Minnie's Pet Monkey Part 3

"The servants at once knew he had been in mischief, as this was his place of refuge when he was in disgrace.

"One day he watched the cook while she was preparing some partridges for dinner, and concluded that all birds ought to be so treated. He soon managed to get into the yard, where his mistress kept a few pet bantam fowls, and, after eating their eggs, he secured one of the hens, and began plucking it. The noise of the poor bird called some of the servants to the rescue, when they found the half-plucked creature in such a pitiable condition that they killed it at once. After this, Mr.

Monkey was chained up, and soon died."

Minnie looked very grave after hearing this story, and presently said, "I wonder how old that monkey was."

"The book does not mention his age, my dear. Why?"

"I was thinking that perhaps, as Jacko grows older, he may learn better; and then I said to myself, 'That one must have been young.'"

"If a monkey is really inclined to be vicious, he is almost unbearable,"

remarked the lady. "His company does not begin to compensate for the trouble he makes. Sometimes he is only cunning, but otherwise mild and tractable."

"And which, mamma, do you think Jacko is?"

"I have always thought, until lately, that he was one of the better kind; but I have now a good many doubts whether you enjoy her funny tricks enough to compensate cook for all the mischief she does. If I knew any one who wanted a pet monkey, and would treat him kindly, I should be glad to have him go. I should hate to have him killed."

"Killed!" screamed Minnie, with a look of horror; "O, mamma, I wouldn't have one of my pets killed for any thing."

Mrs. Lee thought that would probably be at some time Nannie's fate, but she wisely said nothing.

"Please read more, mamma. I don't want to think about such awful things."

The lady cast her eyes over the page, and laughed heartily. Presently she said, "Here is a very curious anecdote, which I will read you; but first I must explain to you what a sounding-board is.

"In old fashioned churches, there used to hang, directly over the pulpit, a large, round board, like the top of a table, which, it was thought, a.s.sisted the minister's voice to be heard by all the congregation. I can remember, when I was a child, going to visit my grandmother, and accompanying her to church, where there was a sounding-board. I worried, through the whole service, for fear it would fall on the minister's head and kill him. But I will read."

"There was once an eminent clergyman by the name of Casaubon, who kept in his family a tame monkey, of which he was very fond. This animal, which was allowed its liberty, liked to follow the minister, when he went out, but on the Sabbath was usually shut up till his owner was out of sight, on his way to church.

"But one Sabbath morning, when the clergyman, taking his sermon under his arm, went out, the monkey followed him un.o.bserved, and watching the opportunity while his master was speaking to a gentleman on the steps, ran up at the back of the pulpit, and jumped upon the sounding-board.

"Here he gravely seated himself, looking round in a knowing manner on the congregation, who were greatly amused at so strange a spectacle.

"The services proceeded as usual, while the monkey, who evidently much enjoyed the sight of so many people, occasionally peeped over the sounding-board, to observe the movements of his master, who was unconscious of his presence.

"When the sermon commenced, many little forms were convulsed with laughter, which conduct so shocked the good pastor, that he thought it his duty to administer a reproof, which he did with considerable action of his hands and arms.

"The monkey, who had now become familiar with the scene, imitated every motion, until at last a scarcely suppressed smile appeared upon the countenance of most of the audience. This occurred, too, in one of the most solemn pa.s.sages in the discourse; and so horrible did the levity appear to the good minister, that he launched forth into violent rebuke, every word being enforced by great energy of action.

"All this time, the little fellow overhead mimicked every movement with ardor and exactness.

"The audience, witnessing this apparent compet.i.tion between the good man and his monkey, could no longer retain the least appearance of composure, and burst into roars of laughter, in the midst of which one of the congregation kindly relieved the horror of the pastor at the irreverence and impiety of his flock, by pointing out the cause of the merriment.

"Casting his eyes upward, the minister could just discern the animal standing on the end of the sounding-board, and gesturing with all his might, when he found it difficult to control himself, though highly exasperated at the occurrence. He gave directions to have the monkey removed, and sat down to compose himself, and allow his congregation to recover their equanimity while the order was being obeyed."

CHAPTER V.

JACKO IN THE PANTRY.

