Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-09-16
MAZUCK Is HERE.
kiralfy's Elephant Makes Her Eirsl
Appearance on the Stage.


Appearance on the Stage.
Though the play went on last night one
member OF the Kiralfy Company did not
make an appearance. This was the heavy
comedian Of the troupe. He weighs four tons
and half and was especially engaged to sp-
pear in the spectacular performance Of
Around the World in Eighty Days"
Her name ID ''Mazuck" and she came from
India She is nice looking elephant about 6
feet high, with beautiful curl In her trunk
and her ivory tusks sawed of little below the
dropping under lip. She got here today after
a long journey from India. She was shipped
from Hamburg to New York on the Hamburg
line and started by rail from New York to
Washington.
s1DE-TRACKEp.
It was hoped Mazuck would be here in time
for the initial performance last night, but she
got side-tracked in Wilmington. Then 1t was
thought though to apply .ss Of ,0 shp S,
special train for her. but con-
sultation Of railroad schedules showed
that she could not get here before $50 O'Clock
and she was due on. the stage at $40. So a part
Of the scene had to be cut out and Phineas
FOgg went around the world without the aid
Of an elephant.
When Mazuck reached town this morning
Manager Kiralfy was delighted. Mazuck and
her keeper started at once from the railroad
station to Albaugh's Opera House, so that
Mazuck could have a brief rehearsal, a. to-
nights performance will DO her first appear
ance on tho stage.
ON PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE.
On the way up Pennsylvania avenue Mazuck
attracted much attention. Pedestrians stopped
to look at her and the small boys formed a
60 in
ager Kiralfy bought five dozen bananas on the
way and fed them to his new and favorite
star. He tried to buy out the whole stock of
bananas at one corner stand, but the dealer
refused because he did not want to 60 out of
business. Theaters are not built for elephants,
so there was something OF problem as to how
to get this hugo creature through the house
and on the stage. The stage door and the
winding stairs from the street to the stage were
entirely too narrow for the passage of SO much
histrionic talent in q lump. The only alterna-
tive was that the elephant should enter the
theater by the main door.
TAKEN THROUGH THE MAIN DOOR.
So Mazuck walked up the wide Stone steps
outside without hating once and disappeared
in the lobby of the theater. Here the process
sion of small boys ii ted with her. Mazuck
walked up the stat, t. the foyer, and passing
through the DOORS was ushered down
the center aisle THROUGH the orchestra
There was a company OF actors, stage carpen-
tiers and others on hand to welcome the new
member OF the troupe. Some heavy timbers
were procured and an inclined way built for
Mazuck to walk up from the center aisle to the
stage. This inclined way passed right over the
spot where the leader OF the orchestra sits.
GOING ON THE STAGE.
Mazuck waited patiently in the aisle until
this bridge was erected, occasionally showing a
disposition to take an orchestra seat, which,
however, her keeper prevented. At last the
bridge was ready and she walked slowly and
carefully up.
When she was fairly landed on tho stage
the actors, who had been admring her nerve
and intelligence, applauded. On the stage she
railroad trains, steamboats,, sections Of sky and
other fragments of scenery and properties"
Of the play.
STAGE FRIGHT.
When the time came to take Mazuck of the
stage she was led again to the footlights and
her keeper was about to descend with her the
inclined plane to the center aisle. She
had her fore feet on the bridge. Crash! The
rear of the elephant suddenly sank almost
out of sight One of her big forelegs hung
lelplessly over the footlights. Her trunk was
in the air and she beloved loudly. It was q
bad case of stage fright. The actors and others
around fed to the wings and up in the gale
ries.
An accident had happened. Mazuck had
stepped with all her weight upon the little trap
door through which the prompter sticks up
his head. The trap sprung under the weight
and good portion Of Mazuck disappeared
under the stage. She could not disappear
entirely because the hole was not her size.
the keeper stood by her and Mazuck be-
haved admirably. She got her fore feet
planted firmly on the timbers in front and then
gradually drew up into sight the leg that had
disappeared. She was backed upon the stage
again and carpenters hastily repaired the
damage. Then Mazuck walked calmly
down without accident and the actors reap
peared from their hiding places and told stories
about the horrible things enraged elephants
had been known to do. Mazuck was then taken
from the theater to her stables.
Manager Kiralfy told a STAR reporter that in
her home in India MaZuck had been used at
receptions Of great personages and in cere-
monies Oh account of her intelligence and
kindness. During the recent visit Of the young
Prince of Wales to India, he said, Mazuck had
the honor Of being ridden by the prince.