AN IMPUDENT THIEF.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3563, 16 July 1890, Page 2

AN IMPUDENT THIEF.

It is an unusual experience an anecdote devolving .theft aud deception which rouses not. only amusement' but '-.admiration of theculprit's cleverness, .Yet. such a . story is told by Mansfield Parkyns, ' who was himself a .witness of incident:—At Kharlouin I saw: a ; man who was exhibiting'three large ■ apes, who performed several tricks at bis command. I entered into conversation with him, and he told me that his male apo was the most dexterous: thief imaginabje, and stole every day asulcientatfou'nt of food for his subsistence. In proof of this he begged me to watch the:aniinalf6r a f, few minutes. Ididso, and presently ...T the keeper led him to a spot where a date seller was sitting' beside him. Hero his master put. him through bis evolutions, and although I could perceive that thp monkey had an eye to the fruit, yet so completely did he disguise his intentions that no cam-.. less observer would have noticed iC Ho did not at first care about &gW proacbing the basket,. but 'gradually brought, nearer '.' and nearer, until at last he got close to the owner. In • the midst of one of his feats he suddenly started up from the ground, on which he was stretched, and uttering ' .:.■'" a cry.'as if in pain or rage, fixed his ■ ' eyes full on the face of the datesoller; then, without moving the rest of his body, lie stole as many dates as be could bold in one of his • hind hands,' I The date-seller, thus stared out of countenance, and having His attention diverted by this extraordinary movemoiit,. knew nothing about the theft till a byetandoi? told him of it. Then <w he joined heartily in the laugh raised against bitri.''