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Show AARY GIHAA BONNER. , CCIMOI U I1UM UWO" " BADY CAMEL "J'hr baby eiinicl In the zoo wns two weeks old," said Daddy, "and for tho llrst time the lltirs were allowed to come und see hltn. "He had not been seen before for be wns so young and the keeper wns ufruld that he might become nervous If he were watched by lots of people. "Then too they were ufrald Ida mother might become excited und they didn't want this to happen. "So, as I've Just suld, he was two weeks old before he wus out In tho yard where the people could see him. ".Vow his mother stood there be-side be-side him nnd watched him, though at times she opened her mouth and mudo strange moaning sounds for her mate. "She dearly loved her mote and the keeper had her muto beyond u big piece of partition or door over which jshe could look, but she could not get to the other side. "The keeper wus afraid that ho had better not let her mate como near tho little baby until he wns bigger. He might, be a little Jealous. Or perhaps hu might hit It without meaning to, for cumels use their legs w'len they get excited und thrust them out In kicks ns people sometimes thrust forth thrlr arms n motions, nnd gestures which nre the same ns motions. "He. was very proud of .his sqn but tho son's bones were brittle and the keeper did not want any harm to come to tho baby even by accident. "Hy uccldent the daddy might become be-come a little excited nnd not realize that the baby wasn't strong. "The baby camel got down on Its front knees, then on bis hack knees, und then he was sitting down with hU feet turned under. "And after a time ho got up again. Ills mother opened her mouth again nnd ngnln, nnd made strange sounds In calling to her mate, and as she "Tho Neareet He Could Get." opened her mouth wide the sound became be-came louder. As she drew It slowly together tho sound was not so loud. "The niother turned her back on the people a great deal of tho time for she wanted to watch her baby and sometimes some-times Hhe could do so better this wny. "Now the baby camel wus a lovely looklnK animal. Ah It was very early In the summer, or rather, qulto late In the spring, .Mother Camel was shedding her hair nnd she looked ery far from beautiful. "The hair wns coming off In great ugly putches, but the baby thought his mother was beautiful. "She looked rather untidy with bet spring and summer shedding hut the baby drew up close to her and put his bend against her nnd kissed her. He could not reach very much nbovo ber great long legs nnd her 'Mps. but be stood close to her, his body ngnlnst hers, us It was the nearest ho could get to being held In her arms. "And he could stand close to her und feel It was tho same. "Ills body was very gray, nd his two humps very sort und lovely. "Ho belonged to the llactrlan Camel family, and so he hud two humps, as ull good lluctrlans have, und his moth-er moth-er und Ids father thought they were very liinisou(e buuips. "The lips of his humps were of darker gray nnd Ills humps were dark-et dark-et than his body, which wus of u soft light gray color. ' "Ills tall was a little darker, too and be moved It from side to side as though to show he was pleased. "Wheneer his mother moved ho nmvetl, too, for he did not warn to leave her for a moment. She' talked a grvut deal and all the time, ns sho talked bo took good care to h with her. - "Ityr, though he could wnlk, which a child hub hiH age could not do, still hu dd like to feel his mother tieur untie "Oil, yes. he could walk,. and sit tin nndt up and down, but vfor.jll that the world did seem very new t.. niu , and his mother very vvlso In her m.Uer. stundlng." |