The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1884-02-12
The Talking Elephant.
D Arkznsaw Traveller.

The other evening, when a binding
sleet had driven the chickens to early
roost, young Mulkittle went to the
cabin of Old Ike and found the aged
African sitting before his fire, hum.
ming tune in quaint accompaniment
to the song of the coffee pot.
Where were you born, Uncle Ike
said Mulkittle.
Afrike, honey.
That's long ways from here, amt
it?
A right sharp step, honey. Furder
den from heah to Kaintuck.
Was you boy bout as big as / am
when you left there?
WIS a right smart chunk o a lad
when lef' dar; but | den recolleck
Everything tn ez well ez if it wuz
yisteday. | members de elefins the
lack | members de dogs out dar.
Talk er bout de elefins whut comes err
long heah wild de shows, wy da doan
mount ter nuthin'. Wv. honey, my
old daddy bad more elefHs den dar's
mules on a plantation. neoer went
nowhar in dem days lessen | rid a ele-
FAINT, and de one whut | rid, honey,
had so much sense dat he ulster toat a
hadkercher to blow his snout ON. We
had one el-fin want could talk.
Talk like people p? asked the boy in
establishment.
Talk lack de gubner o dis state !;
dat's how he could talk. Tell yer how
it wuz. Out in de lot we had long
trof what de elefins licked salt Outen
Well one day some o de chiIluo driv
a nail in de trof, an when one O de
elefns rubbed his tung ober de nail,
it split clear out. Daddy seed what
klemity he'd happened, an thinkin'
dat de most valerable animal on de
place was dur ruint, he tole us boys
ter turn de creeter Outen de lot an
let him 60 off an die. We turned
him out an he went away, wild de
blood runnin' in stream Outen his
mouf Bout two nuns arter dat we
wuz eatin' dinner one day an some
body holler hello. We all went out,
an dar stood ole Steve, d. elefn what
we teot was dun dead. HOw's all de
family? ne sxed bowling in a mighty
perlite way. We didn't know whut
ter think o dis business tell ole Steve
spiained dat de splittin' o his tung
wuz de cause o him learnin' de lang
wege.
That isn't tue. is it Uncle Ike'
rhes lack | tell yer Wv, yer kin
take jaybird an split his tung an
he'll talk. | dun dis onct. an de
blame bird axed me SO many fool
questions dat | driv him often de
place
What became of the talkin' ele-
plant
Wy he got ter be sch interestin'
comp'ny dat We made a big beuch fur
him out in de yard Got so he wouldn'
eat nuthin' but pie, au' chen when
we'd fetch him any thing else, he'd
turn up his snout at it He got so
oberbearin' long toward de las, dat we
couIdr' stan him. He got mad wild
daddy an when daddy 'nOunced his
se'f az yer candidate fur Justice o de
peace. Wv ole Steve went roun' maxim
speeches agin him. One day he went
inter a crowd o elefins an' gin ter cut
his scallops. an a .monstr1us ole Teller
went up ter him an smacked MS jaws
till his ears rung, but he KEEP on bein'
saS.v till one dsv snharaj oh his 'nuqin-
tancos jumped OH him an put out his
light.
How put out his light, Uncle Ike /?
Kill him, honey.
He was bad. wasn't he?
MOnstrouS mean.
An was you glad when he was
killed L?
Yes, | wuz.
WHY
Case | WIZ dat's WHY.
Did he go to heaven?
Great Lawd, honey, yer's WIZ den
dat Jaw bird.
How worse
Akin so MANY questions. Good
gracious De coJee dun billed all er
way an de bottoms drapped outen de
pot. OATS whut a man gifts by neg
lectin' his business an tellin' de truf'
Good bye, honey. Blame eff Il
wouldn't ruther hab de dew-pizen den
ter hab los dat coffee.