MOLLY THE MISSING LINK

Gisborne Times, Volume LXI, Issue 9847, 28 October 1924, Page 3

MOLLY THE MISSING LINK

NURSES DOLLS, EATS AT THE FAMILY TABLE.

Molly, pictured in this issue is a-two-ycar-okl on rang cutting, and she scares you because she impels the uncanny imagination, or realisation, that you are a relative of hers. Lf ever there was a missing link, Molly is it. The owners of this Marriekville curiosity is Mr Tom Fox, a hospitable man, who probably knows as much about monkeys as was ever written or taught. Other people may have their cats and dogs, canaries .and c-ockics even thoroughbred, priceless racehorses, but Mr iox must have his monkey. They have been his hobby since he was a toddler at Hill End, near Bathurst. Molly first saw the light of day in a forest in Borneo just a little over two years ago. She was captured l when her mother was not looking and brought to Australia in a cage by a friend of Mr ’Fox. She was .a very sick baby. She had catarrh, justlike n human being, and she had lung trouble, toor ’When Mr Fox took her home to Marrickville, she a little, worse, and he reckoned she wouldn’t live more than’ a week. Mi's Fox cared for her just as she had cared for her own family. Siio put Mollv under a course of massage treatment, and daily rubbed her hairy Body with strong camphorated oil. After a few months the catarrh and lung affection disappeared absolutely, and Molly began to lift her owner’s hop.es very high. Mrs lox continued her motherly care, and to-day Molly is as healthy as any baby show prize, winner. Molly can do anything hub talk. " She is evidently too young to do that yet. She is more obedientthan the average mischievous child of her age; and she. has cultivated refined maimers that many a mother would give anything to see her oviii child possess. She knows the difference between right and wrong, Molly sleeps at night in a specially made bed in a specially made room off the verandah of Mr Fox’s home. During the day she plays about the house, or in the yard with her playmate Lorrie. She nurses a doll just as all girls do and puts, it to bed as* well. She catches a hall, wheels a pram, and takes afternoon tea with anyone. The most extraordinary fact, though is that the young ourang on tang occupies her own seat at the family table, arid partakes of anything that is eaten by the other members., if a plats of cake or biscuits is placed before her she will ’quietly take one—not grab it like most moiiKeys or animals —and then, when she has finished eating it will docilely and shyly wait until another .is given her. She"holds a teacup precisely as does a human being. Molly Hughs al- • most loudly when you tickle her ribs, and if you lift her in your arms she will encircle your rreck with her -own long arms rul'd kiss you. She, is friendly to everyone, particularly children, and when she is taken lor a walk she is dressed in an ordinary baby’s cost. Mr Fox owns 22 monkeys'altogether. • They_r.ro. all pots. •(See Picture on Page 6).