n the annual parade day. Merritt and I
didn't hurry any; we knew that it would take some time for the chief,
who kept the town drug store, to get into his red shirt and shiny boots
and select the bouquet to carry in the big end of his speaking trumpet.
Pretty soon, 'Always Ready, Ever Faithful, Hose Company Number One,'
which comprised the department, came down the street, all of the company
shouting orders through trumpets at the two coons who were pulling the
cart.

"Of course, we went along to see the 'Fighting the Flames' show, but
say: the joke was on us, for it was our theater which provided it. There
wasn't anything left to burn and the hose company marched proudly back.
Poor old Pete was nothing but a heap of ashes and Merritt looked
sorrowful.

"'Jim,' says he, 'let's copper the rabbit market before they get wise.'"

"Did you have no insurance?" asked the Stranger sympathetically.

"Not a blame cent," replied his companion as he rose to go to bed. "But
I am making good money out of old Pete yet. I had him stuffed and get a
hundred a week from a dime museum for him--and they furnish the feed."

THE AMOROUS BABOON

THE AMOROUS BABOON

Thanks to the busy Press Agent, the fame of Jocko the Jealous, the
amorous baboon, had preceded him to America, and when the animals from
the Paris Hippodrome had been safely transferred to their dens in the
Arena at Dreamland he was the center of attraction as he limbered up his
muscles in the large monkey cage, after the cramped accommodations of
the small traveling box. He had gained a reputation as a masher in
Paris; but never had the menagerie attendants seen him so madly in love
and so insanely jealous as upon his first introduction to American
beauty, as exemplified by the fair woman who stood before his cage.

Jocko was not the first male being who had been fascinated by the charms
of the Prima Donna during her career; for she had been through the
marriage ceremony so often that she could say it backwards, never
forgetting to cross her fingers before saying, "Until death do us part."
The Proprietor drew the Stranger's attention to the group before the
cage, a mischievous smile on his face as he looked over the half dozen
of callow youths who are always in the train of the Prima Donna.

"Watch out for squalls over there," he said. "Jocko is affectionate now,
but there will be something doing in a few minutes." The monkey was
using all of the blandishme