Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-01-13
Mlistellaueu11s .Readiug.
BARNUM'S ELEPHANTS.


circus and Barnum's big show in Bridgeport,
Ct., afford an excellent opportunity for the OBJ
servation Of elephant nature. When Bar
NUNS elephants arrive, there will be 20 of
these monsters in the building. The baby
elephant is as full of life and frisky as kitten,
but is considerably larger and ludicrously
clumsy in its playfulness. The baby is al
lowed the full freedom of the room, and fol-
lows stranger about the room in the most in
ouisitive manner as if it was afraid something
would be done that it wouldn't see. If it is
scared by any noise, it runs pell nell for its
mother The mother keeps a vigilant watch
over her offspring, and if the infant goes out
of her sight she calls it back. The babe is
not weaned yet, but sometimes chews up a
mouthful of hay and spits it out. Maddra, the
father, manifests no particular paternal af-
fection, and pays no attention to the young
ster. Elephants are very much afraid of
small things. A bird over their heads will
scare them, and they manifest feminine
fear of mice. This last respect is not the
only one in which they resemble the smaller
but (usually) more intelligent human race.
When anything ails them, whisky is the
usual remedy. Their principal sickness is
collie, and whisky is the medicine.
Four or FIVE gallons is the usual dose.
They seem to enjoy it. A few such customers,
if they were in delicate health, would make
saloon keepers fortune. Elephants are very
sensitive to the cold, and if they once get
chilled through, they are never quite the
same as before. Whisky is the remedy for
cold also. One elephant Chief, is particu.
lsrly timid about his surroundings, and for
several days would not lie down in his new
quarters. He is the biggest of the lot, and
if he had mind, could put the whole city
in terror Fortunately for all concerned, he
hasn't the mind They are impressed with
the idea that man is all powerful aud that
they are puny, insignificant creatures. They
are held in their places by chain around
one foot and fastened to post. If they took
it into their heads (the idea not the chain,
they could snap theis bonds with ease and
escape; but, as before remarked, they are
made to believe they can't get away, so they
behave themselves. One Of the elephants il
afraid of wind. A tent was blown down or
her once and since then she seems to tel
beforehand that storm is coming, and IN
: less released will break her chain. She does
J no damage, but walks around among the
others until the wind stops blowing, and CAL
then be secured.
AS general thing they are all good ma
tured together, but occasionally Chief and
another male in the herd get into little
, difficulty, and, unless quieted by their keeper
who sits in the room for that purpose, vii
fight by pushing each other with their heads
! They form strong attachments sometimes to
other animals. One of two coach dogs in thu
room was pointed out as the companion ane
friend of Queen. He always lies beside he
in preference to the other animals, and ha
been with the show for many years. Heb'
was, at one time, very much attached to
camel called Dick, and would 60 and stanc
over him when he was lying down. If fsepara
ted, she would whistle for him, and, afte
being separated from him for some time, sh'
would whistle when his name was mentioned
to her. They consume about 1900 pound
of hay during the "a hours, beside grain ane
vegetables The elephants sleep about sll
hours at night, sometimes getting up for
little lunch. They also snore awfully.
The IMMORTAL ELIxIR-"A certain EN-
peror of China was a great lover Of th'
. sciences, and encouraged learned men bu
not being able to distinguish true merit from
t the tricks of the charlatans, he was often i'm
pUseu upon. One day an imp0stor obtained
admittance to the palace, and watching ar
opportunity, he presented phial to the EN-
peror, saying: May it please your majesty
this phial contains an elixir that will rende
you immortal drink it, and fear not death.
AS the Emperor was about to take the phial
one of his ministers snatched it from hi
hands and Immediately drank off part of it
contents The monarch was enraged at thi'
, presumption, for you must know that an ab
solute ruler considers his slig ghtest whim th'
! law He spoke in the severest tones to hi
minister and ordered him to be put to death
! The minister took this order with all calm
ness and said to his monarch:
."Why should fear your decree? If th
) elixir gives Immortality it is vain to try tt
; kill me. Ifit does not give Immortality,
have unmasked an impostor. We can read
lily decide whether his connections are worthy
of your notice. Let him be compelled tt
drink the rest of this phial, and then swallow
certain poison. If he is a true man, he has
nothing to fear. If he is not, he deserves tc
die for having attempted to deceive your majes
ty.' The Emperor saw the value of TIM
advice. He called the charlatan and told
him to drink the remainder of his own elixir
This he did not hesitate to do. But when
the Emperor ordered hm to drink the poison
the wretch fell upon his knees and begged
for mercy. The Emperor then restored his
minister to favor, and condemned the unfor.
tunate vender Of elxirs to perpetual impris-
onment."
PATENT FLoUR.-Patent -four is now com,
ing into general use, and many of our readers
may be interested in reading the following
explanation of what it is and how it is made,
taken from the Prairie Farmer:
Until recently the best -four was made
from winter wheat, or rather the flour made
from winter wheat, sold for most money be-
cause it was white But it consisted of the
most part of the starch of the grain, while
the most of the gluten (the most nutritious
part of the grain) went into the middlings
In grinding spring wheat so much bran
remained in the flour that it was too dark 10
suit the taste of the consumers. But the
middings, which sold at low price, has be-.
come the most desirable part of the grain.
Middling purifers-by which the bran is
separated from the middlings-have made a
revolution in the business of milling.
By the new process the wheat is ground as
before, except that the efforts of the miller
are directed to obtaining the most middlings
possible, and these are placed on large hor.
| k>1 1,hs nh ofon arJfQ
while at the same time, by ingenious devices,
q. :: - LII H. tlo