CHAPTER II.
JACKO BLACKING THE TABLE.
One morning, cook went to her mistress with loud complaints of Jacko'stricks.
"What has he been doing now?" inquired the lady, with some anxiety.
"All kinds of mischief, ma'am. If I didn't like you, and the master, andMiss Minnie so well, I wouldn't be living in the same house with amonkey, no ways."
Here the woman, having relieved her mind, began to relate Jacko's newoffence, and soon was joining heartily in the laugh her story caused hermistress.
"Since the trickish fellow found the way to undo his chain, ma'am, hewatches every thing that is done in the kitchen. Yesterday I polishedthe range, and the door to the oven. I suppose he saw me at work, andthought it would be good fun; for when I was out of the kitchen hangingsome towels to dry on the line, in he walks to the closet where I keepthe blacking and brushes, and what should he do but black the table andchairs? Such a sight, ma'am, as would make your eyes cry to see. It'lltake me half the forenoon to clean them."
"I think you will have to take a little stick, Hepsy," said Mrs. Lee,smiling, "and whip him when he does mischief."
"Indeed, ma'am, and it's little strength I'd have left me to do thecooking if I gave him half the whippings he deserves; besides, I'd besure to get the cratur's ill will; and they say that's unlucky for anyone."
"What does she mean, mamma, by its being unlucky?" inquired Minnie, whenthe cook had returned to her work in the kitchen.
"I can't say, my dear. You know Hepsy has some strange ideas which shebrought with her from Ireland. It may be she has heard of thesuperstitious reverence some nations have for the monkey."
"O, mamma, will you please tell me about it?"
"I have read that in many parts of India, monkeys are made objects ofworship; and splendid temples are dedicated to their honor.
"At one time, when the Portuguese plundered the Island of Ceylon, theyfound, in one of the temples dedicated to these animals, a small goldencasket containing the tooth of a monkey. This was held in suchestimation by the natives, that they offered nearly a million of dollarsto redeem it. But the viceroy, thinking it would be a salutarypunishment to them, ordered it to be burned.
"Some years after, a Portuguese, having obtained a similar tooth,pretended that he had recovered the old one, which so rejoiced thepriests that they purchased it from him for more than fifty thousanddollars."
Minnie laughed. "I should suppose," she said, "that if cook thinks somuch of monkeys, she would be pleased to live with them. Do you knowany more about monkeys, mamma?"
"I confess, my dear, that monkeys have never been among my favorites.There are a great many kinds, but all are mischievous, troublesome, andthievish. The dispositions of some of them are extremely bad, whileothers are so mild and tractable as to be readily tamed and taught agreat variety of tricks. They live together in large groups, leapingwith surprising agility from tree to tree. Travellers say it is veryamusing to listen to the chattering of these animals, which they compareto the shouting of a grand cavalcade, all speaking together, and yetseeming perfectly to understand one another.
"In the countries of the Eastern Peninsula, where they abound, thematrons are often observed, in the cool of the evening, sitting in acircle round their little ones, which amuse themselves with theirvarious gambols. The merriment of the young, as they jump over eachother's heads, and wrestle in sport, is most ludicrously contrasted withthe gravity of their seniors, who are secretly delighted with the fun,but far too dignified to let it appear.
"But when any foolish little one behaves ill, the mamma will be seen tojump into the throng, seize the juvenile by the tail, take it over herknee, and give it a good whipping."
"O, how very funny, mamma! I wonder whether Jacko was treated so. Willyou please tell me more? I do like to hear about monkeys."
"If you will bring me that book from the library next the one aboutcats, perhaps I can find some anecdotes to read to you."
The little girl clapped her hands with delight, and running gayly to thenext room, soon returned with the book, when her mother read asfollows:--
"A family in England had a pet monkey. On one occasion, the footmanretired to his room to shave himself, without noticing that the animalhad followed him. The little fellow watched him closely during theprocess, and noticed where the man put his razor and brush.
"No sooner had the footman left the room, than the monkey slyly took therazor, and, mounting on a chair opposite the small mirror, began toscrape away at his throat, as he had seen the man do; but alas! notunderstanding the nature of the instrument he was using, the poorcreature cut so deep a gash, that he bled profusely. He was found inthe situation described, with the razor still in his fingers, butunfortunately was too far gone to be recovered, and soon died, leaving acaution to his fellows against playing with edged tools."
"I hope Jacko will never see any body shave," said Minnie, in afaltering voice.
"Here is a funny story, my dear, about a monkey in the West Indies. Thelittle fellow was kept tied to a stake in the open air, and wasfrequently deprived of his food by the Johnny Crows. He tried to drivethem off, but without success, and at last made the following plan forpunishing the thieves.
"Perceiving a flock of these birds coming toward him one day just afterhis food had been brought, he lay down near his stake, and pretended tobe dead. For some time, he lay perfectly motionless, when the birds,really deceived, approached by degrees, and got near enough to steal hisfood, which he allowed them to do. This game he repeated several times,till they became so bold as to come within reach of his claws, when hesuddenly sprang up and caught his victim in his firm grasp. Death wasnot his plan of punishment. He wished to make a man of him, accordingto the ancient definition, 'a biped without feathers,' and therefore,plucking the crow neatly, he let him go to show himself to hiscompanions. This proved so effectual a punishment, that he wasafterwards left to eat his food in peace."
"I don't see," said Minnie, thoughtfully, "how a monkey could ever thinkof such a way."
"It certainly does show a great deal of sagacity," responded the lady,"and a great deal of cunning in carrying out his plan."
"I hope there are ever so many anecdotes, mamma."
Mrs. Lee turned over the leaves. "Yes, my dear," she said, cheerfully,"there are quite a number; some of them seem to be very amusing, but Ihave only time to read you one more to-day."
"Dr. Guthrie gives an amusing account of a monkey named Jack.
"Seeing his master and friends drinking whiskey with great apparentrelish, he took the opportunity, when he thought he was unseen, to emptytheir half-filled glasses; and while they were roaring with laughter, hebegan to hop, skip, and jump. Poor Jack was drunk.
"The next day, his master wanted to repeat the experiment, but foundJack had not recovered from the effects of his dissipation. He commandedhim to come to the table; but the poor fellow put his hand to his head,and not all their endeavors could induce him to taste another drop allhis life.
"Jack became a thorough teetotaller."