The Indianapolis journal., 1885-10-18
JUMBO In LIFE AND DEATH.
RecOllectiOns Awakened of His English
Career by His Recent Death.
The Great Beasts Farewell Journey from Lon
don to America-All England in Mourn
ing over His Untimely End.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.

20 America; one penny!" They varied their
announcements of the pamphlet which they
offered to passersby. Ere y are, SIR"
shouted one Jumbo and the prince of
humbugs!' ''Only one penny" cried another,
'foT full, true and particular account of Jumbo
end the American showman!" A third pro-
claimed, ''Sale of Jumbo to Barnum; one penny,
with portrait of the largest elephant in the
world!" If you bought the pamphlet you would
find that it was merely reprint of few ex-
tracts from the newspapers in regard to the
strange and most curious sensation that ever
convulsed great city in connection with the
sale of pet animal. Last week these same
street hawkers were busy with tracts on Jum-
bos DEATH and there were complaints in some
of the papers of the profanity of their proceed
ings. A number of them were attired
in solemn black and they carried in their
hands obituary notices of the elephant, sur
rounded with black border. 1.-THE lawful
death of Jumbo7 was their principal cry. and
they spoke their words with an effort at solem-
nifty. Full hobtuary OF the deceased~ Of
course they misplaced their aspirates, but of
that they made point. English, ''as she is
spocken," is full cockney protest against the
aitch. The London and country papers having
republshed much of the matter which appeared
when the elephant eft us, it has occurred to me
that my own "reminiscences of the popular
animal may he of permanent interest now that
he is gone. A fellow of the society which sold
him, | was, during most of Jumbo's residence
in London neighbor of his. No, my ancestors
may have matricuiated for degrees in the animal
world, but my house is outside the Geological
Gardens. knew Jumbo intimately, was a con-
slant visitor to his range OF dens and stalls; saw
his first reception of his wife, Alice, witnessed
his departure into exile, and have never quite
cared for the Geological Gardens since he left
them, though / was delighted, with the rest of
Jumbo's friends, in later days, to hear of his
popularity in America.
Talk of the power of the press, what is there
the newspapers cannot make London do? Cynics
laugh at the homies of the Telegraph, but
Godfrey Turner's sketch of Jumbo supplicating
Scott at the first attempt to carry him away
reused all the metropolis, set the lawyers at
work, moved the House of Commons, induced
the learned men of the Zoo to offer silly excuses
for a mere business transaction, sent fathers and
mothers, trailing large families behind them, to
console the big eleghant, and suddenly turned
the winter repose of Regents Park into fair
Special omnibuses had to be added to the
numerous vehicles that pass the various park
gates 'This way for Jumbo" superseded the
summer cry of '"To the Zoo" The buses from
the Royal Oak district were overloaded as fast
and as often as they were despatched to the en-
trance by Primrose Hill. And wherever you
went everybody talked of Jumbo. Excitable
persons going to and coming from the gardens
talked of 'mob law" and asked wondering listen
ers to wait and see if the workingmen of Lon
don would let the Yankees take Jumbo away" A
stranger might have been forgiven for thinking
that "a burning question" had indeed arisen
between New York and London, if not between
England and the United States. The very Arabs
of the streets made bets in farthings, peg tops
and old newspapers (which they had failed to
palm off on unwary pedestrians as special
editons) that ii they hever gets Jumbo out Of
the Zoo. as they'll never a-get i'm to the docks!"
Conspiracy and revolution stalked about the Zoo
gates in juvenile hearts, fortified with wooden
swords, and backed by disaffected F. T. SIS Eel
lows Of the Geological Society in the Court of
Chapcery, and newspaper correspondents who de-
nounced the council in language that might have
been. applied to party of Christian men who had
sold their children into Asian slavery And
tender women spinster ladies who scoffed at the
disease called must" which the council said
would drive Jumbo crazy and make him danger
Gus, sent sympathetic offerings to the pampered
aonster-some by mail and some by messengers,
while others, catching up their wel-flled sachels,
showered flowers into his den and filled his trunk
with sweets and tarts. Dear old ladies, thinking
what they would suffer if ogre of a Bar
mum were to come and carry off their pet parrots
and dogs ordered their horses to be harnessed to
their yellow chariots, their servants and retain
ers to mount the hammercloths thereof and
1riv ham, 70 tho Ton haf fhaxrp o.Ob<
drop tear outside Jumbos den, bun into his
trunk, shilling into the hands of Scott and
leave gentle behind them for the
council, and for 'the man Barnum." 1t is an
odd thing that 10 England if you speak of cit
izen as man, or of lady as woman, accom-
panied by toss of your head a snap of your
fingers, you are considered to have delivered
yourself of smartng sarcasm The royalists
in the days of Charles. if you remember, spoke
of the Protector as 1.-THE man Cromwell" / as
sure you it is biting sarcasm to say 'the man
Barnumr
Jumbo seemed to have an inkling of his fate.
Indeed, believe he knew all about it, He was
very fond of Scott. His chief trouble was to
understand why Scott should wish him to 60
and have no doubt it distressed the poor beast
sorely TO resist Scott. But he doubted every
wooden case for him. 1t was a house. They
fixed it in the gardens at convenient place that
Jumbo might walk into it. They tried to make
it familiar thing to him. They put food in it
lot nlm I'd eat, anu straw TO lie OOWn upon, Dut
he would have nothing to do with it. Scott led
him to it day after day, week after week. To
please Scott he would frequently pause and look
at il; then he weud put his trunk into it and feel
at it. One morning he put his head into it.
l was present at many Of these
trials and now that the poor old
fellow has gone fancy remember pathetic ex-
pressions in his little eyes. signifying his desire
to do what Scott wished, but tenderlv reluctant
to leave Alice, his wife, and the crowds of small
w To aka pla
journeys as passengers in the gay houdah which
he carried so dautily on his back. One morning
he put foot inside the great box, but Scott was
in too great a hurry to have him go on Jumbo
respectfully resented Scott's haste and withdrew
right away. and for days would have no more to
do with the thing. Meanwhile thousands of
people came to see him and to denounce the So
ciety that had sold him. Romantic stories were
dsnfn nc xnnaf a. L..