Monkey-Shines.
Transcriber’s Note:
The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.
Monkey-Shines.
The late Dr. John Torrey, of Columbia College, was extremely fond of pets, and expressed admiration for the pretty little Brazilian monkeys with gentle, human faces and velvety, mouse-colored coats. A gentleman who heard it went shortly afterward to Brazil. Upon his return, he presented the doctor with a choice pair. A cage was provided for them, and they soon became members of the family, petted by all, and tenderly loved by the doctor, in whose study they lived.
One Sunday, the entire family went to church and the monkeys were left at home in their cage. When the churchgoers returned they found the stay-at-homes on the top of the folding doors of the parlors, trembling and crying piteously—and for 6reasons, as they soon discovered. The little mischief-makers had forced open the door of their cage, and, finding themselves free, had proceeded to enjoy themselves in a manner that was scandalous.
In the cellar a bag of hops and ten baskets of strawberries were dumped together 7and hopelessly mixed; the pans of milk were without cream, and there was unmistakable evidence that the monkeys had skimmed them with their tails! A cistern in the yard offered a fine opening, and the little mischiefs gathered some clothes from the line, the cook’s aprons from the kitchen, and plumped them all in.
An open watch belonging to a daughter of the house attracted one of the monkeys. He removed the hands, took it down stairs and carefully covered the face with mud, and then brought it back and placed it on her bed. Not so carefully did they pull the cover from her writing table, bringing ink and papers with it, and spilling the ink; and when it came to the pulling down of muslin curtains and bed hangings, and tearing them into strips, the fun must have risen to frenzy, for they proceeded to do up the parlor window draperies in the same style. The dining room table next engaged their attention, and the fact that 8they made a salad of the flowers in the center with the pepper, salt, and mustard may have accounted for their tearful state when they were found perched above the door.
The little penitents were forgiven, for they seemed really sorry. But soon afterward one of the midgets carefully removed the glasses from the doctor’s spectacles, twisted the bows and put them in the stove, from which they both took ashes and sprinkled round the room. Fortunately there was no fire in the stove, for the next thing in order was the discovery of a gross of matches, which they scattered over the floor.
This began to look like danger, so the doctor was obliged to sell them to Mr. Barnum. But, whenever he went to visit them, as he often did, they greeted him with unmistakable signs of delight and affection.
What is the most beautiful Christmas story in the world? It is found in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. Matthew tells the story of the wise men and the star, and Luke of the shepherds and the angels; and Luke’s story is the longest, but together they make the most wonderful story that ever was written. It is a great truth, so great that we cannot learn it all, and the heart of that truth is love. God our Father is a great Spirit, filling the earth and heavens, and we, his children, are spirits made in his likeness, living in earthly bodies, and he has made all things that are. When his 10children were forgetting their Father, and losing their likeness to him, he so loved them that he said, “I will go down and live among them, and teach them how to live and how to love.” So he began to live just as we all begin to live in this world, by being a helpless little child. He was first loved by Mary, the mother, and then Joseph and the shepherds, and the wise men all adored him.
As he grew up many wondered at his words, and loved him so much that they left all to follow him. At last he laid down his life for us all. Then his children began to understand who he was and how he loved them, and many gladly suffered and died for his sake, and the 11story of the holy Child is now read by those who love him around the whole world, and they now begin to understand his words when he said, “I and my Father are one.” Is not this the most beautiful Christmas story in the world?
And the hero of this great Christmas story still lives in heaven, and hears our prayers and watches over us so lovingly. He is glad when we are like him and grieved when we forget his teachings.
A dentist tells this story of an elephant that belonged to a circus. He was very good-natured, but one day when his keeper went near him he made a vicious switch at him with his trunk.
The keeper knew the elephant so well that he said at once that the elephant was sick; something was the matter with him. He sat at a safe distance from the elephant and watched him.
The elephant trumpeted loud and acted as though he was very angry, but no one could decide what was the cause of the change in this good elephant’s disposition. This continued for three days. At the end of that time one of the men said, “Why, when Jack” (that was the elephant’s name) “lies down he keeps rubbing 13one side of his head; I think he has got the toothache;” and everybody immediately said, “Yes, that’s what’s the matter.”
