Old Print Article: “Fun For An Orang-Outang,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle (1898)

It’s the simple pleasures in life that bring the most enjoyment, as demonstrated in this December 4, 1898 article from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, which was originally published in the Philadelphia Record. An excerpt;

“Boolan, the wonderfully human-looking orang-outang out at the Zoo, has not yet been placed upon public exhibition, but she is learning new tricks every day that will surprise and delight visitors to the gardens where they are permitted to see her. Head Keeper Manley yesterday gave her an apple in a paper bag, and, thinking she merely devour the fruit and destroy the wrapping, paid no more attention to her until he heard a loud report like that of a popgun. Where Boolan learned the trick no one knows, but she had taken the bag in one hand after eating the apple, and, holding it up to her lips, had blown into the opening until it was full of wind. Then, with as much dexterity as children who do the same thing, the little orang-outang compressed the top of the bag to keep the air in, amd smashed it upon her knee. She appeared to be so much delighted with the result that the keeper sent out and got half a dozen bags, with which she repeated the performance until the supply was exhausted.”

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