Ella. Give me the cane, Johnnie. Johnnie (strutting off again). I won't fall any more. Good by! I'm going to show mamma what a man I am! [Exit JOHNNIE. James. Come; we shall be late, if we do not start. Edward. I'm all ready. Ella. So am I. SCENE III.- SHOWMAN. [Curtain falls. Scene, a room unfurnished, excepting a row of cages across background and at the sides. In each cage a boy representing some animal by gestures and sounds, but in every-day dress. (Impromptu cages can be made by some arrangement of chairs around the stage.) Curtain rises, discovering EDWARD, ELLA, JAMES, and several other children walking up and down, looking at the cages. James. What is this animal, Ed? Edward. That is a bear. James. Is it? Can he stand on his hind legs? [Bear growls, and stands erect, holding on by the bars of the cage. James. Just look at him, Nell! (Enter PAUL with a long stick.) Edward. Here comes the showman; he 'll tell us all about them. Paul (stopping at first cage). This, ladies and gentlemen, is the royal Bengal tiger. This superb animal was captured in India, and brought to this country by the celebrated Ow Rang Tang, at an immense cost. In his native jungle his principal diet is a raw native, but in captivity raw beef will answer for his daily fare. Having given the history of this remarkable animal, ladies and gentlemen, I will now stir him up, and make him roar. (Stirs up the tiger with the long pole. Tiger roars as naturally as practicable.) Edward. Ain't he a beauty, Jim? James. Hush, he 's going to tell us what 's in the next cage. DIALOGUES. 167 Paul (who passes to the different cages, as he describes the different animals). This, ladies and gentlemen, is the Chimpanzee, or black orang monkey, captured on the Guinea coast. The immense strength of this animal makes his safe keeping very difficult. He can stand erect, or crawl on all-fours. Stand up, sir! (Chimpanzee stands up.) Sit down, sir! (Chimpanzee sits down.) They are very tractable if caught young, but ferocious when full-grown. The present specimen is four years old, and has been taught a variety of tricks. Make a bow, sir! (Chimpanzee obeys the orders as given.) Shake hands, sir! Stand on one leg, sir! Crawl, sir! Chatter your teeth, sir! Ella. Did you ever see such a monkey? Edward. I like the little black monkeys better, they're so full of mischief. Paul. This, ladies and gentlemen, is the American grizzly bear! It was captured in the Rocky Mountains, and measures nine feet from the tip of its nose to the extreme end of its tail! It lives upon meat, but is very fond of apples. Have any of you boys an apple? Try him; see if he won't eat one! James. I have one. (Offers it to the bear, who takes hand and all in his paw.) Oh! oh! oh! He'll eat me up! [Bear releases the hand. Ella. O, how frightened I was! Paul. There was no occasion for fright. All the animals are so perfectly under my control that there was not the least danger. James. Well, you may give him the apple yourself next time. See him munch it, Ned. [Bear growls. Paul. I will stir him up, and make him growl. (Stirs up bear, who takes the stick in his teeth, and shakes it.) Edward. Ha, ha, ha! See him hold on! Paul. Let go, sir! [Bear holds on, growling. James. I'm glad it is not my hand, now! B Paul. Let go, sir! Ella. He minds, does n't he? [Stick breaks. Paul. No animal likes to be disturbed while eating. This, ladies and gentleanimal in a menagerie. We will pass to the next cage. men, is the tapir, a very rare Indeed, I know of no other specimen in captivity. This animal is a native of South America, being found east of the Andes. He generally prefers to live in marshy ground, and will wallow in the shallow water like the domestic pig. Edward. I never saw one before. Ella. There is one in the geography. James. Hush! let's hear what is in the next cage. Paul. This remarkably graceful and beautiful animal, ladies and gentlemen, is the jaguar, or American panther, which was captured with immense difficulty, being as ferocious and strong as a tiger, and at the same time as active as a cat. I will stir up the specimen, and make him roar. (Stirs up the jaguar, who roars loudly, and bounds about the cage.) Ella. O, I am afraid he will get out! Paul. No danger, miss. The cage is strong, and he would not hurt you if he did get out. All these animals are under perfect control. : James. What 's in the next cage? Paul. A wildcat. Edward. O, stir him up! [PAUL stirs up wildcat, who yells. Paul. The next cage, ladies and gentlemen, contains a lion, an Asiatic lion,-rightly named the king of beasts. This superb specimen was captured at the age of three months, and is as tame as a kitten. I will stir him up. (Stirs up the lion, who growls without rising.) Edward. He's sulky. Paul. Get up, sir! (Pokes the lion, who growls sullenly.) [A slight change has been made in the au CAN Teacher. AN you tell what are the d week, and in what order they a Can Mary. Sunday, the sacred day of res Teacher. you tell how many hours a how they are divided? Ned. Yes; four-and-twenty hours, Teacher. Can you tell how many days are in a week, how many weeks in a month, and how many months in a year? Fanny. Seven days within each week are found; Teacher. Tell me the names of the different months, with the order in which they occur. Tom. Cold January first we view, And February clad in snow; Then follow March and April too, Nellie. June and July in order come, To furnish stores of various fruits; Frank: September calls the sportsman forth; Teacher. Do you know how many days there are in the dif ferent months of the year? |