The elephant was chained safely to posts and iron rings, so that he could not move, and the dentist was sent for. The dentist looked in his mouth and saw that one tooth was badly decayed. He touched it, and the elephant trumpeted as though in great pain; then the dentist went to work and filled the tooth.
After a time the elephant seemed to 14understand that the dentist was trying to do something for his pain, and he gave every evidence of appreciating the attention. Some weeks later the dentist visited the winter quarters of the elephant and the elephant recognized him. It was rather an expensive operation, for it cost one hundred dollars to fill that one tooth. Doubtless, then, the elephant’s toothache is a larger ache than either you or I ever know when our teeth ache.
There is an old story, something like this, about a lion which showed gratitude to a man who had taken a thorn out of his foot. Do you remember it?
These little animals are called ant-bears, though no respectable father bear or mother bear would own for a cub such a queer, sharp-nosed, bushy-tailed creature as this. The ant-bear hasn’t a tooth in his head, and any little Goldilocks might eat his porridge, sit in his chair, and lie in his bed as long as she pleased without being afraid of him. The Creator has given to the ant-bear a taste for insects—he prefers ants—and has fitted him with a long and prying snout. Out of his mouth he can dart a very long, threadlike tongue, which is so sticky that the ant which it touches is caught fast and must go down the red lane, whether he will or not.
There are various kinds of ant-eating birds and animals on the globe, in feathers, fur, and scales, but this ant-bear lives in the New World only. Can you tell in what part of it we should look for him?
A Pair of Ant-bears.
The sailors call this bird “Little Peter” because he is always trying to walk on the sea. Strangely enough, he does not care to live on the land, or even very near it. He even tucks his head under his wing and goes to sleep with a wave for a cradle. He is a feather ball, so oily that the water cannot wet him, and so light that he cannot sink. The petrel is sometimes called “Mother Carey’s Chicken,” and follows 21the ships to get the bits of food that are thrown overboard. He is very fond of fat, and so he follows the whaling ships for the bits of “blubber” that are thrown overboard. They get very fat themselves, and the people of the Faröe Islands catch them to make candles of them. Think of it! They draw a wick through the fat little body and hang them up in their huts to give light at night. Poor “Little Peter!”
If you think that it is strange to use a bird for a candle, what do you think of the Indians of Alaska who take a greasy little fish and run a wick through and use that to light their little huts. Those who have seen the candlefish and smelled him burning prefer the electric light.
There is a story, in a beautiful book called The Queens of England, about a little girl who saved her father’s life. It happened a long time ago, when a woman named Mary was queen. Lord Preston, the father of the little girl, loved King James, who had been sent out of England, and wanted him to be king again. So there was a trial, and they said he must die. While the trial was going on the little Lady Catherine, only nine years old, was left in the queen’s room in Windsor Castle. The next day after the trial the queen found the little girl in a picture gallery, looking earnestly at the picture of King James which hung there. “Why do you look at my father’s picture so strangely?” asked the queen.
23“I was thinking,” said the child, “how hard it is that my father must die for loving yours.”
The queen was so touched by the reply that she pardoned Lord Preston and gave him back to his loving little daughter, to the great joy of both.
STARLING.
A starling had been taught to answer certain questions, so that a dialogue like this could be carried on:
“Who are you?”
“I’m Joe.”
“Where are you from?”
“From Pimlico.”
“Who’s your master?”
“The barber.”
“What brought you here?”
“Bad company.”
A picture of the Jewish Tabernacle which the Israelites had instead of a church. It was made of skins and beautiful cloth—purple and fine linen—and could be folded together and carried about from place to place during the forty years in which the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness.
28Now it came to pass one day that the starling got out of his cage and flew away to enjoy his liberty. The barber was troubled. Joe was the life of the shop; many a customer came because he had heard of the bird, and the barber saw his custom falling off. Then, too, he loved the bird, which had proved so apt a pupil. But all efforts to find the stray bird were in vain.
