248 FACT AGAINST FICTION. 



a dilemma — to be choked with weeds and soot, or 

 to be dashed to pieces by a fall ! Horror held the 

 entire household in suspense, when a little boy, 

 the coachman's son, who knew the effect of apples 

 on himself, was seen to crawl beneath the roofs 

 from behind along the gutter, at the end of which 

 were the monkey and the child, when the monkey, 

 being a friend of the boy, tucked the baby under 

 her arm head downwards, and hobbled off to meet 

 him. The monkey and the boy had often ex- 

 changed civilities, the boy giving a half-rotten 

 piece of an apple, best side uppermost, for a good 

 nut kept for future enjoyment in the monkey's 

 pouch ; and while they were again making their 

 exchange, and the monkey was thumbing her 

 cheek to get out the nut, the boy got hold of the 

 child, and the trio, in full confidence with each 

 other, threaded the chimneys, slid the tiles, and 

 delivered themselves up to the anxious family, and 

 suppressed but furious nurse, who showed her 

 affection for father, mother, and son, by reiterating 

 her opinion that the child ''^ might as ivell have 

 been dashed to pieces,'' The parents did not think 

 so : the boy was promoted to a surfeit of buttons, 

 and the poor monkey, who had erred from no 



