he not played nine-pins with us at the rock-cellar, and got into a heat in talking politics, just like one of us?"

"And how can it be?" they all asked in grief and mortification. "Has he not led the dance at our balls? An ape! a monkey! It is marvellous, it is magic!"

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Yes, it is sorcery and devilish enchantment, a vision of the black art!" cried the burgomaster, as he produced the neckcloth of the nephew or monkey. "Behold! here is the charm, which has rendered him so admirable in our eyes, attached to this neckcloth! It is a broad strip of elastic parchment, inscribed with all sorts of mysterious characters. I think it is Latin. Is there no one here who can read it?"

The chief minister, a learned man, who had lost many a game at chess in playing with the ape, came up, looked at the parchment, and said, "No, no; it is not Latin. The words are merely written in Roman letters, and read thus: :

'YOUR. APE'S.A.WONDROUS. FUNNY. FELLOW.

AT.LEAST. WHEN.MUNCHING.APPLES.

MELLOW.'

Yes, yes; it is some witchcraft, some delusion

of hell!" he continued; "and its author ought to suffer condign punishment."

"He SHALL Suffer it!" exclaimed the burgomaster, and immediately set off to seize the stranger, who, beyond all dispute, was a sorcerer; while six soldiers of the town guard carried the ape; for the stranger was to be instantly hurried before a magistrate for examination.

Surrounded by an immense crowd of people, they soon reached the solitary house; for every one was anxious to see how the matter would end. They knocked at the door; they pulled the bell; but all in vain: no one appeared. The burgomaster was inflamed with fury, and, ordering his men to burst open the door, rushed up to the stranger's room. But nothing was to be seen there, except various articles of old household furniture; the stranger was nowhere to be found. But a large sealed letter lay on his table, addressed to the burgomaster, who in trembling excitement opened it. The letter ran thus:

"MY EXCELLENT FRIENDS OF GRÜNWIESEL !

"When you read this line, I shall be no longer in your little town, and you will have already discovered the quality and country of my be

loved nephew. Please to receive the joke which I have enjoyed at your expense, as a good-natured warning not to urge a stranger to mix with your society, when he prefers to live retired. I really felt myself too good to have any thing to do with your everlasting gossip, your wretched customs, and your ridiculous modes of life. I therefore educated a young ourang-outang, to whom, as my representative, you have given so heartwarm a welcome. Farewell, and make the best use in your power of the lesson I have given you."

It is not necessary to say that the Grünwieselites were excessively ashamed, and that they became the laughing-stock of the whole country. Still their comfort was, that they had been made the victims of an unnatural imposture. But the young men of Grünwiesel were most ashamed, in consequence of having viewed the baboon's animal habits and wild antics as worthy of imitation. From that day forward they avoided leaning upon their elbows; they left off rocking and tilting back their chairs; they were no longer so intrusive as to advance their opinion till it was asked; they laid aside their pipes and spectacles, and became as well behaved and gen

tlemanly as they had been before; and whenever any one happened to be guilty of such bad habits and awkward manners, the Grünwieselites would exclaim, "That has a smack of the stranger's nephew!" or, "Has our noble acquaintance, the young master of the ceremonies, come to town again?"

To conclude our story:- The ape that had so long played the part of a young gentleman, was delivered to the learned naturalist. He feeds him, allows him to course round his court at will, and shows him to strangers as a curiosity; and there he continues to this day, at home to all who come to make him a call.