Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 November 1883 — Monkey Shines. [ARTICLE]

Monkey Shines.

There are no animals about which so many stories,have been told as the Tnord key.* AH the tricks and rascalities of the animal kingdom have been law! ; at his door. The Englishman who wrote to his correspondent in Rio Janiero to send him two hundred varieties of the monkey plant, and consequently received'word from his correspondent that lie had received and shipped ITS varieties Of monkeys, anti could procure no more,.was probably thinking of their manj’ blunders and tricks when he himself committed the blunder that cost him so dear. Most of the stories are based on the monkey’s power of imitation. A Spanish mule-driver once invested his scant earnings in purchasing a number of red woven caps, which form the crown of the turban worn throughout Turkey and Africa, and sot out to make liis fortune in the interior. He started before sunrise, anil when the heat of the day came on lav down to sleep benetffti’ a tree in a wood. Taking oft’ his hat he opened his valise, and, putting on a red cap, was soon asleep. * When the sun was low in the horizon he awoke, and to his horror saw the trees filled with monkeys in red caps. They had seen the Spaniard put on,the red cap before going to sleep, and followed his example. Tht? poor Spaniard, with all the gesticuiatiotr-fjecuimr to-Tus country, ■ cursed his bal’d fate, stamped his foot in anger, and tore off his red cap anil threw it on tlie ground, when blessed and unexpected result, all the monkeys followed his example. He picked up his hats and moved on. When the small-pox once raged in South-America, and broke out with violence among the monkeys* ft cunning French physician secured yin old baboon, and in his presence slowjy vaccinated a young monkey on, ins fleshy part of the foie-arm. *He used a pro-, tected lancet, &> that the wound could only be made of a certain depth, and, retiring, soon had thp pleasure Of seeing the old baboon vaccinate another monkey as carefully as he had done. One evidence oft'ered that monkeys are akin to human brings is the fact that they seem to be terribly’ afraid of the dark. So when the showmen have occasion to use them in an evening performance, and wish to stop their chattering and noise, they place a lighted candle in their midst and they squat around it and wink and blink As'quietly as though they wore reflecting, on the origin of light.