Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-12-18
AN ELEpHANr's coon MEMORY.

AN ELEPHANT GOOD MEMORY.
An amusing circumstance happened at
Hythe yesterday, when an elephant be-
longing to circus freely helped himself to
an early breakfast. 1t appears that between
3 and 4 o'clock in the morning the animal
managed to effect his escape from his COM
panions and paid visit to house with
which his memory bad pleasant associa-
tion-a little shop at the corner of Market
street. On arriving at the place the ele-
plant found that it was closed but nothing
daunted, he coolly lifted the door off its
hinges and helped himself literally to the
contents of the shop-potatoes, apples and
sweets. When he had either satisfied his
appetite or had exhausted the supply of
good things, he retraced his steps, and on
the return journey he was met by his keep
ers, who had in the meantime become
aware of his absence.
Tie animal in question visited Hythe
about eleven or twelve years ago, and when
passing this house was treated by its then
tenant to O good meal of potatoes. This
seemed to have left so good an impression
on the animals mind that he was led to
pay another visit TO so pleasant spot, with
the result recorded above About the same
time next morning he again got away
and was making for the same place, but
was discovered by his keeper before he had
gone far on his xpedition.-London Tele-
graph.
TWO LION STORIES.
An adventure such as any wide-awake
boy in the land ought to be Interested in
betell Mr.. Parker Gilmore the noted nat
uralist, III the country Just to the north Of
Crocodile river, South Africa. Let US
briefly, but with spirit, tell of this advent
ure. The morning of the day was remark
able. storm came furiously up, and the
men, horses, bullocks and dogs of Mr.. Gill
more's party halted. Thunderbolts fell
with such appalling frequency that Mr..
Gilmore unyoked the bullocks and took
the chains off the wagon tongue, lest the
iron should conduct the electric fluid TO
the wagon, in which were stored bags of
gunpowder to the weight of 200 pounds.
Then came rain in perfect downpour. An
hour later the hurricane had passed to
leeward, whence at intervals came the
deep boom of retreating thunder. That
evening clouds again came down. so that
the party went into camp on the plain.
Thorn bushes were cut, the horses and
bullocks were corraled, watch-fres were
kindled and Mr.. Gilmore, snug in his bed,
in the wagon, began to read by the light of
lantern. But something was wrong.
The animals were uneasy. The bullocks
stood facing the wind, and their eyes were
wide open. The dogs skunk behind the
fires. The natives were under the wagon.
" There are lions about" said one of the
natives and he put more fagots on the
fire. Mr.. Gilmore asked his Bechuana boy.
William, why the dogs did not bark. The
boy answered; If one or two lions are
here, dogs bark but ! think that there are
seven or eight, and that they are scattered
around about us, so that dogs are afraid to
90 into the bush.n 1t was also learned
from the natives that the lions like to hunt
in families. The duty of the old lion is to
shake his name to the windward of herd,
and thus cause the animals to stampede
When an old lion shakes his name the
scent scares the bullocks, and they run
away from it. But the other lions of
the family are in waiting to the leeward.
so that the fleeing creatures run into the
trap. Well, the lions had been made bold
by the thunderstorm, and they kept
close to the camp until at last the lion
to the windward succeeded. Three bull
locks broke away from the camp, and ran
in alright out on the plain. As soon as
they had bolted, the old lion was seen to
run around the camp in order to join the
other lions and get his share of the game.
own good. He passed within the space
lighted by the fires, and before he got
away, Mr.. Gilmore sent two rife balls into
his body. After daybreak the hunters
went out on the plain, where they found
the bones of the three bullocks. Traces of
the wounded lion were seen, and at last
Mr.. Gilmore found him skulking in the
shelter of the bush. He showed fight and
came out. Says the hunter The gal
liant beasts head was down, his lips curled
upward so as to show his formidable tusks,
while his tail, as stiff and straight as a
crowbar, was erected aloft / aimed be-
tween mis- eyes, and ere the smoke had
drifted away from the muzzle of my
the hero lay extended at
leng h."
While Mr.. Gilmore was in the same lion
country three natives came up to him.
They were in great glee. They had with
them two lion cubs. The cubs were about
the size of a six-months' old kitten-dear
little creatures, that would go into a school
boys satchel. The natives gave an interest
ing account of themselves They were
herdsmen. While driving cattle, the even
ing before, lisness had stalked them, and
they had shot her WITH an arrow tipped in
poison. The natives in South Africa extract
a poison from the caterpillar, and other poi
son they get from the glands of the copra or
puf-adder. The three herdsmen thought
that they had wounded the liouess, and the
next morning they started out to seek the
carcass. But they found no dead lioness,
though they came upon something that
pleased them better STILL In the search
they found the two cubs. which were in a
hole scooped in the bank of dry water
course. Mr.. Gilmore was handling the
cubs when Goness roared in the distance.
The little Bush boy who was with Mr.. Gill
more cried out, Here comes ma p He
called the mother ma" And the lioness
was coming, poor thing She was at full
speed, and roaring at every jump. Up tc
that time the wee beauties had kept quiet,
but the voice of their dam set them wild.
They scratched and bit till the herdsmen
had to put them on the ground Mean
while the lioness had halted, but as soon as
she heard the cries of the whelps she
charged, open-mouthed, and almost flying
with velocity, straight at the men. Mr.
Gillmores first shot staggered her, the sec
ond shot broke shoulder, and the third
sent the poor beast quivering to her DEATH
Mr.. Gilmore bought the cubs, paying for
them in powder and lead. One was named
Leo and the other Juno. He took the pets
TO England with him, and they became
known as the tamest lions in London
Golden Days.
COLONEL Jos. II. THORNTON, of Cincin-
natl o., an honored war veteran. was for
eighteen years q victim of that old soldiers