Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 January 1886 — THE STRANGER FLED. [ARTICLE]

THE STRANGER FLED.

How an Innocent Monkey Caused TerroV to a Man. There is a saloon in Harlem that owns a pet monkey. The monkey drinks beer and whisky, and is popular with the customers of the place. The monkey has many friends who pet him, and with whom he is very familiar. . Late one night a man entered the saloon who was acquainted with the monkey. While he was taking his drink the monkey jumped on the bar, and then on the man’s shoulder, where he perched himself in a very affectionate manner. While the little animal was in this position the door opened and a stranger entered the saloon. Sad to say, the stranger had been drinking, drinking heavily, in fact, while the color of his nose indicated that he was not on his first spree. He approached the bar with unsteady steps, and in a hoarse voice asked for some whiskey. While the bar-keeper was reaching for the bottle, the stranger suddenly started, cried, “Ha!” and waved his hand before his face. ; His eyes had rested on the monkey. “What’s the matter?” asked the barkeeper. “No—nothing,” gasped the stranger. “I thought I saw —but no, it could not be.”

After drimcing Bis whiskey he wheeled around and gave vent to a loud yell. His eyes bulged out of their sockets and his hands trembled. The monkey had climbed from the man’s shoulder and seated himself on his hat, and was making faces at the stranger. “Ba-ba-bar-keeper,” gasped the stranger; “is there a monkey on that gentleman’s hat?” The bar-keeper took in the situation at a glance. “No,” he replied in a solemn tone, “no;” and then, as if speaking to himself, but loud enough for the etranger to hear him, he said: “Poor man, he thinks he gees monkeys.” By this time the monkey,had jumped frojp the man’s hat to the floor, and hidden himself behind the bar. The stranger looked about the saloon, and being greeted with no “vision,” grew calmer, and was enabled to regain sufficient courage to call for another glass of whiskey. The bottle and glass were produced, the stranger poured out enough for a person Of mature years, and was about to raise it to his lips when something happened. Behind the bar was heard a loud squeak, and-then, as quick as a flash of lightning, there appeared before the rum-dimmed eyes of the stranger a chattering monkey with a flaring red coat, grinning like a demon, who seized his glass with his long black hairy arms. The stranger gave one look, uttered a frightful cry, dropped his glass on the floor, and rushed from t he saloon, the very picture of terror. The last seen of him was when he turned Third avenue a side street, with ft policeman after him. “Poor man,” said the bar-keeper. “He thought he had ’em.”— New York Telegraph.