ghtest use in making any effort
in that direction, because nature had failed to furnish him with the
organs needed for speaking articulately.

I had noticed frequently, when going down into the valley, a certain
rock which fell in pieces by splitting off in smooth plates; and another
kind which lay scattered about in small fragments that would make marks
like chalk-marks. This substance was of a reddish color, and, on the
purplish surface of the thin slabs of the harder rock, it made very
clear, distinct lines.

On one of these slabs I wrote the alphabet in large letters, and began
by teaching Pippity his A B C's. The next step was to instruct Grilly
how to hold the pencil. Taking his hand in mine, I guided it in making
the letters. He was rather slow at first in comprehending the science or
acquiring the knack of tracing the letters; but continued application
will accomplish wonders even with a monkey; and in a few weeks' time
Grilly would make any letter at command. I got Pippity to call out the
alphabet while Grilly wrote. Thus they taught each other--Pippity
addressing the monkey's ear, and Grilly appealing to the parrot's eye.

After they were thus well grounded in the alphabet, I made them spell
short and familiar words. I would spell the words to Pippity, and he
would repeat them in a loud, clear voice to Grilly, whose province of
course it was to write them in a bold, legible hand, whilst the parrot
kept his eye sharply on the writing; and if, perchance, the monkey
should make a mistake, it was expected of him to call out
immediately--"Error!"

As Pippity had a great many phrases and a vast number of nouns at
command, and began pretty rapidly to comprehend the science of English
orthography, he was soon able to give out the words to Grilly without my
help; though he did make some funny mistakes, for which, however, the
poor bird was in no way responsible, but which made me laugh at him
nevertheless.

[Illustration: TEACHING GRILLY TO WRITE.]

It may seem strange to some that a monkey could be taught to write. With
such persons I will hold no argument. All I have to say is: Get a
monkey, and try it.

Grilly as well as Pippity became in course of time quite a fine scholar,
and he, too, learned the names of the plants and many other objects
which we found in our dominions. The two agreed very well, and the one
furnished what the other lacked. The parrot could talk but not write;
the monkey could write but