The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-10-29

got whooping cough in Delaware and
had TO be sent to hospital, but we
heard he was we'll again and would
join the show in week. Pa asked
the Richmond lawyer how it would
be if one of the animals that was ad-
vertised was sick and couldn't perform,
and he told pa the people would mob
the show if anything was LETT out.
When we got to Richmond the
whole population, principally niggers,
was at the lot when we put up the
tents, and everybody wanted to eaten
a sight of Dennis the ourang outang,
and the posters all over town that
pictured Dennis smoking cigarettes
with a dress suit on, and eating with
a knife and fork and a napkin tucked
under his chin, were surrounded by
crowds. It was plain that all the peo-
pie cared for was to see the monk.
The managers held a council Of war
and decided the show would be ruin
ed if we didn't make a bluff at having
an ouraGg outang, so it was decided
that [ was to be dressed UP in Den
mis- clothes, and put on a monkey
mask, and go through his stunt at the
afternoon performance.
Gee. but 1 hated to do it, but pa
said the fate of the show depended
on it and if l didn't take the part
he would have to do it himself, and L
Knew IA WASH L lIic DulId VI 4llelll ~
play the monkey, and so l said | would
do T. but but l will never do it again
for any show. The wardrobe woman
fixed me up like Dennis, and | had
seen him go through his stunt so Of
ten / thought | could initiate him, and
of course there was no talking to DO,
but just to grunt once in awhile, the
way Dennis did, and have an animal
look.
Well sir the keeper who trained
the ourang outang took he in hand,
and in an hour | was perfect: L had
rubber feet and wore black gloves,
and had a tail fastened on with
safety pin, that would deceive the old
est Snowman in the business. When
the crowd was the biggest, in the mid
ule ring, the keeper led me out of the
dressing room with a chain. The an
nounCement was made by the barker
that Dennis, the educated ourdnS
outang, that had performed before
crowned heads in Europe and sap
heads in Newport, the only nlan-mon-
key in the known world would now
entertain the most select audience
that had ever been under the tent.
Then | was dragged into the ring and
put on the platform.
They didn't put or my dressfclotheS
at first but had a little screen on the
platform for me to go behind TO dress.
. ana i appeared lISl III TIE IldluI d
state of the ourang outang, with suit
OF buffalo robe stuff that looked ex-
actly like a big monkey. l bowed
and the audience cheered, and | stood
on my hands and scratched at an
imaginary flea, and pa who was lean
ing against the platform, whispered
to me that l was making the hit of the
season.
Then the attendants set the table
and the kPRner took DGnln0 the
screen and dressed me, and the old
fool forgot to put on my tail. He led
INC out and l sat up to the table,
hitched up my cuffs, put maxim I'M
der my chin, took a knife and fork
and began to eat. just like human
heinz. The audience cheered. and
the circus people crowded around and
said I was just as good as Dennis him
self. I went through the whole of Den
MIS- performance and never skipped a
note. until smart white man yelled
where is the tail of your ourang,
outang?" and the crowd began to be
suspicious. and more than a thousand
yelled: There is no tail on your
monkey"
That ratified the trainer and ne re-
membered that he had forgotten to
pin the tail on me, so while | was us
ing the finger bowl he went to the
screen and got the tail and came out
and was pinning it on TO my dress
pants. when the audience began TO
YELL Fraud, Fraud, Kill the
monk" and a lot of stuff.
Then pa got on a barrel the cle-
plants had been performing on and
got the attention of the audience and
told them not to be unreasonable. He
said the management had found by
experience that after the ourang