Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1855-06-09
An ELrpHANr's AFFrcrIoN,-Whilea

/ An ELEPHANTS AFFECTIoN.-WhIle
wagon drawn by several elephants was
passing our office Yesterday, the follow
ing story was told, which we voush Tor
"a true:
Last season a menagprie visited the vii.
lace Of Jnhnstown, IIerkimer County.
When the cayalcade left town il passed
over bridge which The road crossed, Ieav-
inc two elephants to bring up the rear.
These were driven 10 lhe bridge, but with
me known sagacity of tae RAGE, refused 10
cross. The water of the creek, which
flows through gorge in the slate lorna
lion, presenting al that point banks OF
nrecipi,ous character and thirty ieei III
HEIGHT. was low and by taking course
across corn zelda ford could be reached:
Bu; the proprietor of the corn field refused
TO allow his property 10 be so nsed'eHceP.
on the payment of an eXorbilAht sum- anu
his the agent of the menagerIe refused 10
submit to. Accordingly The elephants
were again driven to the bridge ana again
they refused to attempt the crossing
They would try the structure with iheir
great feet, feel cautiously along the plank
with their probosca fingers, bat each time
would recol from making the dangerous
experiment.
Atlast, however goadcd by the sharp
iron instrument Of the keeper, and accus-
toned TO obedience, they rushed on. with
scream half of agony, half of anger.
The result showed the prudent pTesclence
Of the poor animals to have been correct;
the bridge broke, and went crashing to Tue
bottom of the gorge; carrying with nDo'h
the monstruus beasts. One OF them STRUCK
unon It's msks and shoulder, breaking The
former, and very badly iujuring the LATTER
the other was, strangely enough uhhuf';
Now was shown the most singular anu
remarkable conduct on the pant OF The ofu'e
which had escaped. lis comraue ray
there, an extcmpOre bed being pIo'loeu
for lis comfort, while no temptauoh' ho
force. no slralagem, was sufficient to IN
duce the other TO leave, and proceed wl'h
the main portion Of The caravan which
finally went on, leaving the wouhueu
beast and lis companion under The charge
of their keeper.
Day after day the suffering creature lay
there, rapidly failing, and unable To move
At the end of three weeks, the water III
the creek commenced rising and there was
danger il would overflow and drown The
disabled elephant. The keeper desired,
therefore, TO get it up and make 1t walk as
far as a barn near by, where it would be
out Of danger and could be better cared
for. But It would not stir. lie cOaXcd,
wheedled and scoIded, but all to no pur-
pose. At last, enraged, he seized pitch
fork and was about punging II into the
poor things flesh, when lis companion
wrentched the fork from his hand, broke it
into fragments, and flung the pieces from
il; then, with eyes gIaring, and every ev-
idence of rage in lis manner, it stood over
its delenceless and wounded friend as if
daring the keeper to approach, which the
man was not SO green as TO DO again, with
cruel purpose.
Thus The injured animal lay there until
it died. When satisfied that ii could no
longer be of any service, the other quietly
followed the keeper away from the spot,
and showed no desire to return. If this
was not reasoning mingled with an affec-
ton some men might pattern after, we
should like TO know what TO call ii.-BHf-
fai0 Democracy.
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