Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1864-03-02
"Seeing the Elephant" ="

Some wears since, at one of the Philadel-
phla theaters, pageant was IN rehearsal III
| 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 manager almost
contracted epilepsy when they thought OF
| it. Days passed in the hopeless task of try
| ing to secure one but at last Yankee lnge-
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 combna-
| ton travel. Here again the genlOus of the
manager, the stage directors and property
man stuck out, and two ''broths We're duly
! installed as legs. Ned c., one of the true
and genuine ''b' boys, held the station of
! fore-legs, and for several nights he played
! that heavy part To the entire satisfaction of
| the managers and the delight Of the audi
| ence.
| The part, however, was a very tedious
one, as the elephant was obliged to be on
the stage about an hour, and Ned was rath-
er too fond Of the bottle to remain so long
without 'wetting his whistle, so he set his
wits TO work to find way to carry a wee
drop with him. The eyes Of the elephant
being made Of two porter bottles, with the
necks In, Ned conceived the brilliant idea of
filing 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 denizens Of the Quaker
city-the music was played in the sweetest
strains-the curtain rose and the play began.
Ned and the 'hind-legs' marched upon the
stage The elephant was greeted with
round upon round of applause. The deco
rations and the trappings were gorgeous.
The elephant and the prince seated upon
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 OF the
corkss and treated the hind..legs, and then
drank the health to the audience in bum
per of genuine eiephdRt-eye whiskey, a
brand by the way, till then unknown. On
went the play, and on went Ned drinking.
The conclusion march was to be made-the
signal was given, and tor-legs staggered to-
wards the front Of the stage 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@elump into the
orchestra ! Down went the fore-legs en- to
the leaders fiddle ; over, of course, turned
the elephant, sending the prince and hind
legs into the middle of the pit The mana
gers stood horror-struck; the prince and
hind-legs lay confcunded the boxes in con-
vulsions, the actors choking with laughter.
Poor Ned, casting ore look, strange blend
ing of drunkenness, grief, and laughter, at
the scene, fed hastily out of the theatre,
closely followed by the leader with the wreck
of his fiddle, performing variou cut and
thrust motions in the air. The curtains
dropped on a scene behind the scenes No
more pareant-no more fore-legs-but eve
rvbody held their sides Music, actors,
pit, boxes, and gallery, rushed from the
theatre shrieking between every breath,
Hare you see,, the elephant - Hence the
origin of this popular interrogatory.