FOUR-HANDED FOLKS. 387 



JACKO. 



1. While examining the tropical birds in an old mu- 

 seum at Havre de Grace my ears were assailed by a harsh 

 and unearthly noise, as of a duel between two rabid cats, 

 which brought in the proprietor, breathless, to ascertain 

 the cause. He finds that the tailless, green-coated African 

 monkey, who hangs suspended from an old parrot's cage 

 outside the window, has seized the incautiously protruded 

 tail of his prettier and, therefore, more favored brother, the 

 monkey from South America ; he, unfortunate creature, 

 has crossed the ''herring-pond " in a hen-coop, which is 

 much too small to contain himself, tail and all. This ap- 

 pendage, which in his present condition is neither useful 

 nor ornamental, is perpetually getting him into scrapes, 

 which the honorable representative of Africa, being tailless, 

 escapes. 



2. Conscious of his condition, the poor American mon- 

 key pulls in his tail, coils it up as well as he can, and gives 

 it a most malicious bite, as much as to say, "I wish you 

 were off ; you are of no use to me now, and you look ter- 

 ribly shabby." He then covers it up with straw, and looks 

 miserable. 



3. " How much for that monkey ? " I say — " the one in 

 the hen-coop." The monkey looks up as though he under- 

 stood what was said, and with a face which evidently says, 

 " Please buy me." The merchant's price is too high. 

 The African rascal he will sell for half the sum ; but this 

 gentleman grins so maliciously at the customer that the 

 bargain is off. 



4. A few months later, business called me to a neigh- 

 boring French village, and when I was ready to depart I 

 went into the stable to find the coachee, and there, what 

 was my delight to see my old friend of the hen-coop 



