The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1909-05-08
EXCITING EXPERIENCE OF
SQUlNklE, AFRICAN MONKEY

great many. many years ago there lived in
one Of the river regions of Central Africa mon
key By the name of Squinkle He was the eldest
Of old Mrs. Monk. and helped her TO find the
finest cocoanuts, the freshest berries and the young
est of carrots for the family larder In fact Squn-
ke was the mainstay of the family after his faith
er's DEATH which occurred in most tragic man
uer
But as this story is to be told about Souinkle
and not about his parents, shall not go into de
tail about the sad ending of Squinkles papa. Suf-
flee it TO say that Squinkle had been obliged to
take his fathers place chief fighter and provder
for the family, which consisted of the mother,
Squinkle sister and brother.
One day. while in the depths of the forest-a
place so dense with interviewer vines and under
brush and so crowded by great trees whose
branches intermingled so thickly that the light Of
cEe sun could scarcely penetrate-Squinke prcked
up his at most unusual sound. Now there
not beast reptile. nor a bird III al that
part Of Africa with whom SquinlIe was not ac-
quainted / don't mean that he was speaking
terms with his fellow-creatures that belonged 70 \
species differing from his own: but he knew them
by sound. He could tell the instant a rhnocero5
stepped into the jungle. He knew the soft glide OF
the snake. He understood the approach OF the hon.
the leopard. though he did not see the form OF
the creature who made the noise of approach. But
on this day Squinkle heard new sound-a strange,
rafting Of leaves and underbrush, noise never
made bv any of the creatures he accustomed TO
hearing So he pricked up his ears and listened
intently, feeling of mingled fear and curiosity
taxing possession of him.
Then peering through the jungle. Squlnlde saw
a sight that made his deepest eyes open very, very
wide. A black creature, walking on two very long,
straight legs And beside him, another creature
white one-walking on two very long. straight legs
And the limbs that grew out from their shoulders
were used for carrying things. the same as he
Souinkle often used his front legs to carry things.
But never had Squinkle stood uprlght-Just like
q tree with his front legs folded up and carrying
strange weapons Often Squinkle had carried
great stick-picked up from the ground-wlth
which to beat another monkey who might interfere
with his affairs in the way of getting what 1000 ne
desired But these creatures we're the stTangest
he had ever seen, and did not belong to Squlnkles
forest
Souinkle knowing that self-preservation meant
hiding in The tree branches, hurriedy swung him
self far above the place where he knew these strange
creatures would soon pass. for 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 get about without so
much trouble And ii seemed that these creatures
we're making for that spot But to Squmkle's sur
prise there popped into sight another and anotner
and still another black being. and all were walking
upright on long straight legs and all were carry
ing in their short front legs (they had arms but
Squinble thought of them as arge) weapons; y ana
still more and more of the black creatures follow
ing the first black one and the tall white one
Here's the place we'll find the monkeys" SAID
he leader of the band of tall beings. But OF course
Souinkle did not understand single word OF what
7ras said And neither would you have under
stood. for the creature did not speak our language
Rl,1 in his own tongue-a very peculiar one 1t was