The record-union., 1899-08-28
AN ELEPHANT RINGMASTER.

am not in the habit of talking with
chance fellow passengers, but the man
by whom I sat was such an amiable
fellow, and he seemed so glad to have
some one to talk to, that 1 did not
discourage his attempts at conversa-
ton, as l sometimes do, with monosyl-
Liable replies.
AS the train pulled out of Seymour q
circus was parading the main street
and an elephant in cap and bells led
the procession. 1t was an amusing
sight, and it started my seatmate on
story of his travels.
II never see an elephant said he,
"but L am reminded of some 1 saw in
India. Are you fond of strictly vera
cious tales?"
He said this so abruptly that I looked
at him in surprise as / answered in the
| affirmative. Come into the smoker,
then. / know from the number of
papers you have that you are writer,
and you are welcome to use the tale as
you WILL
We repaired to the smoker and he
began his story.
I'm the summer of 'S7 I was in India
on walking trip. 1 walked from Japan
to India in three weeks, just for the
exercise"
7 knew from this that the probabili-
ties were that the old soul had never
been 800 miles from his birthplace, and
1 settled back with the greater ex-
pectancy It isn't travel that makes
the liar always.
He went on: "The jungles in India
/ are filled with birds. beasts and rep
tiles of variegated hues and obnoxious
tempers, but the king of them all is
the elephant, although the lions press
agent may tell you something differ
! ent; and elephants in the jungle arc
/ just as common as yellow butterflies in
June. / got SO used to them that I
| did not look up when herd of a thou
sand or so passed by, and having
| learned from an Indian fakir peculiar
note familiar to an elephant--e sort
of Masonic sign, as it were-I was per-
fectly safe.
lone day I stopped to listen to the
notes of a bird of paradise that was
molting The only time that bird oe
paradise sings is when she IS moulting.
AS the feathers drop out the musical
tones come too, and it is interesting to
/
of-well whatever panoply is usually
filled with-and see her drop her ger
geous plumage while the woods ring
with her notes. She is happy at the
prospect of a new gown. The female
| instinct"
| I reminded him that the female bird
| of paradise is not gorgeousiy attired,
and he went on somewhat chastened.
This particular bird of paradise was
in the middle Of a pretty roulade, and
all his tail feathers were dropping
| rhythmically to the ground when |
| heard the glad sound Of a lunch bell.
| Now a lunch bell in the heart OF India
is incongruous, and my thoughts were
carried back to the hOkey- -pokey man
/ of my youth, and / half expected tn he
asked to buy a penny's worth of ice
cream from an itinerant Indian. But
! minute later / saw a stranger scene
| than that. Twenty elephants marched
| by in Indian file-of course, being in
India their file would have to be In
dian They were led by diminutive
elephant who carried i'll his trunk the
bell that I had heard. lie hal a large
B branded on his left flank. Arrived
| at clearing in the jungle, the little
! elephant trumpeted q command, and
| instantly his com oanlOns halted and
| formed what they call q company front
/ in military circles. I used to go
around in military circles until l be-
came dizzy, and I picked up a good
many of their terms.
"Well, the little elephant trumpeted
again, and they formed the hollowest
square ever saw. Then they all broke
ranks and disappeared for minute in
| the Jungle. They returned on the run,
each elephant bearing a red, white and
blue barrel like those used in tricks in
circuses. Then that little elephant put
them through their PAGES. They
mounted those barrels, stood on one
! leg. and did all the tricks that the late
P. It. Barnum spent SO many years in
! teaching to the first trick elephant.
Then the little fellow passed the bell
down the line. Each one rang in turn.
'WeIl, the little fellow next took
suit of red white and bue clothes out
of his trunk and put it on. Then he
marched up and down in front of the
| elephants inspecting them. Then he
gave a command and they formed py-
'ramid. Then he went into the woods and
brought out a barrel organ and played
Sweet Violets,' and 'Grandfather's
| Clock and Tommy Make Room Tor
Your Uncle in a way that carried me
back to Centennial days. Mind you, we
| were at least a thousand miles away
from the nearest circus, and two hum
dred miles from any human beings, and
couldn't account for the thing at all
until the next day, when | walked into
Renares. a. suburb of Calcutta. There
heard an explanation Of the remark
able sight The little elephant l saw
! had ESCAPED from Barnum's circus and
| had swum all the way backAto India
from New York, taking with him moth
ing but his barrel organ, his barrel, his
| bell and his
| Trunk" I suggested, but the joke
was so old that it died before reaching
his ears.
His suit Once in his native wilds he
naturally wanted to teach his old
! friends all the tricks that had made
him popular.
But how did he get all the barrels?"
I asked.
"Oh. circus was lost while crossing
| the Ganges from Simla to Calcutta,
and the barrels were washed ashore
and were found by this intelligent lit
tie beast"
Certainly it was a strange sight to
see," I ventured.
.sBut the strangest part came years
later" he replied, as he lit another ci-
ear. "In '97 / was sent by the British
| Government to buy a piece OF jungle