CHAPTER VII.
KEES STEALING EGGS.
When Minnie was nine years of age, she accompanied her parents to amenagerie, and there, among other animals, she saw a baboon. She wasgreatly excited by his curious, uncouth manoeuvres, asking twentyquestions about him, without giving her father time to answer. On theirway home, she inquired,--
"Are baboons one kind of monkeys, father?"
"Yes, my daughter; and a more disagreeable, disgusting animal I cannotconceive of."
"I hope you are not wishing for a baboon to add to your pets," added hermother, laughing.
"I don't believe Jacko would get along with that great fellow at all,"answered the child. "But, father, will you please tell me somethingmore about the curious animals?"
The conversation was here interrupted by seeing that a carriage hadstopped just in front of their own, and that quite a crowd had gatheredabout some person who seemed to be hurt.
Minnie's sympathies were alive in an instant. She begged her father toget out, as possibly he might be of some use.
The driver stopped of his own accord, and inquired what had happened,and then they saw that it was a spaniel that was hurt. He had been inthe road, and not getting out of the way quick enough, the wheel hadgone over his body.
The young lady who was in the buggy was greatly distressed, from whichMinnie argued that she was kind to animals, and that they should likeher.
The owner of the dog held the poor creature in her arms, though itseemed to be in convulsions, and wept bitterly as she found it must die.
Mr. Lee, to please his little daughter, waited a few minutes; but hefound her getting so much excited over the suffering animal, he gaveJohn orders to proceed.
During the rest of the drive, she could talk of nothing else, wonderingwhether the spaniel was alive now, or whether the young man in the buggypaid for hurting it.
The next day, however, having made up her mind that the poor creaturemust be dead, and his sufferings ended, and having given Tiney manyadmonitions to keep out of the road when carriages were passing, herthoughts turned once more to the baboon.
Mr. Lee found in his library a book which gave a short account of theanimal, which he read to her.
"The baboon is of the monkey tribe, notwithstanding its long, dog-likehead, flat, compressed cheeks, and strong and projecting teeth. The formand position of the eyes, combined with the similarity of the arms andhands, give to these creatures a resemblance to humanity as striking asit is disgusting."
"Then follows an account," the gentleman went on, "of the peculiaritiesof different kinds of baboons, which you would not understand."
"But can't you tell me something about them yourself, father?"
"I know very little about the creatures, my dear; but I have read thatthey are exceedingly strong, and of a fiery, vicious temper.
"They can never be wholly tamed, and it is only while restraint of theseverest kind is used, that they can be governed at all. If left totheir own will, their savage nature resumes its sway, and their actionsare cruel, destructive, and disgusting."
"I saw the man at the menagerie giving them apples," said Minnie; "buthe did not give them any meat all the time I was there."
"No; they subsist exclusively on fruits, seeds, and other vegetablematter. In the countries where they live, especially near the Cape ofGood Hope, the inhabitants chase them with dogs and guns in order todestroy them, on account of the ravages they commit in the fields andgardens. It is said that they make a very obstinate resistance to thedogs, and often have fierce battles with them; but they greatly fear thegun.
"As the baboon grows older, instead of becoming better, his rageincreases, so that the slightest cause will provoke him to terriblefury."
"Is that all you know about them?"
"Why, Minnie, in order to satisfy you, any one must become a walkingencyclopaedia. What other question have you to ask?"
"Why, they must have something to eat, and how are they to get it unlessthey go into gardens?"
Mr. Lee laughed aloud. "I rather think I should soon convince them theywere not to enter my garden," he said, emphatically. "But seriously,they descend in vast numbers upon the orchards of fruit, destroying, ina few hours, the work of months, or even of years. In these excursions,they move on a concerted plan, placing sentinels on commanding spots, togive notice of the approach of an enemy. As soon as he perceives danger,the sentinel gives a loud yell, and then the whole troop rush away withthe greatest speed, cramming the fruit which they have gathered intotheir cheek pouches."
Minnie looked so much disappointed when he ceased speaking, that hermother said, "I read somewhere an account of a baboon that was namedKees, who was the best of his kind that I ever heard of."
"Yes, that was quite an interesting story, if you can call it to mind,"said the gentleman, rising.
"It was in a book of travels in Africa," the lady went on. "Thetraveller, whose name was Le Vaillant, took Kees through all hisjourney, and the creature really made himself very useful. As asentinel, he was better than any of the dogs. Indeed, so quick was hissense of danger, that he often gave notice of the approach of beasts ofprey, when every thing was apparently secure.
"There was another way in which Kees made himself useful. Whenever theycame across any fruits or roots with which the Hottentots wereunacquainted, they waited to see whether Kees would taste them. If hethrew them down, the traveller concluded they were poisonous ordisagreeable, and left them untasted.
"Le Vaillant used to hunt, and frequently took Kees with him on theseexcursions. The poor fellow understood the preparations making for thesport, and when his master signified his consent that he should go, heshowed his joy in the most lively manner. On the way, he would danceabout, and then run up into the trees to search for gum, of which he wasvery fond.
"I recall one amusing trick of Kees," said the lady, laughing, "whichpleased me much when I read it. He sometimes found honey in the hollowsof trees, and also a kind of root of which he was very fond, both ofwhich his master insisted on sharing with him. On such occasions, hewould run away with his treasure, or hide it in his pouches, or eat itas fast as possible, before Le Vaillant could have time to reach him.
"These roots were very difficult to pull from the ground. Kees' mannerof doing it was this. He would seize the top of the root with his strongteeth, and then, planting himself firmly against the sod, drew himselfgradually back, which forced it from the earth. If it proved stubborn,while he still held it in his teeth he threw himself heels over head,which gave such a concussion to the root that it never failed to comeout.
