6 
ALMOST HUMAN 
it in his fingers, and the yell grew to a sustained roar as Mollie eagerly 
begged a match and lighted the prize. She smoked it with such obvious 
delight that they were all satisfied that she knew the difference between 
a choice cigarette and an ordinary one. So clearly did she prove her 
knowledge that to this day that cheaper brand of cigarettes dare not show 
itself among any of that group of men, “Thanks,” they say, as they 
wave the proffered gift aside, “but even the monkey won’t smoke those!” 
There is a subsidiary joy that Mollie derives from this accomplish- 
ment of hers, that has necessitated the lining of her cage throughout with 
iron, in order to render it fireproof. She found out that she could 
set fire to her bags by using the stubs of her cigarettes. Sometimes 
it entails a vast deal of patience to get the blaze going; and she has 
to hold the two very close to each other, and blow most assiduously 
before the desired flame will come. When it gets well alight, she hunts 
for a stick or some other means of carrying the burning rag, and takes 
it about to every bag she possesses, and then has a fine bit of fun in 
watching them go up in smoke. She loves to warm her hands by 
them, but she never burns herself in one of these riots of incendiarism. 
She knows exactly how near and how far to get for safety. It is said 
that the only thing monkeys do not know about a fire is how to keep 
it going after it has been lit. They have never learned how to add fuel 
to dying embers, and Mollie’s only idea is to carry the flame to the other 
bags, not to carry the bags to the original blaze. 
WHAT’S IN A NAME ? 
One day a Vice-Regal visit was paid to the gardens and it was Mr. 
Wilkie’s duty to take the ladies around the place. When they stopped 
at Mollie’s cage he naturally addressed her by name. 
“What do you call her?” asked one of the young ladies, smiling 
mischievously. 
“Mollie,” was the answer. 
The two girls laughed this time so meaningly that he said: 
“I think they really called her Mary at first, but we changed it to 
Mollie when we grew fonder of her.” 
Upon this the whole company could restrain its mirth no longer, and 
the mother explained the joke to him. One of the young ladies was 
Lady Mary, and was known in intimate circles as Lady Mollie. 
HOIST ON HIS OWN PETARD. 
With the passing years Mollie is finding that people play fewer 
tricks upon her than they used to do. The fact is that it is becoming 
