Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-03-27
HEBE,s WONDERFUL BABY.
The Little Elephant that was Born
OF q Captive Mother.

today is the baby elephant born ten days ago
IL is Interesting not simply by reason Of the
fact that it is the first Of its kind ever born in
captivity, so far as Is known, and that its ad-
dispute among men OF science, but for its own
peculiar little self. 1t Is at least worth more
than two years OF the presidency OF the United
States would be pecuniarily to any honest man,
take two and half times its weight in gold Tor
1t. For four years-ever since Forepaugn q 20:
the credulity of the public-Barnum has had
standing an offer OF 100000 for an lnIano r ea
plant born In captivity ,dceming the oi1er a per
1ecy secure one, and 1t Is saie ye. fo
Cooper & Bailey. ,, 4.
They call it a baby, and unquestionaoiy IL
deserves the name as much as AWNING eau
thai was horn only a week ago. but IL has
nothing about IL TO suggest oapy hooo. II ,,. one
an opera glass so as ,b No In6 sn Of bS
elephant. the creature Will appear precisely as
this prcmaturely complete baby does. IL walks
clumsy ease 9 t 3s sae sgs
k,eTs its little trunk in the same unceasing
s0u,rm and twill. sways from side to side just
as lts mother does. and behaves as though 1t
song ago knew all about everything that an ele-
hant could understand or care about.
The baby is the offspring of pair Of magnif-
cent Ceylon elephants, Mandrie and Hebe, which
into the possession of Cooper & Bailey in Deem
Der, 1878. Mandrie is 26 years old and weighs
about 5000 pounds There Is but one in the
the herd OF elephants belonging to this show.
CLteftain weighs 9, 403 pounds, and stands near
ly eighteen inches higher than Mandrie, but is
not so handsomely proport1oned. Hebe is %
years old and weighs 1920 pounds From the
time the pair were landed IN this country, she
has always shown an especial affection for
Nandrie, which he has fully reciprocated. The
vicissitudes OF show life, even when the disturb
ing element OF Georgia sheriff entered into 1t
in 1915, have never separated them even for
dow TInHa nf oil RIM
within hearing OF Mandrie, he instantly re-
sponded with atrumpeted assurance OF his SYM
pathy and aid. II he, missing her, gave vent to
a yell of inquiry, she. hearing him, would an
swer with cry notifying him OF her nearneSs,
and he would be content.
Stewart Craven, the veteran elephant trainer,
who left his cattle ranch In Texas last summer
to take charge Of this department OF Cooper &
Bailey's menagerie, and who Is aided by George
ArstingStall, also an able trainer says: ut IS
possible that all this might have happened
years ago If the conditions OF elephantlne ex-
lStence in menagerie life had been then what
they are now. But In those days they were
fattguing marches, were 1nsufliciently fed, were
exposed to- severe weather, which they were
ill-ftted to endure in spring and autumn, and
were not given time or suitable surroundingsin
the winter season to recuperate before their
tolls recommended in the spring; so that they
never felt really well and fully themselve5.
More than all else, in my opinion. they have
never until very lately kept together in herds.
One or two elephants were considered quite
sufficient attraction in any circus in former
years. Now the big shows aim to get together
has dozen, besides the baby. and three more
are on their way to join us before the season
opens. Big as they are, elephants are timid,
nervous and eXcitable animals. They worry
easily, and are frightened sometimes by the
most Insignificant things. You know how mice
terrify them always. Wen, when we came
here these great animals were afraid of the
sparrows that you hear chirping about the
building in such numbers. Knowing what l do
OF their nervous dispositions. ana seeing of what
affection for each other they are capable, do
not wonder that under the old system the bulls
used TO get frantic with loneliness in their iso-
lation. Now, they are warmly housed In win
ter, walk only in street paradeS, are well fed,
kindly treated and kept in herds, so that they
have companionship. The sexes are not I'M
naturally kept apart as they formerly We're.
and from all these ameliorationS In their condi-
ton and approximations to the comforts OF a
free existence, 1t seems to me but natural that
they should now and here for the first time in
the history or the world breed Ia captivity
In November. 1875, when the menagerie was
laid up in Philadelphia, 1t was first suspected
that Hebe was about to become mother,
a suspicion which a number of eminent
physicians confirmed. Eleven months ago all
the other elephants IN the troupe seemed to
be aware OF her condition, and with one ac-
cord manifested new consideration for her.
In their rough play as they stand chained side
by side, each attached to secure fastening In
the floor OF their winter quarters, they ire
quently get to showing each other, and when
slider 1t a good joke on the fallen one. In
this rude sport nebe had formerly to take he
share, but after that time they never pushei
her, however sportiye their moods. They a
seemed constantly on the alert TO protect her
The kee per soon saw that IL would have been a
very rash thing to ever threaten her by VIC,
lent &c sture If he would not have had them all
rush upon him to defend her. Once, in the ring
at drian, Mich, lost summer, when she was In
danger Of falling from pedestal over six feet
Ia height, one side OF which was sinking into
the soft EARTH the six others. who were all
loose in the ring at the time. performing, rushed
to her. braced their huge bodies together to re-
oeive her weight. and lowered her slowly and
gently TO the ground, so that she did not suffer
The slightest jar, When the feat had been ac-
complished, Mandrie. who had been the first to
spring TO her aid, gave sound OF triumphant
joy. while the others joined in chorus Of con-
gratulatory grunts. After that, when they were
required to perform, they would not let her &c,
them had preceded her, to see that all was
Cfe.
elephants and With her keepers. the latter lik-
ing her for her uniform gentleneSS, dOcllity and
Obedience and the former seeming to regard
her with something akin to the feeling of loyal
subjects for queen. She evidently did her best
10 make friends on both sides. Only about two
months ago one OF her companions. called
queen, was wilfully disobedtent and inattentive
while Mr.. Craven had her In training, and, TO
punish her, he tied her head up with rope to
great iron rod overhead. Queens position
was an unnatural and uncomfortable one, and
beside her. She would never have been guilty
OF the others faults, but she could not bear to
see her punished, and for an hour and a half
worked With her trunk patiently but ineflect-
ually TO unite the knots that held up Queens
head. When Mr.. Craven, more from regard for
her evident distress than from sympathy with
the culprit, loosed the rope, Hebe was Demon
stratively glad, and exchanged co1solatory
trunk careSSeS with Queen.
OF late Hebe has been kept In the daytime
chained upon the great platform at one end OF
the elephant house, with three other females
and three males; but at night, as it was SuS-
pected that the period OF CESSATION was drawing
near close. she was chained to big stake in
the center OF the ring. and there was comfOrta-
bly, bedded, thirty feet away from her fellows
Thirty feet away in another direction, beside a
stove, which was enclosed by a very heavy
railing OF ponderouS beams. the Waterman, j.
Y. Porter, Installed himself nightly, when all
other persons had left the building.
There he was seated, at O'Clock on the morn
ing of March 10. when he noticed that Hebe
was unusually restless. In the dina light al
ways maintained he could see her pacing IN
easily to and fro two or three steps each way,
swaying from side 10 side and seeming dis
tressed, but making no sound. He thought she
was sick. In the background the giant forms
OF four elephants doomed up vaguely one eat
ing, the others swinging their heads with the
Incessant weaving motion peculiar to these ami
mails. Two others lay upon the floor sound
asleep. The waking ones seemed paying no
more attention TO Hebe than did those that
slept. Then the little elephant was born. Hebe
gave a Wild veil OF excitement which ALI the