Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1848-04-20
NUMBER 5.
SEEING THE rLrruANr.-

The origin Of this now common and expressive
phrase is thus described
Some years since. at of the Phi ladelpha thea
tre pageant was IN rehearsal In which II was ne
cessafy 10 have an elephant. No elephant was TO be
had. The swild beasts were all travelling, and the
properiy-uan, stage director. and manager. almost
had fits when they thought Of ii Days passed in the
hopeless task oendeavorng 10 secure but at last
Yankee ingenuity rumphed, indeed il Away Does
and an elephant was duly made TO order, OF wood,
SKINS. pant and varnish Thus far the matter
all well. but as vet they had found means to make
the said combination travel. Here again The genius
oil the manager. stage director, and property man
stuck out" and two Of the s.supesv were duly in
stalled as legs. Ned c.. one Of the true genu
inc bhoys. held the responsible station os fore legs
and for several nights played hat heavy part the
entire satisfaction of the manager and the delight Of
the audience. The part, however. was very tedious
one as the elephant was obliged TO be the Stage for
about an hour, and Ned was rather fond Of the bot
lie 70 remain so long without Hwheiing his whistle"
50 he SETS hts wits 10 work 10 find way to carry
wee Drop with him. The eyes oftte eIephat being
made 81 two porter bottles, Inc neckS in Ned cunceiv
ed the brilliant idea Of filing them with good sinf'
ms ne fully carried out, and, eated with his success
willingly undertook 10 play the fore legs again J
Night came. the theatre Gas crowded with the dem
zens OF The Quaker city; the music played its sweet
est strains, the whistle sounded the curtain rose AMI
the play began. Ned and the hind legs marched up
on the stage. The elephant was greeted with round
Z
pings were gorgeous tho Prince seated on his back,
The elephant, all Were loudly cheered. Theplay pro
ceeded the elephant was marched round The stage,
The fore hgSgp dry, and Withdrew Of the corks,
treated the hind legs and drank the health of the audi
ence IN bumper OF genuine elephant eye whskey---a
brand, by The way. I'LL then unknown. On went the
play, and on went Ned drinking. The concluding
march was TO oe made--he signal was given and the
fore legs staggered towards the front of the stage.
The footlghts obsruried his way he raised his feet
aud siepped--plump into tie orcles,ra Down went
the fore legs the leaders fiddle over ofcourse tusn.
ed the elephant, sending The Prince closely followed
by hnd legs, into the middle oflhe pit. The manage.
stood horror struck, the Prince and Kind legs lay
founded. the boxes N commissions the actors choking
with laughter. And poor Ned, casting one look. a
strange blending OF drunkenness. grief, and laughter,
at The scene, fled hastily Out of theatre closely fol-
lowed BY the leader with the week Of his fiddle, per-
forming various cut and thrust motions in the ait.
Imagine the scenepaint i, for me, some one Of you,
lfyo9 can. Is.
The result, reader, can you not picture il? The
curtain dropped ''scenc behind scenes" No
more pageant fore legs, but every body hold
ing their sides, music actors. pit gallery and boxes
rushed from the theatre. shreking between every
bfeath---"nAyE You SEEK THE ELEPHANT 7"