Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1849-02-01
From the Spirit of the Times.
S E Ell n G T HE ELEPHANT
A TRUE STORY.

MOST CoNGENIAL 'SPIRlT.-- all four
Legged animals, there is none which have
given cause for SO many laughable stories
as the elephant and no animal is more gen.
orally sought after by the'verdent; but woe
be to him who gets peep at the critter in
any other place than at the regular mena-
gerie, for it is either attended with great
expense, or dangerous fright on the part
OF the beholder.
1t has been, and is now my custom, TO
spend few weeks every winter with my
friend Judge H: of CRANKY, in this
State, for the purpose of shooting foxes,
cartridges, rabbits, owls, or anything else
that does not possess soul. And here
allow me to inform you that there is
mountain running through this ancient
town, called the Mana,ic, where foxes do
have their holes, live, increase, and null
tiply in greater numbers than in any 9th
er section Of the country north of Mason
and Dixon's line. Many of the inhabitants
support dozen hounds, abandon all other
business in the winter season, and take to
hunting foxes. 1t is not uncommon for
some of these old hunters to crack over
two hundred during the hunting season.
But pardon this digression-I will pro-
coed with my elephant. On an annual Wis
it to the Judges, in the year 1874, one
day, when returning from hunt, had
nearly reached my friends house, when
my attention was arrested by the combin-
ed noise of one sleigh bell, the putting of
awind-broken horse the cutting and slash
ing of large whip-lash, tied to an eight
foot pole, and cracked voice yelling go
long! ha!-git up!' My first thought was
that some of the boys were testing the
speed of their nags; but as the object as
cended the hill and approached nearer me,
| discovered that it was not a race mere
ly to try the nag's speed, but desperate
effort TO get along for some purpose, and
at once concluded that either war had bro
ken out with the British, on the Canada
side, or somebody was very sick, perhaps
dying.
While revolving these probable causes
in my mind, the establishment was about
passing me. For the sake of my neck, |
cleared the track, hurryins myself into
an adjoining snow bark, not, however,
without taking glimpse of the passing OBJ
ject, which proved to be species Of the
horse, in rope harness, attached to cut
ter made without the use of tools, except
jackkniie. In the centre of this sleigh
looking vehicle, was young man, enclos-
ed on either side with wooden bowls, and
had apparently attempted TO hide himse lf,
for nothing was visible of his person, ex-
cept the head, which was without cover,
thus exposed to the wind, with his faxen
locks Strengthened by the breeze, his nos
trils dilated, painting for breath; his coun-
tenance, once blooming, was now white
as the snow, and foam oozing from his
mouth. As he passed me, he exclaimed,
He is coming !-you'd better hide!'
Being well armed, l was prepared to
| encounter whatever presented itself. l
did not, however, wait for the fearful OBJ
ject, but pressed on, wishing to see the
| frightened man, who, noticed, had rein
ed up to my friends house. Iarrived be-
fore he had crawled from his hiding place !;
indeed he dared not then, even when in
secure situation, expose himself to the
sight of this awful something which he had
seen. His fright and his strong effort to
escape had completely overcome him
physically and mentally. he was used up
man. and found it necessary to obtain
assistance to extrica'e him from the hole
in which he was completely lodged by the
bowls. | called the Judge, and after great
exertion we succeeded in getting the poor
fellow in the house.
After having comfortably located him
by the fire, we commenced interrogaing
him as to what he had seen, but all the
poor fellow could answer was, that the ell
ephant had got out, and he had seen him !;
and when passing him, the hind part of his
sleigh and sleigh, too, that he had made
himself, had received severe kick from
the said elephants fore leg, the thought of
which, as it again seized his mind, caused
him to tremble with fear.
The affair now began to look promising
for dot of fun So the Judge, who
loves a joke next to the yell of hound,'
thought best to postpone any further en-
quiries until the young man had recover
ed from his fright. Ezekiel, for that Was
his name, had seen twenty-on years, and
in every sense was genuine green YAM
kee.' The cut of his garments were in
the most verdantique style.
Evening came, and Zeke had rccoveredt
though his mind was yet a little weak: but
being in highly nervous state, he con-
versed with considerable nuency. Being
now fully prepared to enjoy the joke, we
requested Zeke to proceed with the story,
'and nothing extenuate or exaggerate. =
He commenced thus -
You see my name is Joseph Ezekiel
Trail, of the town of Bacton, northeast
part wall, last year Ben Peters, who lives
in our town, bought load of wooden
bowls, and started out sellin,' and in less
than four weeks he cleared himself, and
four dollars beside. Well, says to my
self, Ben don't have all that fun; so | put
into mo,herto let me 60, but she wax afraid,
because hadn't never been away from
home. But, says |, mother, go | shall!
and 60 did. But, darn me if don't be-
licve she knew what was comin'-for her
partin' words was, 'Zeke, mark what |
tell you, you will see trouble!' and | tell
you folks have seen it, for | hadn't got
more than eighteen miles away from Bac-
f,p x,,hor nc T ,,,, ornSS ips road