Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-05-27
Mother Elephants Care.

I wonder IL any OF our little people
have ever seen u mother elephant put
her baby to bedp
I saw IL once, and IL was such Q
pretty sight should like to tell you
about it. II was sunset time In the
summer, and the gentler animals OF
the Zoo in one Of the great cities OF
the world were in wards aud folds
outside the buildings. When Preached
the enclosure belonging to Mother
Elephant there was a large number Of
men, women and children standing
along the fence. They were very
quiet, as il they were afraid Of dis
turbing some one. A stopped by
the fence and looked into tho yard. a
small girl touched my skirt. pursed
up her mouth and giving me a solemn
look Of warning. pointed to the ele-
plants.
Mamma Elephant had her trunk
around her baby's neck aud seemed
to be whispering and encouraging
him, as he rubbed his head against
her knee. He stood u moment, then
raised his head, tapped his little ears,
gave firt of his little cord Of a tail,
and trottsd of by his mothers side to
the centre Of the yard; there she left
him and went to apple Of hay that
stood in corner; this she took up.
| bunch by bunch, with her trunk, 30
nicely that she did not drop wisp Of
it, and spread it around her child, who
had not stirred from the spot where
she had left him.
When the hay had been all spread
around the baby, tho mother stepped
into the centre and began to thread II
down with her feet, the little one
following her motion exactly till O
perfectly even space had been trodden
down; then Mamma Elephant stepped
out again, went to the further side OF
the yard and fumbled about the
ground with her trunk. As she came
back her baby Aourished his small
trunk and tapped his ears, making at
tho same time soft, grunting sound,
AZ II he knew what was coming and
liked IL. This time mamma stood out
side the bsby's bed, and beginning
with the back OF his ears, blew o small
cloud Of fine dust into the fold Of skin
behind them; then into those around
his legs aud under them until he was
thoroughly powdered for the night.
This done she again put her trunk
around his body, the little fellow
dropped to his knees on the carefully
trodden bed, and after few soft pats,
a few soft grunts from his mother, he
lay as q well-trained child OF the ele.
plant family should.
The mothers work, however, was
not yet done; she took up delicately
the hay from the edge Of the bed and
began tossing IL lightly along his
sides and up toward his back till its
ridges no longer showed.
When all was done, the small girl
who had warned me not TO disturb the
proceedings heaved n great sigh, and
said:
II would just like to know what
they do IL forP"
SO 7 told her, explaining the habit
wild animals have Of treading their
beds to make sure there is no snakes
in the grass; the necessity of dust
powdering the young, whose skin is
tender In the folds, aud who are
troubled by insects; the piling mp OF
the dry grass around them, 70 conceal
from the possible hunter.
"My, don't they know q lot!
More'n some folks, / fancy" said the
little girl. ''And she never punched
or pushed him, neither, though he
wasn't very quick, she added, speak
ing to Q tired-looking woman who
stood by smiling. tJ
mo, dear" said she, "she has but
one child at time to put to bed
Tho nutloot