Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-03-26

dark purple snades OF MS WOOdeu Sizes,
rolling away, revealed the deep scars of
eruptions made when he and the world
were young and frolicked together. All!
thought I, you are very grave and re-
spectacle now an excellent example,
since your fires are burned out!
1t was bathing time for all animated
nature, and the shores of the lake were
alive with countless birds. Large blue
herons, white cranes of every size, CAB.
bling ducks and gentle pigeons, they
needed me not, and, and my road turned
up from the shore into densely wooded
hills. The world seemed a new Eden,
untouched by man. The quality Of the
air was Intoxicating; forms of beauty,
delicious perfumes, sweet sounds, enrap-
tured every sense. Suddenly a rush as
of a tempest made the horse open his
wide black eyes, and jumped against his
curb. Then was sharp chatter Of
voices high in the trees. 1t was flock
of monkeys. How they came on! A
wilderness of them. Swift as weavers'
shuttles, they sprang from bough to
bough, through interviewer vines. They
swung by the hands, they dangled by
prehensile tails, they pelted down dried
branches, leaves, blossoms. There were
mothers with baby monkeys on their
backs; school boy monkeys; young lady
monkeys; family monkeys, scandalized
at the general disturbance, and scold-
ing everybody. There were old mon.
keys, preternaturally grave, responsible
to the community, burdened with af'
fairs, officers of monkey institutions
and leading citizens,
I jumped from the saddle and hurled
ly tying my horse to a sapling, watched
their antics in mute amazement. They
did not care for my stupid society and
moved away through the vast Ceiba
trees, grinning back at me; all but one
important fellow that hovered above
me, hanging by his tail and dropping
down dry branches Thoughtlessly |
drew my revolver and lined the poor
Sylvan-ruffian that was-in his own
tree. The sharp report rang out, and
the startled hills threw it back in con
fused and dismal echoes. There was a
scamper of chatetring monkeys; ! saw
that my shot had told, for my victim
was slowly coming down, clutching at
the limbs with nerveless hands, until he
dropped into the bush.
My first impulse was to ride away;
but fearing I might leave him Ian
gushing with a wound I went to the
poor creature. He was struck in the
breast the ball had gone through his
body. Death had touched him; his hui
man face was livid and his eyes fImy.
His great trouble had cast out fear, he
raised his eyes to me with sad express
sion that penetrated my very soul; then
to my indescribable horror, he plucked
leaves with which he feeblp strOve to
stanch the flowing blood. I seized my
pistol to end his suffering, but my trem
bling hand refused to obey me, and in 9
moment, choked with internal bleeding
his Jaw fell and he was dead.
stood still, bound to the spot, filled
with shame and remorse, like him who
did the first murder. 1t was only {
monkey; so much the greater crime thai
7 man saluted on the road as a
Caballero, booted, spurred, armed
should kill the simple forester in his ma
tive wood. He, doing no HARM and ask
ing but a little of the superflous fruit
age of nature, was a worthier citizer
than I, who owned the sheep for wool
the OK for leather, yea, the very worn
for silkl needed not his monkey flesl
for food nor his skin for clothing
Whichever way looked I was convict
ed without appeal, Myself condemned
myself. I turned away and mounted m,
horse.
Through the trees the broad lax,
glimmered in the sun, the volcanoe
touched the blue sky and birds 'soareC
.oyously in the air, but the beauty o
the morning was gone; there was
choking feeling in my throat, the roa,
before me was a dry strip Of sand an
rocks, and the cry Of the macaws wa
harsh discord, and the lunches of fu
chsia, hanging over the path were pui
, pie red, like blod.-Our Dumb Animals