Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-08
Why and Hon
Squinkie Broke the
White Mans Nose

a great many, many years ago
there lived in one Of the river regions
of central Africa monkey by the
name Of SQuinkie. He was the eldest
son of old Mrs. Monk, and helped her
to find the finest cocoanuts, the fresh
est berries, and the youngest OF car
rots for the family larder. In fact,
Suuinkie was the mainstay of the fam
lily after his fathers death, which oc-
Cured in most tragic manner.
But as this story is to be told about
Squinkie, and not about his parents,
we shall not 20 into detail about the
sad ending of Souinkie's pap. Suffice
to say that Squinkie had been obliged
to take his fathers place as chief
fighter and provider for the family,
which consisted Of the mother, Squin'
kie, sister and brother.
One day, while in the depths Of the
forest-a place so dense with inter
woven vines and underbrush, and so
crowded by great trees whose
branches intermingled so thickly that
the light of the sun could scarcely
penetrate-Squinkie pricked up his
ears at most unusual sound. Now
there was not beast, nor reptile,
nor a bird In all that part of Africa
with whom Squinkie was not acquaint-
ed don't mean that he was on speak
ing terms with hts fellow creatures
that belonged to a species differing
from his own; but he knew them by
sound. He could tell the instant a
rhinoceros stepped into the jungle. He
new the soft glide of the snake. He
understood the approach of the hon, OF
the leopard. though he did not see the
form of the creature who made the
noise of approach. But on this day
SquinlIe heard new sound-a
strange, rafting Of leaves and under
brush, noise never made by any OF
the creatures he was accustomed to
hearing. So he pricked up his ears
and listened intently, feeling of min
gled fear and curiosity taking posses
sion of him.
Then, peering through the jungle,
Suuinkie saw sight that made his
deep-set eyes open very, very wide. A
black creature, walking on two very
| long. straight legs. And beside him,
another creature-a white one-walk-
ing on two very long, straight legs.
|. And the limbs that grew out from their
1 .
things, the same as he. Squinkie, often
used his front legs to carry things.
But never had Squinkie stood upright
Just like a tree, with his front legs
folded UP and carrying strange wea
I pons. Often Squinkie had carried
great stick-picked up from the
ground-with which to beat another
monkey who might interfere with his
affairs in the way of getting what food
he desired. But these creatures were
the strangest he had ever seen, and
did not belong to Squinkie's forest
Squinkie, knowing that self preser
walton meant hiding in the tree
branches, hurriedly swung himself fal
above the place where he knew these
strange creatures would soon pass fol
they were tearing vines and branches
away so that they might pass through
Just beyond this dense spot was
more open space, where one could ge
about without so much trouble. Ant
it seemed that these creatures were
making for that spot. But Il
Squinkie's surprise there popped init
sight another and another, and still
another black being, and all were
walking upright on long, straight legs
and all were carrying in their shor
front legs (they had arms, blu
Suuinkie thought Of them as legs
weapons. And still more and more o
the black creatures thrust themselye
through the underbrush, following tn
first black one and tall white one.
Here's the place we'll find the mon
keys" said the leader of the band Q
tall beings. But Of course, Squinki
did not understand a single word o
what was said And neither woul
you have understood for the creatur
did not speak our language. But i
his own tongue-a very peculiar on
it was!-he told the tall white creatur
that they were now in the place t
find the monkeys.
81 don't want any Of them shot,
spoke the white creature in the sam
peculiar tongue employed by the blac
leader or guide 81 want them take
without a wound, for as have toll
e you. they are to be used for sho7
. purposes. They will be put in cage
and carried all over the world"
Although the black guide did nc
e seem to quite understand what sho'
| OF CaSS vi Oh oNCi IhS WIN
meant, he did understand that MOI
keys were the object of the hur
through the forest. and that they :
the monkeys-must not be injured
any way.
"We'll get 'em with our traps" e
e planned the guide. So the white ma
(for of course you have understood
that the tall creatures walking c
e long, straight legs were mem said th'
was just what he wanted.
Then the group Of black men wit
one white man in their midst-stot
directly underneath the tree in who's
branches Squinkie was hiding. Al
'e Squinkie, being warrior bold, locke
about for some dead bits of branch
that he might break off easily to
thrown On the heads of his enemi
should they look up and behold nj
there.
AS he was securing a stick-for OF
a. was close at hand--he saw one OF Il
black Sen looking up into the We
branches where he was perched. TIT
o, such a shout went up from the who
band Of black creatures, and they
le gan to climb the trees surroundi1