The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1855-11-07
Origin of s'seeing the ELEPHANT

Some thirty years since, at one of the
Philadelphia theatres, pageant was in
rehearsal, in which it was necessary to
have an elephant. No elephants were to
be had. The "wild beasts" were all trav-
cling, and the property man, stage direct
or and manager, almost had fits when they
thought of it. Days passed in the hope
less task of trying to secure one; but at
last Yankee ingenuity triumphed, as, in
deed, 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 combination travel.
Here again, the genius of the manager,
the stage director and property man stuck
out and two "brothers" were duly INSTALL
ed as legs. Ned C, one of the true
and genuine "b'hoys," held the rcsponsi-
bic station of four legs, and for several
nights he played that heavy part to the
entire satisfaction of the manager 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
rather too fond of the bottle to remain so
long without 'wetting his whistle;' so he
set his wits to work to find way to car
ry wee drop with him. The eyes of the
elephant being made of two porter bottles,
with the necks in, Ned conceived the bril-
liant idea of filling them with good stuff
This he fully carried out, and, elated with
his success he willingly undertook to play
fore legs again.
Night came on; the theatre was dense
ly crowded with the denizens of the Qua
ker City. The music was played in its
sweetest strains: the curtain rose and the
play began. Ned and "hind legs" march
ed upon the stage. The elephant was
greeted with round upon round cfapplause.
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
marched round and round upon the stage
The fore legs got dry, withdrew one ofthe
corks and treated hind legs, and they drank
the health of the audience in a bumper of
genuine elephant eye whisky, a brand by
| the way, till then unknown. Onwent the
| play, and on went Ned drinking. The
conclusion march was to be made; the sig
nal was given, and the fore legs stagger-
ed towards the front of the stage. The
conductor 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-over,
of course, turned the elephant, sending
the prince and hind legs into the middle
of the pit. The manager stood horror
struck;-the prince and the hind legs lay
confounded, the boxes in convulsions, the
actors choking with laughter, and poor
Ned, casting one look, a strange blending
Of drunkenness, grief and laughter at the
scene, fed hastily out of the theater, close
| ly followed by the leader with the wreck
of his fiddle, performing various cut and
thrust motions in the air. The curtain
dropped on scene behind the scenes
No more pageant, no more fore legs, but
every body held their sides. Music, ac-
tors, pit boxes and gallery, rushed from
the theater, shrieking between every breath,
"Have you seen the elephant"