnt
ment, and together they took the It'll
sufferer from his cage. But the mon
KEY would let no hand but that OF NJ
artist friend touch the wound, 80 tn!
big man turned surgeon and dressed !
carefully.
Afterwards when the pictures for tn
book had all been made and the sor'
mark under the little waistcoat hal
long been healed, whenever the arts
CHANGED to stop before the monkey
cage-even ifmany people were ther
he was sure to here a joyous chatter
ing and see q little figure come tylnI
to the bars and beckon with all IT
might. Then the small hands Wer
rubbed across the small stomach
while merry thanks were chippere'
for the old time service of gentlenes
and pity.-Exchange.
Mastic paints the kind that wears. For sal
=. NsIIforlra Dr10 SfnrQ.