The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1864-07-14
Origin or ''scelng the Elephant.''

Some years since, at one of the Phila-
delphia theaters, a pageant was in rehear-
sal 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
agcr almost had fits when they thought of
it. Days passed in hopeless task OF
trying to secure one; but at last Yankee
ingenuity trlumphed, as indeed it always
does, and in elephant was made to order
of wood, skins, paints and varnish. Thus
far the matter was all very well; but as yet
they found no means to make said combi-
nation travel. Here again the genius of
manager, stage director and property men
stuck out, and two "broths" were dulv
installed as legs Ned C, one Of the
true and genuine ''b'hoys," held the sta
ton Of fore legs, and for several nights he
played the heavy part to the entire salts
faction of the N ,nagers and the delight OF
the audience.
The part, however, was a very tedious
one, as the elephant was obliged to be on
the stage about an hour, and Ned was
rather too fond of the bottle to remain SO
long without 'whctting his whistle" so he
set his wits to worl, to tind way to carry
wee drop with him. The eyes of the
elephant being made of tw 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
success, he willingly understood to play
forelegs again.
Night came on-the theatre was densely
crowded with the citizens of tie Quaker
Clty-thc music was played in the sweet
est strans-the curtain rose and the play
began. Ned and hind legs" marched
upon the stage. The elephant was greeted
with round upon round of applause The
decorations and the trappings were gorge
Gus. The elephant and the prince seated
upon his back were loudly cheered
The play proceeded; the elephant was
marched round and round the stage. The
forelegs treated the hind legs, and then
drank the health of the audience in a
bumper of genuine elephant eye whisky, a
brand, by the way, till then unknown. On
went the play and on went the drinking
The conclusion march was to be made
the signal was given, and the foreleg,
staggered toward the front part Of the
stage The conductor pulled the cars Of
the elephant to the right-the fore legs
staggered to the left. The foot lights OBJ
structed the way, and he raised his foot
and stepped plump into the orchestra.
Down went the fore LEGS on the leader
fiddle; over, of course, turned the elephant
sending the prince and hind legs into the
middle of the pit The managers stood
horror struck: the prince and hind legs lay
confounded, the boxes in commissions, the
actors choking with laughter, and poor
Ned, casting one look, strange blending
Of drunkenness. grief and laughter at the
scene, fed hastily out of the door, closel,
followed by the leader, with the wreck OF his
fiddle, performing various cut and thrust
motions in the ar The curtain dropped
on scene behind the scenes. No more
pageant-no more fore legs-but every
body held thicr sides Music, actors, pit,
boxes and gallery rushed from tho theatcr;
shrieking between every breath, Have
you seen the elephant ?'-[ Miners Jour
nal.