These Monkeys Like Bananas

 

 



Monkey

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, Oh, little monkeys, you’re so noisy

 

Your searching eyes catch every move

And such rambunctious play

Makes me laugh and laugh.



 

 




  Bad Company.


NOTHING is worse for children and youth 

than bad company. "Evil communications 

corrupt good manners." So the best book 

tells us. Some children get caught in bad 

company when they are not aware of it be- 

forehand. Here is a good illustration of their 

condition given by Rev. Mr. Hervey, pastor 

of the Universalist church in Peabody. He 

is talking to the children of his Sabbath- 

school: " Some young people get fettered 

sometimes. In the Brazilian forests the 

hunters catch the monkeys in this way. They 

have some very small boots made and covered 

inside with pitch. These they carry into the 

woods, and then in full sight of the monkeys, 

who are watching them from the tree-tops, 

they pull off and on their own boots several 

times. Then they go away, leaving the little 

boots behind. Down come the monkeys and 

pull them on in imitation of the hunters. 

Then the hunters rush upon them and catch 

the silly creatures for they can't climb with 

boots on, and they can't shake the boots off. 

About the worst 'tight boots' that young 

people can get trapped with, is bad company.” 

  Myrtle.





 

 

 




            IN Brazil, monkeys are caught by filling

gourds with Brazil-nuts. The monkeys

put in their little paws, but get them so

full of nuts that they cannot pull their paws

out of the gourd. They do not know

enough to open their paws and let the nuts

go, and so are easily caught. In like manner, rich

 people put their hands in their

pockets, clasping the dollars so tightly that

they cannot at least do not get their

hands out, and so they are caught. Who

is the catcher ? Who, indeed!

Any Sabbath-school scholar can answer that 

question.




S. S. Visitor



 

 

 





 Water 


THE PITCHER PLANT.



CERTAIN plants and trees which spring up in dry and sun burnt soils have the wonderful power of secreting pure water for the use of birds and animals, and even human beings who reside in or pass through these regions. The most remarkable is the Pitcher Plant. 

From the end of each of the large leaves there hangs a pitcher with a lid moving on a hinge. The lid is wide open when the weather is moist, and shut up quite close when it is dry. 

In each of these pitchers is about a pint of pure water, which is not received from the summer shower, or from without, but is distilled from within the plant itself. When full of water, the pitcher might turn over from the weight, and its contents be spilled; but behind the lid there is placed a little hook, which, with marvelous sagacity, catches hold of some twig or tendril, and thus obtains the required support.

What a wonderful and merciful provision of Providence is this for the benefit of the creatures which live in or pass through those regions of Southern China, India, Africa, and other tropical countries, in which, during a portion of the year, the streams are dried up! The following story well illustrates this: 

"Two brothers who were traveling in South America, one day found by the roadside a little monkey which had broken one of its legs. The elder brother immediately with his handkerchief and a small stick bound up the broken leg, and taking the small creature in his arms, went on his way. Though sharply ridiculed by the younger for wasting his time and strength on 'only a monkey,' he persevered, knowing the animal would die if left to itself.

"After some days the travelers found themselves in a region destitute of water. The burning sun seemed to dry up the very blood in their veins.

A whole day passed, and another, and no water was to be found. At last the younger brother threw himself upon the ground, declaring that he could go no farther; he would lie down on the hot sand and die. At this critical moment the sagacious little monkey started up and hobbled away as fast as his crippled legs could carry him, but soon returned and tried to induce his preserver to follow him. The man did so, and the monkey led the way to a large, open field, covered with the pitcher plant, each cup filled with pure, fresh water.

"With eagerness the thirsty travelers took the cooling draught, and they thanked God, then and ever after, for the means by which he had preserved their lives; for the monkey every day led them to these natural reservoirs, until they 'reached their journey's end in safety."

There are many different kinds of the pitcher plant. That represented in the picture is from a tree, which grows to the height of twenty or thirty feet, and the pitchers are twelve inches long by six broad. They vary in size from these trees to the small plants with very little pitchers, specimens of which are sometimes seen in florists' windows.




 

 




THE MONKEY AT HOME.



WHEN they are engaged upon any very daring raid, monkeys place sentinels upon the neighboring trees and heights, to give them timely warning of approaching danger; and should they be surprised through any fault of these sentinels, the luckless individual is either severely punished, or in some cases, it is declared, is put to death for his neglect of the public safety. According to some accounts, these raiders will form a long chain, extending from the field or garden they are plundering, toward their own place of abode; and toss the fruits of their robbery from one to the other, till collected together and deposited in a place of safety. By this co-operative system they are enabled to carry off a much larger booty than they could if each one took only sufficient for himself. When leaving the scene of plunder, however, each takes off with him as much as he can carry. Fruit and eggs are their chief food; in a state of nature, it is believed they will not touch the flesh of warm-blooded animals, nor in a state of captivity, unless the flesh is cooked.




 Chambers' Journal.