Meanwhile Joe had been enjoying life on his own account. A few days passed very pleasantly, and then, alas! he fell into the snare of a fowler, in truth.
A man lived a few miles from the barber’s house who made the snaring of birds his business. Some of the birds he stuffed and sold. Others, again, were sold to the hotels near by, to be served up to guests.
Much to his surprise Joe found himself one day in the fowler’s net, in company with a large number of birds as frightened as himself. The fowler began drawing out the birds one after another, and wringing their necks. Joe saw that his turn was coming, and something must be done. It was clear that the fowler would not ask questions, so Joe piped out, “I’m Joe!”
Patsy.
30“Hey! What’s that?” cried the fowler.
“I’m Joe,” repeated the bird.
“Are you?” said the astonished fowler. “What brings you here?”
“Bad company,” said Joe, promptly.
It is needless to say Joe was soon given back to his master.
Did you ever think why we call the cat “puss?” A great many years ago the people of Egypt, who have many idol gods, worshiped the cat. They thought she was like the moon, because she was more active at night, and because her eyes changed, just as the moon changes, which is sometimes full and sometimes only a little bright crescent, or half moon, as we say. Did you ever notice your pussy’s eyes to see how they change? So these people made an idol with the cat’s head, and named it Pasht, the same name they gave to the moon; for the word means “the face of the moon.” That word has been changed to “pas,” or “pus,” and has come at last to be “puss,” the name which almost everyone gives to the cat. Puss and pussycat are pet names for kitty everywhere. Whoever thought of it as given to her thousands of years ago, and that then people bowed down and prayed to her?
Patsy Bryan was a little street peddler. Patsy was always ragged, often hungry, yet kept a brave heart and wore a happy look.
His father was dead, his mother drank, and Patsy’s scanty earnings went a long 33way toward maintaining the family, which consisted of his mother, himself, a younger sister, and a cripple brother. Poor Patsy had never been to church or Sunday school, and was little better than a heathen.
One Sunday afternoon, however, Patsy strayed by a large building in which a mission Sunday school was in session, and hearing the singing, he stepped in to see what was going on. He was kindly invited to enter a class, and soon found himself quite at home amid a number of boys of his own age.
After that Patsy became a regular attendant, and when, in the summer time, a company of children were sent into the country for a few weeks by the benevolence known as the Fresh-Air Fund, Patsy found himself one of the fortunate number.
Jamie has a Little Talk with Piggie-Wig.
35This was one of the great events of his life. Never before had he seen the beautiful country. How rapidly the days passed! What fun it was to roam the green fields and to gather fruits and flowers without the fear of the ever-present “cop,” and then what royal fare—vegetables fresh from the gardens, plenty of nice, fresh milk, berries, and fruit without any stint! The days flew by only too swiftly, and soon Patsy returned to the great city and his daily work. But he returned with a new color in his cheeks and with new ideas and hopes in his mind, and there is every prospect that, keeping good company and refraining from bad habits, he will grow into a useful and happy man.
Jamie had no brothers or sisters, so he made friends with everything about his father’s farm. He loved the trees because he could climb them and sit among the branches.
Prince, his dog, was his constant companion, who always felt it his duty to keep his eye upon everything about the premises, for when anything went wrong he knew it, and had to help make it right.
One day Jamie and Prince were playing tag; Prince stopped and began to growl. He heard something stir in the cornfield, and soon found that the mother pig had worked her way out of the sty and was rooting up the beautiful corn. Prince knew what to do. He pulled the mother pig’s ear until she 38was glad to go back again, and Jamie fastened her safely in. “Where is little Piggie-Wig?” said Jamie; “he is out too.” They found him in Prince’s kennel fast asleep. Prince soon hustled him out, and Piggie-Wig sat down upon the garden walk to rest. Jamie threw himself down before him to have a little talk with him. Piggie-Wig opened his pink eyes and lifted his funny nose and looked at Jamie.
“Well,” said Jamie, “you thought you had found a fine little house when you got into Prince’s kennel, I suppose.”
Piggie-Wig grunted and lay down upon the walk.
