Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-10-09
Origin OF 9 Seeing the Elephant. },

Some thirty years since, at one Of the PhIadel
pha theatres, pageant was in rehearsal In which
Il was necessary to have an elephant No elephant
was to be had. The "wild beastsn were ali trny
elling, and the property man, stsge director and
managers, almost had fits when they thought az
It. Days passed in the hopeless task of irving 10
secure one; but at last Yankee ingenuity triumph
ed, rs indeed IL always does, and an elephant was
made TO order, of wood, skins paint aud yarnisb.
Thus far the matter was all very well; but as vet
they bad found no means TO make said combina.
ton travel Here, again, the genius Of the mana
gers, the stage director and property man stuck
out, and two "broths' were duly installed az lers
Ned c., one Of the true and genuine 'b'hoys,p
held the responsible station Of fore legs, and for
several nights he played that heavy part to the on
tire satisfaction OF the managers and the delight
Of the audience
The part, however, was a very tedious one as The
elephant was obliged to be the stage for about an
hour, and Ned was rather too fond Of the bottle 10
remain so long without "wetting bis WHISTLE 80
ho sets his wits 10 work TO carry a wee drop with
him. The eyes Of the elephant being made Of
two porter bottles, with the neck IN, Ned con-
ceyed the brilliant idea of filing them with good
stuff. This he fully carried out; and elated with
success he willingly undertook 70 play fore leg.
again.
Night came on, the theatre was densely crowded
with the citizens Of the Quaker city-the music
WIS Piu9tu III bNtetebt btFuins--tne curtain rCg9
and the play began. Ned and /" hind legs marched
upon the stage. Tho elephant was greeted With
round upon round Of applause. The decorations
and the trappings were gorgeous. The elephant,
and tho prince seated upon his back were loudly
cheered. The play proceeded; the elephant was
marched round and round upon the stage. The
four legs got dry, withdrew one Of the corks and
treated the bind legs and then drank the health of
the audience In a bumper Of genuine elephant eve
whiskey, brand, by the way, ill then unknown.
On went the play, and on went Ned drinking. The
conclusion march was TO be made--the signal was
given, and the fore legs staggered towards the
front OF the stage. The conductor pulled the ears
OF the elephant to the right--the fore legs stag
gered 20 the left The foot light obstructed the
way, and he raised his foot and stepped plumb IN.
to the orchestral Down went the fore legs on the
leaders fddle-oyer, Of course, turned the cle-
plant, sending the prince and hind legs into the
middle OF the pit The managers stood horror
struck-the prince and the hind legs lay confound.
ed, the boxes in commissions, the actors choking
with laughter and poor Ned, casting one look, n
strange bleeding Of drunkenness, grief and laugh
ter at the scene, fed easily out OF the theatre.
closely followed by the leader, with the wreck Of
his fiddle, performing various cut aud thrust mo-
tons In the air. The curtain dropped on scene
behind the scenes. No moro pageant--no more
fore legs--everybody held their sides Music. ac-
tors, pit boxes and gallery, rushed from the thea
tre, shrieking between every breath--"Have you
seen the eiephdntT'