CHAPTER VI.
THE CRUEL MONKEY.
One afternoon, Minnie ran out of breath to the parlor. "Mamma," sheexclaimed, "cook says monkeys are real cruel in their families. Is ittrue?"
The lady smiled. "I suppose, my dear," she responded, "that there is adifference of disposition among them. I have heard that they are veryfond of their young, and that, when threatened with danger, they mountthem on their back, or clasp them to their breast with great affection.
"But I saw lately an anecdote of the cruelty of a monkey to his wife,and if I can find the book, I will read it to you."
"There is an animal called the fair monkey, which, though the mostbeautiful of its tribe, is gloomy and cruel. One of these, which, fromits extreme beauty and apparent gentleness, was allowed to ramble atliberty over a ship, soon became a great favorite with the crew, and inorder to make him perfectly happy, as they imagined, they procured him awife.
"For some weeks, he was a devoted husband, and showed her everyattention and respect. He then grew cool, and began to use her with muchcruelty. His treatment made her wretched and dull.
"One day, the crew noticed that he treated her with more kindness thanusual, but did not suspect the wicked scheme he had in mind. At last,after winning her favor anew, he persuaded her to go aloft with him, anddrew her attention to an object in the distance, when he suddenly gaveher a push, which threw her into the sea.
"This cruel act seemed to afford him much gratification, for hedescended in high spirits."
"I should think they would have punished him," said Minnie, with greatindignation.
"Perhaps they did, love. At any rate, it proves that beauty is by nomeans always to be depended upon."
Mrs. Lee then took her sewing, but Minnie plead so earnestly for onemore story, a good long one, that her mother, who loved to gratify her,complied, and read the account which I shall give you in closing thischapter on Minnie's pet monkey.
"A gentleman, returning from India, brought a monkey, which he presentedto his wife. She called it Sprite, and soon became very fond of it.
"Sprite was very fond of beetles, and also of spiders, and his mistressused sometimes to hold his chain, lengthened by a string, and make himrun up the curtains, and clear out the cobwebs for the housekeeper.
"On one occasion, he watched his opportunity, and snatching the chain,ran off, and was soon seated on the top of a cottage, grinning andchattering to the assembled crowd of schoolboys, as much as to say,'Catch me if you can.' He got the whole town in an uproar, but finallyleaped over every thing, dragging his chain after him, and nestledhimself in his own bed, where he lay with his eyes closed, his mouthopen, his sides ready to burst with his running.
"Another time, the little fellow got loose, but remembering his formerexperience, only stole into the shed, where he tried his hand atcleaning knives. He did not succeed very well in this, however, for thehandle was the part he attempted to polish, and, cutting his fingers, herelinquished the sport.
"Resolved not to be defeated, he next set to work to clean the shoes andboots, a row of which were awaiting the boy. But Sprite, not rememberingall the steps of the performance, first covered the entire shoe, soleand all, with the blacking, and then emptied the rest of the Day &Martin into it, nearly filling it with the precious fluid. His coat wasa nice mess for some days after.
"One morning, when the servants returned to the kitchen, they foundSprite had taken all the kitchen candlesticks out of the cupboard, andarranged them on the fender, as he had once seen done. As soon as heheard the servants returning, he ran to his basket, and tried to look asthough nothing had happened.
"Sprite was exceedingly fond of a bath. Occasionally a bowl of water wasgiven him, when he would cunningly try the temperature by putting in hisfinger, after which he gradually stepped in, first one foot, then theother, till he was comfortably seated. Then he took the soap and rubbedhimself all over. Having made a dreadful splashing all around, he jumpedout and ran to the fire, shivering. If any body laughed at him duringthis performance, he made threatening gestures, chattering with all hismight to show his displeasure, and sometimes he splashed water all overthem.
"Poor Sprite one day nearly committed suicide. As he was brought from avery warm climate, he often suffered exceedingly, in winter, from thecold.
"The cooking was done by a large fire on the open hearth, and as hisbasket, where he slept, was in one corner of the kitchen, before morninghe frequently awoke shivering and blue. The cook was in the habit ofmaking the fire, and then returning to her room to finish her toilet.
"One morning, having lighted the pile of kindlings as usual, she hung onthe tea-kettle and went out, shutting the door carefully behind her.
"Sprite thought this a fine opportunity to warm himself. He jumped fromhis basket, ran to the hearth, and took the lid of the kettle off.Cautiously touching the water with the tip of his finger, he found itjust the right heat for a bath, and sprang in, sitting down, leavingonly his head above the water.
"This he found exceedingly comfortable for a time; but soon the waterbegan to grow hot. He rose, but the air outside was so cold, he quicklysat down again. He did this several times, and would, no doubt, havebeen boiled to death, and become a martyr to his own want of pluck andfirmness in action, had it not been for the timely return of the cook,who, seeing him sitting there almost lifeless, seized him by the headand pulled him out.
"He was rolled in blankets, and laid in his basket, where he soonrecovered, and, it is to be hoped, learned a lesson from this hotexperience, not to take a bath when the water is on the fire."
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