“You are a lazy fellow,” said Jamie; “boys are sometimes lazy—you like to pull weeds, though, and I don’t.” Piggie-Wig grunted again.
After having a little talk together Jamie and Prince took Piggie-Wig home, which was not a very easy thing to do, and went to the house for a rest.
Pods and Blossoms of the Vanilla.
Most of the vanilla which goes into American cake and ice cream comes from Mexico. It is made from the beans and pods of a climbing plant which grows wild in that country, and is also cultivated on great plantations. It is a sort of orchid, and has flowers of a greenish white. After 41these come the pods, which are from six to twelve inches long and dark brown in color. When these are ripe enough they are picked off and treated with heat and moisture until they begin to “work,” or ferment. When the “vanillin” has been extracted from them it is dissolved in alcohol and bottled for use.
Africa is the hottest country in the world, because it lies in that part of the world where the burning sun shines straight down upon it. The beautiful snow, which falls about us every winter, is unknown there, except on the highest mountain peaks. There lies across that country a belt of great forest trees, forming a jungle so dark and dense that no 43man has yet been able to pass through it. Only wild beasts hide there to get away from the heat of the sun. But north and south of this great forest are beautiful woods and palm trees and wild flowers. In such places the natives live in rude huts, and sometimes huddle together in villages. Their food is mostly bananas, dates, African maize, goat’s milk, roots, and barks.
Eighty years ago a fierce war was waged in India between the English and Tippoo Sahib. On one occasion several English officers were taken prisoners. Among them was one named Baird. One day a native officer brought in fetters to be put on each of the prisoners, the wounded not excepted. Baird had been severely wounded, and was suffering from pain and weakness.
A gray-haired officer said to the native official, “You will not think of putting chains upon that wounded man?”
“There are just as many pairs of fetters as there are captives,” was the answer, “and every pair must be worn.”
“Then,” said the noble officer, “put two pairs on me; I will wear his as well as my own.”
48This was done. Strange to say, Baird lived to gain his freedom—lived to take the city—but his noble friend died in prison.
A noble act—to bear a heavy burden for another which that other could not bear for himself. Thus our Saviour showed his love for the world. “When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. v, 6).
Mount Hermon.
The Century Plant.
The century plant, as we call it, though it does not live much longer than fifty years, is a kind of cactus. The cactus 50family—or the “cacti,” for we never say cactuses—numbers fully forty members, and you are pretty sure to find them growing in those parts of the far south where the sun and sand dry up every other green thing.
The true century plant, or agave, is found chiefly in Mexico. It is composed of a clump of thick and fleshy leaves, each having a hard, sharp, thorny point at its extremity, as well as an edging of prickly spines growing the whole length of the leaf.
At the flowering time a tough, tall stem grows from the center of the plant, rising to the height of ten or fifteen feet, and producing a blossom of a yellowish-green color.
It is said that the century plant has been put to no less than one hundred uses. For example, the fiber of the plant is spun into thread and made into garments; the thick, fleshy leaves produce an extract which is used as a substitute for soap; 51while the tough flowering stem, when withered, serves the purpose of a razor strop. The pointed thorns at the tip of each great leaf are used by the natives as needles, and the leaves themselves are made into shingles. It seems possible to make paper out of almost any substance, and this plant is not an exception.
Just at the time when this juicy, pulpy plant begins to flower the flower-bearing stem is cut off, together with the thick leaves immediately around it. A basinlike hollow is made in the center, into which all the rich sap or juice flows. A single plant will, for two or three months, produce at the rate of two gallons of this fluid each day. It is collected in vessels of raw-hide, and kept until it ferments. Many Mexicans get drunk on this “pulque.” The city of Mexico contains eight hundred and twenty shops in which this beverage is sold. Eighty thousand gallons are consumed daily throughout Mexico.
“Mrs. Wells, here is your little turkey, and it is dead,” said a pitiful voice. Little Eddie, the ministers son, who was Mrs. Wells’s next-door neighbor, held the limp turkey in his hand as he stood in the door.
“O, I’m so sorry,” said kind Mrs. Wells, and Edward went home with a troubled face. Something hurt him so.
