The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1855-10-20
Origin of Seeing the Elephant"

Some thirty years since, at one of the
Philadelphia theaters, pageant was in re,
hearsal, in which it was necessary to have
an elephant. No elephant was to be had
The "wild beasts" were all travelling, and
the property man, stage director and man.
ayers, almost had fits when they thought of
it. Days passed in the hopeless task of try
ing to secure one; but at last Yankee inge-
nuity triumphed, as, indeed, it always does,
and an elephant was made to order, of wood,
skins, paint and varnish. Thus far the
matter was all very well; but as yet, they
had found no means to make said combinati.
on travel Here, again, the genius of the
managers, the stage director and property
man stuck out, and two "brothers were
dulynstulled as legs. Ned Gone of
the true and genuine "bhoys" held the re.
sponsible station of fore legs, and for sever
al nights he played that heavy part to the
entire satisfaction of the managers and the
delight of the audience.
: The part however, was very tedious one
as the elephant was obliged to be on the
stage for about an hour, and Ned was rath-
er fond OF the bottle TO remain so long with
out "wetting his whistle, so he set his wit
to work to find out way to carry wee drop
with him. The eyes of the elephant being
made oftwo porter bottles, with the necks
in, Ned conceived the brilliant idea of FL
ling them with good stuff. This he fully
carried out, and, elated with success, he
willingly undertook to play fore-legs again.
Night came on; the theater was densely
crowded with the citizens of the Quaker City.
The music was played in sweetest strains;
the curtain rose, and the play began. Ned
and "hind legs" marched upon the stage.
The elephant was greeted with round Upon
round ofapplause. The decorations and the
trappings were gorgeous. The elephant and
the prince seated on his back were loudly
cheered. The play proceeded; the elephant
was marchedround and round upon the stage.
The fore-legs got dry, withdrew one of the
corks and treated the hind-lgs, and then
drank the health of the audience in bum
per Of genuine elephant.eye whisky, brand
by the way. till then unknown. On wen,
the play, and on went Ned drinking. The
| conclusion march was to be made; the sig.
nal was given, and the fore-legs staggered
toward the front of the stsge. The conduc.
tor pulled the ears of the elephant to the
right--the fore-legs staggered to the left
The foot.lights obstructed the way, and he
raised his foot and stepped plumb INTO the
orchestra. Down went the fore. legs on the
leaders fiddle-A-over, of course, turned the
elephant, sending the prince and bind legs
into, the middle Of the pit. The manager
stood horror struck the prince and the hind
legs lay confounded, the boxes in convuls-
ions the actors choking with laughter, and
poor Ned, casting one look, a strange blen.
ding Of drunkenness, grief and laughter al
|1he scene, fed hastily out Of the theater
closely followed by the leader with the
wreck Of his fiddle, performing various cut.
and thrust motions in the air. The curtain
dropped on ascene behind the scenes. No
more pageant, no more foFe-legs, but every
body held their sides. Music. actors. pit
boxes and gallery, rushed from the theatsf,
shrieking between every breath, "Have yer