ONE FAMILY'S COAL SUPPLY.
And the Story Concerning It as Told
by Two Truthful Patrolmen.
There is one Italian family in the North end that fluctuations in the prices of coal apparently need not worry. With the aid of a trained monkey that works all day with the hand organ, the winter's supply of coal for this family is delivered to the back yard of the little lean-to in which the family lives.
Last evening shortly after the night relief of police had gone on duty, Patrolmen Joseph Dolan and John Shiners were walking along the levee near Holmes street when they heard a noise resembling somewhat a bombardment. The officers hurried toward where the noise occurred and found a monkey perched on the top of a high pole making funny grimaces at a disappearing freight train.
The patrolmen made an investigation to try and determine what caused the noise, but they could learn nothing. However, as they were walking slowly away a freight train was seen to emerge from between buildings and pass the yard a hundred feet or more away. About midway in the train were several coal cars and on these were a half-dozen boys beating rides. As the coal cars drew almost even with the back yard the monkey perched himself high on the end of the pole and instantly there was a volley of coal from the boys on the cars. The monkey dodged these missiles, some of which came close to him, and darted up and down the pole in a manner that indicated enthusiasm in the sport.
After the train had disappeared the monkey again darted to the top of the pole, and directly an elderly woman emerged from a rear door and picked up the coal that lay in the yard and placed it in a basket.