"Another habit that Kees had was very curious. He sometimes grew tiredwith the long marches, and then he would jump on the back of one of thedogs, and oblige it to carry him whole hours. At last the dogs grewweary of this, and one of them determined not to be pressed intoservice. He now adopted an ingenious artifice. As soon as Kees leaped onhis back, he stood still, and let the train pass without moving from thespot. Kees sat quiet, determined that the dog should carry him, untilthe party were almost out of sight, and then they both ran in greathaste to overtake their master.
"Kees established a kind of authority over the dogs. They wereaccustomed to his voice, and in general obeyed without hesitation theslightest motions by which he communicated his orders, taking theirplaces about the tent or carriage, as he directed them. If any of themcame too near him when he was eating, he gave them a box on the ear,and thus compelled them to retire to a respectful distance."
"Why, mother, I think Kees was a very good animal, indeed," said Minnie,with considerable warmth.
"I have told you the best traits of his character," she answered,smiling. "He was, greatly to his master's sorrow, an incurable thief. Hecould not be left alone for a moment with any kind of food. Heunderstood perfectly how to loose the strings of a basket, or to takethe cork from a bottle. He was very fond of milk, and would drink itwhenever he had a chance. He was whipped repeatedly for thesemisdemeanors, but
the punishment did him no good.
"Le Vaillant was accustomed to have eggs for his breakfast; but hisservants complained one morning there were none to be had. Whenever anything was amiss, the fault was always laid to Kees, who, indeed,generally deserved it. The gentleman determined to watch him.
"The next morning, hearing the cackling of a hen, he started for theplace; but found Kees had been before him, and nothing remained but thebroken shell. Having caught him in his pilfering, his master gave him asevere beating; but he was soon at his old habit again, and thegentleman was obliged to train one of his dogs to run for the egg assoon as it was laid, before he could enjoy his favorite repast.
"One day, Le Vaillant was eating his dinner, when he heard the voice ofa bird, with which he was not acquainted. Leaving the beans he hadcarefully prepared for himself on his plate, he seized his gun, and ranout of the tent. In a short time he returned, with the bird in his hand,but found not a bean left, and Kees missing.
"When he had been stealing, the baboon often staid out of sight for somehours; but, this time, he hid himself for several days. They searchedevery where for him, but in vain, till his master feared he had reallydeserted them. On the third day, one of the men, who had gone to adistance for water, saw him hiding in a tree. Le Vaillant went out andspoke to him, but he knew he had deserved punishment, and he would notcome down; so that, at last, his master had to go up the tree and takehim."
"And was he whipped, mother?"
"No; he was forgiven that time, as he seemed so penitent. There is onlyone thing more I can remember about him. An officer who was visiting LeVaillant, wishing to try the affection of the baboon for his master,pretended to strike him. Kees flew into a violent rage, and from thattime could never endure the sight of the officer. If he only saw him ata distance, he ground his teeth, and used every endeavor to fly at him;and had he not been chained, he would speedily have revenged theinsult."
* * * * *
"Nature is man's best teacher. She unfolds Her treasures to his search, unseals his eye, Illumes his mind, and purifies his heart,-- An influence breathes from all the sights and sounds Of her existence; she is wisdom's self."
* * * * *
"There's not a plant that springeth But bears some good to earth; There's not a life but bringeth Its store of harmless mirth; The dusty wayside clover Has honey in her cells,-- The wild bee, humming over, Her tale of pleasure tells. The osiers, o'er the fountain, Keep cool the water's breast, And on the roughest mountain The softest moss is pressed. Thus holy Nature teaches The worth of blessings small; That Love pervades, and reaches, And forms the bliss of all."
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MINNIE'S PET CAT.
BY
MRS. MADELINE LESLIE, AUTHOR OF "THE LESLIE STORIES," "TIM, THE SCISSORS-GRINDER," ETC.
ILLUSTRATED.
BOSTON: LEE AND SHEPARD, SUCCESSORS TO PHILLIPS, SAMPSON & CO. 1864.
MINNIE'S PET PARROT.
BY
MRS. MADELINE LESLIE, AUTHOR OF "THE LESLIE STORIES," "TIM, THE SCISSORS-GRINDER," ETC.
ILLUSTRATED.
BOSTON: LEE AND SHEPARD, SUCCESSORS TO PHILLIPS, SAMPSON & CO. 1864.
MINNIE'S PET DOG.
BY
MRS. MADELINE LESLIE, AUTHOR OF "THE LESLIE STORIES," "TIM, THE SCISSORS-GRINDER," ETC.
ILLUSTRATED.
BOSTON: LEE AND SHEPARD, SUCCESSORS TO PHILLIPS, SAMPSON & CO. 1864.
MINNIE'S PET LAMB.
BY
MRS. MADELINE LESLIE, AUTHOR OF "THE LESLIE STORIES," "TIM, THE SCISSORS-GRINDER," ETC.
ILLUSTRATED.
BOSTON: LEE AND SHEPARD, SUCCESSORS TO PHILLIPS, SAMPSON & CO. 1864.
MINNIE'S PET HORSE.
BY
MRS. MADELINE LESLIE, AUTHOR OF "THE LESLIE STORIES," "TIM, THE SCISSORS-GRINDER," ETC.
ILLUSTRATED.
BOSTON: LEE AND SHEPARD, SUCCESSORS TO PHILLIPS, SAMPSON & CO. 1864.
Transcriber's Note
The following typographical errors were corrected:
Page Error73 "good morning," changed to 'good morning,'112 pet monkey." changed to pet monkey.
Minnie's Pet Monkey Page 7