The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-06-16

An ELEPnANT's FRATEESAL FEELrsG ASD
AFfEcrIoS.-W wagon drawn by sev.
crai elephants was passing our office ycster.
day, he following story was told, which We
youch for AZ true:
LaN season, a mcnagerie visited the vii.
lagc u Johhstown, Iierkimer county When
the caval"ade left town it passed over a
bridge which the road crossed, leaving two
elephants to bring up the rear. These
were Driven to the bridge, but, with the
known sasaci,y Of the race, they refused to
cross
The water Of the creek, which flows thro'
a gorse in the slate formation, presenting at
tina, point banks Of precipi,ous character
and ti6rty f,et in height, was low, and by
takinga course across corn.tield, a ford
could be reached But the proprietor Off
corn field refused to allow his property to
he so used, except on the payment ofan cx-
orb taht sur, andto this the agent ofthe M.
nagciie refused to submit to, Accordingly,
the elephants were again driven to the
bridge, and again they refused to attcmp,
the crossing. They would try the structure
with their .rLat fat feel cautiously along
the plank with their probascal fingers, hu,
each tine would recgil from making the
dangerous experiment
a, last however, goaied hy the sharp,
! iron Instrument of the keeper, and accus.
I tomedtt obedience, they rushed on, with q
scrcaInliai OF agony, halt OF anger. Tho
fpSs assesdk 10 have bcSn correct, ;l,t
bridge brSke. aud went crashing % the bot
tom Of a. GORE, carrying with it both the
monstrous beasts. One of them struck up
on its tusk and shoulder, breaking the for
mcr and very badly igjurine the latter; ,h'
other WAS, strangely enough, unhurt. Nos
was sho u the most singular and rumarka
bic conduct on the part %! the brute whIci
had escaped. Its comrade lay there, an ex
temporc bed being provided for It's comfort
while no temptation, no stratagem was lut
iciont 10 induce the other to leave, and pro
coed with the main portion Of the caravan
which finally went on, leaving the worudt.
beas and its companion under the charg
their keeper.
Day after day the suffering creature Ia,
there, rapidly failing and unable to move
At the end Of three weeks, the water in TIA
creek commenced rising, and there was dan
ger it would overflow and drown the disa
bled elephant The keeper desired, the. c
lore, W get ltul anu Hluhc u WIN ah ldT as
barn, near by, where il would be out Of dan
ger and could be better cared for. But
would not stir. He coaxcd, whcedled an
scolded, but all TO no purpose.
At last, cnraged, he seized a pitchfork
and was about p!unging it into the poo
things flesh, when the companion wrenche
the fork from his hand broke it in frae
ments and flung the pieces from il; then
with eyes glaring and every evidence Q
rage in its manner, il stood over lis defence
less and wounded friend as if daring Tia
keeper to approach; which the man wa
not SO green as to do again, with cruel pun
pose.
Thus the injured animal lay there until
died When satisfied that it could no longc
be Of service, the Other qu etly followed tn
keeper away from the spot, and showed n
desire 10 return. II this was not reasonn
mingled with an affection some men nigh
pattern after, we should like to know wha
TO call it l,uftilO UclHOcracu