The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-06-30
FONDLED HERCULES.
THE GIFTED ELEPHANT TRAINER RE-
lATEs HIS EXPERIENCE.

Had an Idea He Was Born For the Bust
ness Of Animal Training. and For
Awhile Everything Ran Smoothly. but
Now He Sticks TO Rhinoceroses.
"Did you ever fondle an elephant in
q geological garden?" asked the man
with the Top shoulder as he looked
around on the groupwhich had been
smoking and talking.
No one ever had, and he was invited
to give his experience.
up to about ten years ago, he said
as he settled down, ''I had an idea that
was born for an animal trainer with
elephants as my particular specially. /
never went to New York, Philadelphia
or Cincinnati without going to the zoo
and fondling the elephants. Many and
many a time have astonished the keep
ers and raised great row by walking
right up to an elephant and shaking
hands with him, as itwere. And they
really took to me. When that big. bad
elephant, Tippo Said, of the New York
ZOO was killing his keepers and smash
ing up things entered his den and
pulled his ears and patted his trunk and
got up such friendship between us
that he couldn't bear to let me Co. !"
| "Well, what next?" asked the man
with the cats eye ring ON his little fin
ger.
II got stuck on myself as amatter Of
course. wanted to be an elephant
trainer and do with the big beasts
what no other trainer had ever dared
try, but somehow / could never strike a
job. That didn't prevent me from see
ing the elephants at every opportunity,
however, and keeping in touch with
them One day / got around to Phila-
delphia and was told that an elephant
called Hercules had been in bad humor
for a week or two. They had him chain
ed to the floor and his keeper'daren't &c
within ten feet of him, while a mar
stood in front of the cage and warned
the public to keep at a safe distance. Po
; seen the beast dozen times before, and
ON two occasions he had lifted me up OF
his back with his trunk. 1 am sure h'
knew me on this occasion, but he gave
, me no greeting"
"But you were determined to fondl'
, him just the same?0 queried the cat
eye man in vinegary'voice.
"Of course" replied the narrator
"It was an occasion had been longin,
i for years wanted to show a profes
o sional trainer what I could do in tn
z way Of pacifying and humbling an ugl.
o elephant, but for half an hour the,
y watched me so closely. that l had N
s show to get at old Hercules. The tim
20 came, however, and slipped into nj
IS cage and walked right up to him an
20 began to speak loving words and cares
go his trunk. Gentlemen, excuse these tw
10 tears-the first have shed for years
but my emotions always overcome m
at this stage of the game"
What are you crying about?" stern
q " demanded the baldheaded man in III
i big rocking chair.
n ''At the recollection of what occurre
T. then and there. / hadn't fondled tn;
ne miserable critter over three fondles al
n hadn't time to feel conceited over n
OF smartness when he picked me up al
IN waved me aloft and threw me slam bar
~ against.thepfanks Of his cage. But Fl
no the uuickness.of some Of the ZOO fol
IN, in coming to my rescue I'd have been
100 dead man in another minute. Tn
~ handled me out o. that with hooks, al
MS the beast was so mad at my escape tn
42o he broke one of his tusks off i'll bangii
COS around People mile away could he
SdS him scream in his rage. Everybody sa
"a it was wonder how | escaped with n
As life. Ny left leg and left arm we
w., broken, my spine injured, kneec
,i6s loosened, and didn't get over spitti
blood for year. was i'll hospital
Philadelphia for 207 days before l cou
walk out. Gentlemen, here are t.
more tears May depend on your q
e. crosby to excuse them as before?'
WE: what you sniveling about now
emit shouted the baldheaded man as he tul
lar ed on him.
More recollections, sir. was
sooner able to be out than was ARE
ed, tried and convicted on the charge
"'" fondling an elephant, and the Ju'
socked me $50 and costs. The VIII
affair cost me $42S, saying nothing
n. my sufferings and lost time. "
"And after that you left the eleph
training business alone?
Eyes, after that" replied the
'idei shouldered, man in broken tones, Il
he OF up on elephants and gave my whole
the tention to rhinoceroses Excuse
le OF seeming conceit, gentlemen, but
gin the only man in the world who
mile make rhinoceros stand on his
can and spin about like a top. He also p
bull Home, Sweet Home on the accor'
II at my bidding and will sit cross Les
It with pair of spectacles ON and pre-
,ect. to read the good book which our IN
next ers taught us to respect
ates There was silence for long mi
e OF after he had finished. Then every
iger rose up and called him lop should
1t 1T liar and horse thief and left hi
lave enjoy his own miserable society =
not troit Free Press.