The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1878-01-11
a Sick Elephant. wrath.


One of the performing elephants
in the Great London Circus, known
as Net, has been suffering with q
sore throat, which, although not so
bad in his case as in that of giraffe
or a congereel, is still sufficiently
annoying to disturb elephantIne
equanimity. 1t appears that his
keeper, George Angstingtall, has
been obliged to force his food down
his throat, and the operation, being
both painful and unpleasant, proved
too much for the great beasts affec-
ton, philosophy or sense of duty.
He therefore .twined his trunk
around the operator and playfully
threw him distance of about forty
feet. Fortunately this improYised
and aerial excursion ended in a can
vas screen, and Mr.. Angstingstall
was more startled than hurt. If he
had met brick wall in his flight
he would probably have been kill
ed.
This incident has been made q
text for q discourse upon the ingrat-
ltude of elephants, but it is putting
rather high estimate on the intel
brutes to expect them to under-
stand that their keepers must some
times "be cruel only to be kind" OF
to ask an elephant not to resist what
must haYe appeared to him q most
unwarrantable liberty. 1t is, how
ever, q well known fact that these
huge creatures preserve q very live
ly memory of injuries, and are
wont to repay them with interest
whenever they have an opportuni-
ty. Some years ago there was an
elephant of uncommon size and in
teliigence in the London Zoological
gardens, who was the original hero
of an accident which has since been
related in different ways. He was
as well known to the freq1enters OF
the gardens as the bear pit ITSELF
| and was q great faYorite with the
children, to whom he behaved with
a geDtleness that was almost pathet.
ic. At word from his keeper he
would tenderiy wrap his trunk
| around the body of any child bold
enough to make the experiment, and
lift il gently to his own broad back,
and was evidently delighted at the
trust reposed in him. The nurse
maids of the babies always brought
cake for this elephant, and some
times gingerbread nuts, of which
he was particularly fond. Among
his regular visitors was young
man, who always gave him bag
of these nuts, and the elephant soon
learned to know his beBefactor
One day this young gentleman of.
fered to the elephant bag of nuts,
| strongly seasoned with Cayenne
pepper, and the big beast unsns-
pectingIy opened his mouth, drop
ped the nuts into it and began 70
MUNICH them up. His throat was
of course badly burned, and be
trumpetted aloud In his rage and
pain. Near him stood a bucket,
which he picked mp and handed to
his keeper, thereby signifying his
desire for water. He drained pail
full after paiIfnl, while his tormentoI
stood near laugh ing at the success
of his pitiful trick. The keeper OF
the elephant, who had been told
what had occurred, warned the
young man to depart, but he refus.
ed to go. Suddenly the elephant
having slaked his thirst seized the
bucket by the handle and hurled il
with terrific force AZ the head o.
the practical joker, aud with so true
an aim that the missile missed its
mark by q few inches only. Tht
pail was shivered to atoms against
= tree. Had It struck the man i
would have killed him instantly.
The same elephant, we tell tbs
story IS told by bis keeper. dropped
an apple which rolled into the ad
joining stable of rhinocsros. b;
Inserting his trunk betWeen the O
the partition between the two struc
lures be vas able to touch but no
TO grasp the coveted fruit. H
made repeated efforts to obtain il
bat in vain, and at last sppareBtI,
abandoned the enterprise. Sudden
he again thrust his trunk through
by the bars,snd with mighty snor
blew the apple violently against TIL
| opposite wall. On It's rebound
came easily within his reach and b
ste IL with every token Of satisfac
tioa. Whether his act was the re
suit of reason or chsnes our Fesd
J ers may decide for themselves.