SirCJiflords 
Gorilla 
L 
J Martin 
(Sjwaqne 
Illuslraiedbg 
WRSSTOTT 
the night that the gorilla 
arrived at Tarnley Towers Sir 
Clifford Hall gave a dinner- 
party. 
It was the first dinner-party 
he had given since he had 
received his baronetcy, and 
he was successful in persuading a goodly 
selection of the county folk round about 
Little Westerham to accept his invitations. 
There were several reasons why he obtained 
this success, the chief of which being that he 
was an exceedingly wealthy bachelor, ft 
was not clearly understood quite how he had 
made his money, but it was known that he had 
been a man of importance in South Africa. 
In appearance he was medium-sized, with 
sleek black hair, a prominent beaky nose, and 
an olive complexion. Some people said he 
was a foreigner, and others said they didn’t 
care what he was, since he gave excellent 
dinners and was quite amusing in his own way. 
On the night that the gorilla arrived his 
butler, Howard, made a discreet inquiry. 
“ This — er — hanimal, sir,” he observed, 
catching his master just before going up to 
dress. “ Where shall I put him, sir ? ” 
Sir Clifford laughed. 
•“ Don’t try and put him anywhere, Howard, 
or else he’ll put you somewhere. Remember, 
he’s a gorilla, straight from West Africa.” 
“ Really, sir ! ” Howard coughed slightly. 
“ Then he will be in a cage, sir, I presume ? ” 
“ Heaven help you, Howard, I hope so. A 
gorilla isn’t a pet monkey. I want him put 
in the billiard-room to-night in order that my 
guests may have a look at him. To-morrow 
Vol. xlvi. — 3. 
I’ll have him moved into one of the out- 
houses near the greenhouse furnace.” 
<£ Yes, sir.” 
u Tell the men to carry the cage into the 
billiard-room and put it in the corner near the 
alcove. Get everything dear and in order, 
for we’ll all come and see him after dinner. I 
expect he’ll come during dinner.” 
It was typical of Hall to startle Little 
Westerham with the advent of a gorilla. 
Some months before a neighbour had been 
talking about private menageries and telling 
anecdotes about some of those that exist in 
England, and Hall immediately decided to 
begin one himself. He began modestly with 
small mammals and a few odd species of birds. 
Then someone said his menagerie was not 
exciting enough, so Hall, after dallying with 
the idea of a tiger, came to the conclusion that 
a gorilla would be still more remarkable. 
So he put an advertisement in the papers, 
and at length received a letter from a firm of 
shipping exporters in Little Thames Street 
which ran as follows : — 
“ In reply to your advertisement, we beg 
to inform you that we have agents in various 
parts of the world who can make arrangements 
for the capture of wild animals. We should 
be pleased to undertake your commission, but 
would like to point out that a gorilla, taken 
straight from its natural haunts, such as you 
wish, will be an expensive job.” 
The firm was called Messrs. Hobrav and 
Child. 
Hall replied that cost was of no importance 
to him. He had set his heart on a gorilla, 
and it must be obtained regardless of expense. 
