Frank Fairweather's Fortunes

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1890 edition. Excerpt: ... pictured in the books. He was a venerable old chap, with an immense beard; he wore so sedate and benignant an expression upon his wrinkled face--while his every movement so tallied with what would naturally be the actions of a person--that it was hard to bring one's self to believe there was not a strain of humanity in his make-up. The forest manikin alighted upon the broken trunk of a tree, which protruded from, and overhung, the water; then, reaching to a swaying vine above, he walked out to where he could obtain a good view of the situation. Shading his eyes from the sun with his unoccupied hand, he slowly, and with evident satisfaction, scanned his surroundings. Turning around, he chattered a few words in monkey-tongue, whereupon he was immediately joined by at least twenty of his family and friends, of all ages and both sexes. Some of the elders were deliberate and dignified in their carriage; the younger members of the group jostled, elbowed and played pranks with each other, while the mothers evinced so much solicitude about the very young, that the scene was almost as pathetic as it was amusing. One little rascal, I particularly remember, was inclined to be perverse and play truant, and had its ears cuffed soundly by its anxious parent or guardian. There was one feature of the patriarch, or leader of the party, which did not add to the dignity of his appearance. It was his caudal appendage. His body, I judged, was about three feet in length, and his tail fully as long, if not longer. He used his tail, principally, in making gestures to accompany and emphasize his speech; but no matter what shape it took, it always seemed to have a comical twist or turn. In color, these monkeys were of a rich chestnut; but, when the sun's rays...