Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. XXIV, May 1852, Vol. IVVarious
General
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. XXIV, May 1852, Vol. IV
Various
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
Dr. Pelican saw a party of rats around the bunghole of a cask of wine
dipping their tails in and then licking them. Mr. Jesse tells of rats
who performed a similar feat with an oil-bottle. But this is nothing in
comparison with the acuteness of Degrandpre's monkey. Left with an open
bottle of aniseed brandy, he sucked what he could from it with tongue
and fingers, and then poured sand into the bottle till the rest ran
over. Le Vaillant, the African traveler, had with him dogs and a monkey.
When the monkey was weary he leapt on a dog's back for a ride. One dog
on such occasions quietly stood still. The monkey, fearing to be left
behind, would presently jump off and hasten to the caravan: the dog,
with studious politeness, took good care to give him precedence. An
elephant--we must at once append one tale about the elephant, whose
great sagacity makes him the hero of a thousand and one--an elephant
belonging to an officer in the Bengal army, was left during the long
absence of his master to a keeper; who, as even elephant-ostlers will
do, cheated him of his rations. When the master came back, the poor
half-starved elephant testified the greatest joy, the keeper, in his
master's presence, put, of course, the full allowance of food before the
elephant, who immediately divided it into two parts, one representing
his short commons, which he devoured greedily; the other representing
the amount to which he had been defrauded in his dinners, he left. The
officer of course understood the hint, and the man confessed his breach
of trust.
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