Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-10-21
ELEPHANTS THAT THINK.
Three Herds of MarvelousIy-E Educated Pachy-
derms with RingIing Bros Circus.


Three herds of elephants-three herds
of marvelously educated pachyderms
performing in three separate rings
this is the startling novelty offered in the
trained animal display of Ringing Bros
Worlds Greatest Shows, which exhibit
in birmingham Friday, October 30. These
wondrously trained animals are a COM
plete exhibition in themselves. They
comprise three distinct schools-a troupe
of dancing elephants, troupe of ponder
Gus pyramid-forming pachyderms, and
the only troupe of performing baby ele
plants in the world. At the word of COM
mand they go through the most difficult
military marches and manoeuvers, tread
the intricate mazes of the waltz and
stately quadrille and form the most ar
tlstic groupings, pyramids and tableauX.
The work of the baby elephants is pecu-
larry adapted to arouse the enthusiasm
of the younger element in the audience.
They do everything but talk, and in view
of their almost incredibly human-like per-
Torrance, it would seem as though even
that was not an impossibilty. These lit
tie animal actors give a complete play.
One sits at table, ordering his dinner and
disposing OF it with the dainty fastidious-
ness of an epicure, not forgetting the
final glass of wine, the finger bowl and
the napkin: another acts as host and 9TH
ers hurry to and fro in the role of wait
ers, never failing to 1inger in the vicinity
of the guest and mutely appeal for the
customary tip. This wonderful display of
trained animal Intelligence is a rare feast
for the little ones and eVokes unbounded
enthusiasm Another feature that never
fails to delight the children is Mons. Nat
allies trained pig circus. This is indeed
a wonderful exhibition. There are big
pigs and little pigs, and pigs that are
neither big nor little, but funny to look at,
whether they are following their trainer
hn lsin ~ orr
| ludicrous performance. One of these pigs
| is famous climber. Think of step lad
| der 40 feet high and so nearly perpendic-
ular that any ordinary man would be-
come dizzy climbing it. Well. this Won
derful pig climbs just such ladder, and
climbs it quickly and invariably without
urging or miShap. The furore that this
remarkable exhibition always creates is
not confined to the children by any
means. 1t is something to be discussed
and marveled at for many days after
the show has gone. There are many 9TH
er trained animal acts-some that are
quite as remarkable in their way as those
that have been mentiOned-but OF course
the educated animals are only one little
part of the show. There is the marvellous
Nelson family, the greatest acrobats in
the world; male and female riders from
all parts of the world, celebrated aero
bats, aerialists, gymnaSts and contortion-
lists from the famous cireuses OF Europe
q grand spectacular reproduction or the
famed classic Festival of Olympus, re-
vival of the thrilling races of the Roman
hippodrome and the most complete me-
nagerie of rare wild beasts ever seen in
any geological collection in the world.
Circus day in this city will be inaugural
ed with magnificent parade, in which
the immense professional resources of the
show will be displayed in all their mag
nficent splendor free upon the public
thoroughfares.