The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-05-14
" Seeing the Elephant"

The origin Of this now common and ex>
prcssve phrase, is thus described in one of
our exchanges;
Some thirty years since lat one of the Phil
adelphia Theatres, pageant was in rehear-
sal, in which it was necessary TO have an ell
ephanl. No elephant was to be had The
wild beasts - were all travelling, and the
property man, stage director, and managers
almost had fits when they thought of it. Days
passed in the hopeless task of trying to Sc
cure one, but at last, Yankee ingenuity tri-
umphcd. as indeed it always does. and an ell
ephant was made to order, of wood, skins,
paint and varnish. Thus far the matter was
all well, but, as yet, they had no means TO
make said combination travel Here again
the genius Of the manager, stage director.
and property man stuck out, and one or two
of the bro,hs" were duly installed as legs.
Ned C, one Of the genuine bhoys, held
the responsible station Of fore legs, and for
several nights he played that heavy part TO
/ the entire satisfaction Of the managers and
the delight of the audience The part, how
ever, was very tedious one, as the elephant
was obliged TO be on the stage for about an
hour. and Ned was rather too fond Of the
bottle to remain so long without wetting
his whistle" so he sets his wits TO work 10
find way 10 carry wee drop with him.
The eyes of the elephant being made of two
porter bottles, with the necks in, Ned con
ceivcd the brilliant idea of filing them with
good stuff. This he fully carried out, and
elatcd with sucress, willingly undertook to
play tcre legs again.
Night camc-thc Theatre was crowded
with the denizens of the Quaker city-;he
music played its sweetest strains the music
whistle sounded--the curtain rose and the
play began. Ned and the hmd legs marched
upon the stage. The elephant was greeted
with round of applause. The decoration
the trappings, were gorgeons-the prince
seated upon his back the elephant, all were
Loudly cheered. The play proceeded the
r elephant was marched round and round upor
the stage Tha fore legs got dry, withdrew
ono of the corks-tredted lie hnd legs, ant
drank the health of the audience in bum
per of genuine elephant e5e wAiskey, brand
by the way, till then unknown. On wen
the play, and OH went Ned drinking. III,
|, concluding march was to be male--thc sis
nal was given, and the fore legs staggered
, towards the front Of the stage. The con
ductor pulel the ears Of the elephant to the
right-thc fire legs staggered to the left
The ioot-lishls obsiructed his way--he rails
ed lis feet and steppe'l-plump in the or
, chesra. Down went the fire legs on III,
leaders fddle--over, of course, turned I'll,
, elephant, sending the Prince and hind ieg
into the middle Of the pit. The manage
stood horror slruck-thc prince and the hin,
legs lay coniounded-thc boxes in couvul
. sons, the actors choking with laughicr-ant
poor Ned casting one look, "a strange blend
ing of drunkenness, grief and laughter, 4
the scene, fled hastily out of the theatre
closely followed by the leader with the wreck
of his fiddle, performing various cut an,
thrust motions in the air. The curtain drop
ped on a scene behind the scenes. No NOR,
pageant-no more fore legs-but every bod,
held their sdes-music, actors. pit, gallery
| ard boxes, rushed from the theatre shrek
ing between every breath" HAVE YoU
. SEEN TIE ELEPHANT ~