"I could not help thinking how nearly allied Angel and John were in the manner of acting during the course of the music. I have no doubt but in course of time the animal will, just like John, show the facial expressions which characterize either pleasure or pain."
"But I have seen Angel actually laugh."
This was true; it had been noticed on several occasions. But so far John had not laughed, and he had not changed his facial expression in such a manner as to make it noticeable, and the evening's entertainment had done more to affect him than anything which had occurred, and it was their earnest hope that this might be a means to his delivery.
Harry was the only one to notice a field mouse which had appeared soon after George began to play, and the little animal was joined by others, but the subsequent events of the evening attracted his attention, so that no notice was taken of them until they were about to retire, when they scampered away and Harry then related how they had acted.
"That is an interesting thing. Some time ago the keeper of the Central Park Zoölogical Gardens, in New York, employed a violinist to play for the animals, and the results were very interesting. The first animals approached were a lioness and five cubs. The tune played was 'America.' She listened with mute and dignified appreciation, and her five little cubs ranged up alongside in a row, and in the same attitude, all with a wondering expression, and sometimes would act just as you often have seen dogs do, turn their heads aside obliquely, as though the sound could be better understood. The old lion in the adjoining cage also stopped his restless movement, and peered at the player attentively. The next animal was a tigress. When the playing commenced she first looked startled. Her mate entered the cage and escorted her out into the yard while he took up his position and listened, and refused to allow her to return. The hippopotamus, on the other hand, got mad, and sought the water for seclusion. The elephant appeared to be the most discriminating, for while he deliberately turned his back when a plaintive tune was played, was so delighted when a rattling dancing jig was executed, he actually danced about in ecstacies of joy. The wolves, foxes and hyenas could not be made to appreciate any of the tunes, but the monkeys enjoyed all the tunes, if being sad when doleful tunes are played give happiness, and they partook of the exhilaration when lively sounds came from the instrument."
