Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 140, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 June 1914 — TALES of GOTHAM AND OTHER CITIES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

TALES of GOTHAM AND OTHER CITIES

Central Park Visitor Said He Saw a Goat Smoke ♦ . ■ NEW YORK.—Bob Hurton, assistant keeper of the zoo In Central park, was entering the lion house the other afternoon when a young man staggered across the walk and leaned against him for support

“What’s . the trouble?” Hurton asked. | “I think I have seen something, I should have a doctor," the agitated visitor said. The young man explained then that, unless he had been the victim of an illusion, Hurton was needed bat hind the animal house. “Have the elephants- broken loose?’’ Hurton asked. ; “No,” tbe visitor said. “But ] think I saw a goat smoking a cigar?

On the way to the lot back of the elephant house Hurton met Bill Sny> der, the head keeper. "What’s this I hear about a smoking goat?” Hurton asked his chief. Snyder was perplexed by the question, but with Hurton, he followed the visitor who had discovered the zoological phenomenon. In the lot was Perfecto, a large ram, presented to the menageries by the manager of a circus. Perfecto was standing in the center of the inclosure. There was a far-away look upon his face, and he was holding in his mouth half of a cigar. In telling the story later, Snyder said that the cigar waa burning and that Perfecto was puffing away at It in evident Snyder took one look at the goat and then he felt in the pocket of his vest,! where he usually carries his cigars. The pocket was empty. “You thief!” he cried, shaking a fist at the goat. He remembered petting Perfecto just a few minutes before, and he waa of the opinion that' the goat had stolen his cigar. ’Hie animal, he explained, had been named Perfecto because of his fondness for tobacco. He had been, taught to smoke by the employes of the circus. “But, Bill, how did he get a light?” Hurton asked. C' “That’s nothing,” said Snyder. “You remember in 1910 the, case of th® weeping grampus—” But Bob had fled.