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The Cats and the Ape

PES have always had A female Orang-outang, from the the name of being island of Borneo, was brought alive into shrewd and mis- Holland and lodged in the menagerie of chievous. They the Prince of Orange. She was extremely are great imita- gentle, and exhibited no symptoms whattors, and take par- ever of fierceness or malignity. She had ticular delight in a somewhat melancholy appearance, yet putting on the airs loved to be in company, and particularly which are shown with those persons to whose care she was by human beings. Children, entrusted. Oftentimes, when they retired, and those who are older than she would throw herself on the ground as children, always find their if in despair, uttering the most doleful ways very amusing, and cries, and tearing in pieces any article of watch their movements with linen that happened to be within her delight. reach. Her keeper having sometimes sat In the annexed engraving near her on the ground, she would freyou may see a representa- quently take the hay of her bed, arrange tion of a shrewd Old Ape transacting it by her side, and, with the greatest some business with a pair of cats. It anxiety and affection, invite him to sit seems there has been a dispute between down. the cats in regard to cheese, one claiming One morning she contrived to escape that the other had a piece larger than its from her chain, and, not long afterwards, own. To settle the dispute they have was seen to ascend, with wonderful agility, come to the Old Ape, who is to act as the beams and oblique rafters of the buildjudge in the case. Looking out for him- ing. With some trouble she was taken, self, he proceeds to weigh the pieces in but the efforts of four men were found the scales, and, as may be seen, he takes necessary to secure her. Two of these a bite first from one piece and then from seized her by the legs, and a third by the the other. He is apparently very anxious head, whilst the other fastened the collar to equalize the pieces of cheese, so that round her body. During the time she each cat shall have as much as the other, was at liberty she had, amongst other but he takes a little larger bite from one pranks, taken the cork from a bottle of than from the other, and then, when he Malaga wine; she drank the wine to the attempts to make the pieces alike, he is last drop, and then set the bottle again in compelled to bite again, which is a pretty its place. shrewd piece of business, and it looks as When strawberries were given to her if the Old Ape judge would get a good on a plate, it was amusing to see her take deal more cheese than either of the cats. them up, one by one, with a fork, and