I was doing some research this morning, looking for obituaries in the local newspapers, when I stumbled upon a fun tidbit in the Little Falls Daily Transcript (Wednesday, August 8, 1906).
A box of monkeys arrived at the depot, from a well known wild animal dealer in Chicago Tuesday, billed to the Norris & Rowe circus. There were six of the little animals in the box and during their stay here excited considerable interest. They were forwarded Wednesday to the circus.
Who doesn’t love monkeys? I’m trying to picture them at the Cass Gilbert Depot in Little Falls. There were six of them. Just how little were they? Did any of them swing from the rafters? Why weren’t they traveling with the rest of the circus? As the story was reported on a Wednesday and the monkeys were forwarded on a Wednesday, does that mean they left the same day they came?
The Morrison County Democrat (a weekly paper) reported a day later:
Norris & Rowe’s circus showed here Monday afternoon and evening as per schedule. The show is not as large as some but what they have is good and the crowds that attended were well satisfied.
This makes it sound as though the monkeys were late for the circus.