In his frequent visits to the stable, Jacko amused himself by catching mice that crept out to pick up the corn.

The servants, having noticed his skill, thought they would turn it to good account, and having been troubled with mice in the pantry, determined to take advantage of the absence of Mrs. Lee on a journey, and shut the monkey up in it. So, one evening, they took him out of his comfortable bed, and chained him up in the larder, having removed every thing except some jam pots, which they thought out of his reach, and well secured with bladder stretched over the top.

Poor Jacko was evidently much astonished, and quite indignant, at this treatment, but presently consoled himself by jumping into a soup tureen, where he fell sound asleep, while the mice scampered all over the place.

As soon as it was dawn, the mice retired to their holes. Jacko awoke shivering with cold, stretched himself, and then, pushing the soup tureen from the shelf, broke it to pieces. After this achievement, he began to look about for something to eat, when he spied the jam pots on the upper shelf.

"There is something good," he thought, smelling them. "I'll see."

His sharp teeth soon worked an entrance, when the treasured jams, plums, raspberry, strawberry, candied apricots, the pride and care of the cook, disappeared in an unaccountably short time.

At last, his appet.i.te for sweets was satisfied, and coiling his tail in a corner, he lay quietly awaiting the servant's coming to take him out.

Presently he heard the door cautiously open, when the chamber girl gave a scream of horror as she saw the elegant China dish broken into a thousand bits, and lying scattered on the floor.

She ran in haste to summon Hepsy and the nurse, her heart misgiving her that this was not the end of the calamity. They easily removed Jacko, who began already to experience the sad effects of overloading his stomach, and then found, with alarm and grief, the damage he had done.

For several days the monkey did not recover from the effects of his excess. He was never shut up again in the pantry.

When Mrs. Lee returned she blamed the servants for trying such an experiment in her absence. Jacko was now well, and ready for some new mischief; and Minnie, who heard a ludicrous account of the story, laughed till she cried.

She repeated it, in great glee, to her father, who looked very grave as he said, "We think a sea voyage would do the troublesome fellow good; but you shall have a Canary or a pair of Java sparrows instead."

"Don't you know any stories of good monkeys, father?"

"I don't recollect any at this moment, my dear; but I will see whether I can find any for you."

He opened the book, and then asked,--

"Did you know, Minnie, that almost all monkeys have bags or pouches in their cheeks, the skin of which is loose, and when empty makes the animal look wrinkled?"

"No, sir; I never heard about it."

"Yes, that is the case. He puts his food in them, and keeps it there till he wishes to devour it.

"There are some kinds, too, that have what is called prehensile tails; that is, tails by which they can hang themselves to the limb of a tree, and which they use with nearly as much ease as they can their hands. The facility which this affords them for moving about quickly among the branches of trees is astonishing. The firmness of the grasp which it makes is very surprising; for if it winds a single coil around a branch, it is quite sufficient, not only to support its weight, but to enable it to swing in such a manner as to gain a fresh hold with its feet."

"I'm sure, father," eagerly cried Minnie, "that Jacko has a prehensile tail, for I have often seen him swing from the ladder which goes up the hay mow."

"I dare say, child. He seems to be up to every thing. But here is an account of an Indian monkey, of a light grayish yellow color, with black hands and feet. The face is black, with a violet tinge. This is called Hoonuman, and is much venerated by the Hindoos. They believe it to be one of the animals into which the souls of their friends pa.s.s at death.

If one of these monkeys is killed, the murderer is instantly put to death; and, thus protected, they become a great nuisance, and destroy great quant.i.ties of fruit. But in South America, monkeys are killed by the natives as game, for the sake of the flesh. Absolute necessity alone would compel us to eat them. A great naturalist named Humboldt tells us that their manner of cooking them is especially disgusting. They are raised a foot from the ground, and bent into a sitting position, in which they greatly resemble a child, and are roasted in that manner. A hand and arm of a monkey, roasted in this way, are exhibited in a museum in Paris."

"Monkeys have a curious way of introducing their tails into the fissures or hollows of trees, for the purpose of hooking out eggs and other substances. On approaching a spot where there is a supply of food, they do not alight at once, but take a survey of the neighborhood, a general cry being kept up by the party."