Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 February 1913 — “Monkey Trot” Stirs Guests of a Chicago Hotel [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

“Monkey Trot” Stirs Guests of a Chicago Hotel

CHICAGO. —Everybody did the “Monkey Trot” at a big down-town hotel the other day. Guests, including staid matrons, chorus girls, traveling men, and politicians, joined with chambermaids, bell boys, hallmen, and even the managers and proprietors in ■executing the latest trot novelty. Leading the grand march was a sprightly specimen of the tiny tree folk—a typical simian. He had been mysteriously checked Into the parcel room and left uncalled for. After three days of waiting for somebody to claim him he began to protest. “Say, boss, there’s something wrapped up in a paper here that is making an awful funny noise,” said Paul Weinstein, the parcel boy, to Walter Payne, the superintendent of the hotel, a little before the noon hOuf. A little crowd gathered around Weinstein when he cautiously removed the wrapper. There was a suit case inside. He sprung the latch. There was a- flash of pink skin and dark brown fur. Several persons grabbed at a shadow that bounced off their shoulders. The small monkey executed an undulating streak in a circuit of the lobby. over the backs of the chairs and tables. Down the middle aisle he was followed. At a group of statuary he' shinned up a satyr’s thigh, hopped

through the air, and caught the arm of a marble nymph, sliding down the graceful figure to the floor and diving under a huge divan. ’

For a few minutes the orchestra stopped playing and people took the interval to discuss the latest “rag.” The trot leader had retired into the upholstery of the divan. He was coaxed and threatened, but the only response was the repeated “Hictchika-k. k-k-k.”

The bouse detective was called. The divan was overturned and bottom ripped off. The monkey jumped out and the dance was resumed, proceeding immediately up the aisle and to the stairway. Past the mezzanine floor to the first floor through the ballroom and into a corner suite the monkey led the trot. In room 119 the door was closed. There the simian sought refuge on an electrolier and was finally captured and returned to a grip.