“What is the matter with my little boy?” said Eddie’s mother. “All the sunshine has gone out of his face.”
Eddie gave a deep sigh; then he looked up. “I’m going to tell you all about it, mamma,” he said; “you know Mrs. Wells’s dear little chickies and turk-a-lurks? They looked so cunning that I just picked up one little turkey and hugged it a little bit, and it was dead. The old mother turkey was ’most crazy. I carried the poor 54little turkey chick to Mrs. Wells and told her it was dead, and—and something hurts me so right in here,” and he clasped his little hands over his heart.
“Was that all you told Mrs. Wells, Eddie?” asked his mother, gravely.
“Yes’m,” said Eddie; but a little later she saw him trudging toward Mrs. Wells’s door. “I killed your turkey, I squeezed it so hard. Will you please to forgive me?” said little Eddie.
Mrs. Wells said, “Yes, dear; you didn’t mean to kill it, I know.”
55When Eddie came home the sunshine was in his face again. “I told her the whole truth, mamma, and the hurt is gone,” he said, gleefully.
A General Smash-up.
There is nothing which will make a man angry so quickly as to be told that he is not a gentleman. But one becomes a 56true gentleman by beginning early to practice gentle deeds.
On a crowded trolley car going out of Boston, one evening, an old woman was packed in the crowd in the narrow aisle where the standing room was all taken. She was bent with age and was very feeble. Her shabby dress and worn shawl told of her poverty. She carried a large basket, and it seemed to grow heavier and heavier as she changed it from one arm to the other. Seated where this woman was standing sat two persons—one whose tailor-made clothes of expensive fabric showed he was a well-to-do man. The other was a ragged newsboy. Tired from his work, the little fellow’s head now and then dropped on his shoulder and his weary eyelids closed.
Awaking from one of these naps, he saw standing near him the shabby old woman with her heavy basket, and he put his little hand out on hers and said, very gently, but 57manfully: “You must be tired. Take my seat. I’ll hold your basket.”
There was the making of a splendid gentleman in that boy.
So Many Letters to Write!
There was a time when the world was very young, and the first people were like children who cannot understand how to worship God, so they were allowed to offer sacrifices upon an altar. You have 58heard about Cain and Abel, the two sons of Adam and Eve. One was gentle and good, and he kept the flocks. The other, the elder, took care of the ground and the fruit trees. When they came to offer their sacrifices Abel brought a lamb and Cain brought grain and fruit. The Lord looked upon the hearts of Cain and Abel, and he 59saw true worship in Abel’s heart, but in the heart of Cain he saw selfishness and sin. So he did not accept his offering. Then the sin in Cain’s heart rose into his tongue as he talked angrily with his brother, and by and by it crept out into his hand, and he struck his brother and killed him. The seed of murder, which is hate, had sprung up quickly in Cain’s heart.
The Two Altars.
One time a man came to one of the men who worked for him, gave him a big stone, and said, “Now cut in this stone leaves just like the ones in this picture.” The stone did not look very pretty, and the man said, “I will do just the very best I can, but I wish I could cut in this beautiful marble here.” So he toiled away with his sharp tools, and, after much work, he finished the leaves according to the pattern.
When he finished this the master brought 60him another just like it, and told him to cut a branch in it. So for weeks he worked on these big, rough stones, and he did not know what they were for.
One day, when he was walking down town in the large city, he saw a beautiful building. He went over to look at it, and there, in front of that large building, were all those big, rough stones upon which he had been working for so long; but they were all put together now to form a most beautiful picture. The man looked at it a long time and then said: “O how glad I am I did it well! Now I see what the master meant.”
Said a little girl: “It is easy enough to remember that the old woman who lives down in the Row is my neighbor, for she is very poor and lives in a poor house, and when I carry her things mamma sends she says, ‘Bless you, my little lady;’ but it isn’t so easy to remember that my own grandma is my neighbor when she wants me to run up stairs after her spectacles, or hold some yarn for her just when I’m playing.”
The Man with the Gridiron Collar.
Five O’clock Tea.