8o THE SPEECH OF MONKEYS. 



and I almost think she preferred such a life to 

 the freedom of her Amazon forests. But you 

 cannot afford to turn one out of the cage in 

 a room where there is anything that can be torn 

 or broken, as they enjoy such mischief in the 

 highest degree. Nellie would beg me so pite- 

 ously to be taken from her little iron prison that 

 I could not have the cruelty to refuse her, even 

 at the cost of some trouble in preparing the 

 room for her ; and as we retain these little cap- 

 tives against their will and treat them worse 

 than slaves by keeping them in close confinement, 

 I think we should at least try to amuse them. It 

 is true they do not have to toil, but I think it 

 would be more humane to make them work in the 

 open air than to confine them so closely and then 

 deprive them of every source of pleasure. As 

 an act of humanity and simple justice, I would 

 impress upon those who have such little pets 

 how important a thing it is to keep them sup- 

 plied with toys. They are just like children m 

 this respect, and for a trifle one can furnish 

 them with all the toys they need. It is cruel, 

 absolutely cruel, to keep these little creatures 

 confined in solitude and deny them the simple 

 pleasure they find in playing with a bell, ball, or 



