Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-01-30
An Elephant Mourning.
A correspondent of the Louisville Cou-
rier- journal relates the following

rier-J journal relates the following
'sSix years ago John Robinson, of circus
fame, purchased in New Y ork city white
double-humped camel. This animal, with
none other of its kind, accompanied MI
Robinson's migrator geological exhibition
to various parts of the United States for
two years, finishing the tour at Cincinnati
late in the fall of 1859. The animals were
scarcely secured in their winter quarters,
when, to the establishment Of John, an ad-
dition was made to the menagerie in the
form of a calf camel, it's mother dying a
few days after it's noble effort to furnish
additional attractions to this establish
ment.
sMr. Robinson and his family were par
ticularly interested in the little stranger.
With great care and their careful nursing
the youngster f1ourished and grew up the
finest and largest camel on the continent.
"Mr. Robinson's big elephant, Mary,
exhibited an early attachment for this par
ticular animal, and the two have been for
the last four years inseparable compan-
ions. manifesting their fondness for each
other by peculiar caressing, bearing re-
semblance to kissing, affording sight seers
in the menagerie, particularly the young
country lads and lasses, a great deal OF
amusement. A great many funny Incl
dents are related of the two, and the
pranks and tricks they have played on
their sleepy and sometimes not overwatch
full keepers.
! s'At Galveston, Texas, few weeks ago,
John Robinson, Jr., was shipping his great
exposition to Cincinnati, and in loading
the animals ON board of the steamship it
was found necessary to use little argu-
ment not exactly compatible with the HUI
name Bergh's idea of kindness to one an
other.' The white camel particularly got
his back up, and would not drop on his
knees and crawl in the small opening OF
gangway of the ship. The more this de-
mure and Quaker looking animal was
| whipped the louder he would below and
| the more frantic efforts he would make to
| free himself from his supposed prosecutors.
His cries of distress brought to the rescue
the:elephant, which had been quietly stand
| ing on the docks, accepting such little acts
| of charity as apples, cakes and candy from
| the iders gathered to see her off. Sudden
| ly, withuplifted trunk, she rushed through
| the scattering and affrightened crowed to
| the cancels side, as if with her mighty
strength to stop Immediately any further
punishment being inflicted upon her favor
lite friend The trip across the gulf was
very stormy one, the elephant particularly
becoming very sea sick.
SUNDAY night before Christmas, at Gin
cinnati, while the animals were in a tenn
porary building on Sixth street, awaiting
the fitting up of their regular quarters I'M
der Roblnson's Opera House for the Win
ter, the white camel, by some unaccount-
able Circumstance, rolled over ard broke
it's neck. For several hours after daylight
the old elephant would try to place the
dead camel on its feet, but failing in this
would raise it's head up gently, and ten
derby lay it down, as much as to say. What
does this mean p About noon the ami
mails were removed to the Opera House
building, when Mr.. Robinson found it ne
cessary to call out his fighting brigade to
coerce the elephant from its late compan-
ion. Clubs, pitchforks, wagon-tongues,
neck-yokes, guy-stakes, and, in fact, all
the convenient material for big fight |
were found necessary to impress the ma
jestic creature with the idea that she must
move During the afternoon and night she
exhibited the greatest uneasiness, flashing, |
her trunk furiously, butting her head
against the substantial stone foundations, |
threatening every one who came within |
her reach with utter humiliation, and eX-
erting might and main to crush the steel
chains that riveted her huge legs to the
great post, two feet in diameter, imbedded |
eight feet in the ground, and of sufficient |
strength to secure a half-dozen of first class
steamboats,. Her efforts to free herself OF
break something in the attempt were ac-
companied by:deep, coarse, cultural sounds, |
resembling the combined roar of caravan
full of hungry lions, which were occasion
ally varied to shrill, trumpeting snort,
while her keeper was kindly and vainly en-
deavoring to pacify her by offering such !
consultations as tempting morsels of choice
bales of blue grass hay and sack of oats,
which she disdainfully tossed-to the fur
ther extremities of the building. At last
accounts she refused to be pacified."
The MEANEsT AN.-Burrows was an
inveterate tobacco chewer, and as his
wife detested the practice, and made home
tempestuous and stormy for him when he
INDUCED in the habit there, he always
chewed when away during the day, and
declared to his wife that. he had stopped
permanently. But one evening, upon en-
tering, the front door and drawing out his
handkerchief, he accidently pulled out his
paper of tobacco, and without noticing it,
left it lying ON the floor. When Burrows
sat down to tea his wife walked in with
the tobacco in her hand, and, looking Bur-
rows firmly in the eyes, said. Do you
know who that belongs to ?'' With great
presence of mind, Burrows turned, scowl-
ing, to his oldest boy and said with Sc
we're voice "Immortal Mars Is it posi-
BILE that you have begun to chew tobacco,
you young reprobate ? Where did you get
that nasty stuff ? What d'you mean by
such conduct, you william? Haven't told
you often enough to let tobacco alone
Come here to me, or I'll tear the jacket off
you" And as he spoke the stern father
made grab at the boy, and dragged him
out in the entry, where he chastised him
with cane. Then Burrows threw the to-
bacco over the fence, where he went out
and got it in the morning, and enjoyed it
during the day. "Merciful Moses - he
exclaimed, when he told us about it, what