The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-12-22
SlEEPlESS ELEPHANTS.

The elephant men have TO mind
their charges every hour of the day
and night. The bull" to use circus
slang, sleeps only about four hours and
often does that on his feet. One fool
African elephant-they can't be taught
70 do anything, and the commonest say
ing about a show is that they are not
worth the hay they eat-has been
known TO go three weeks without lying
down at all, says writer in Ainslie's
Magazine.
The elephant is always fidgeting
about, always swaying that ridiculous
hulk OF his which seems TO be clad in
his big brothers cast-off breeches, al
WAYS stirring up strife and always
picking up something with his trunk.
He might loosen his stake and run wild.
He must have something to occupy ms
mind, and SO bales Of hay are always at
hand to be doled out TO him. He must
be always scolded and talked to, and
told TO keep out Of that,or go back there
or come out where he can be seen.
When he isn't being talked to he is be-
ing raped on the nose with a bull
hook" An elep phant has a hide about
an inch thick, temper that Is as un-
certain as the tossing Of a coin, the cru
city OF an Apache and the destructive
mes OF a tornado. Some wise and kind
hearted men in New York who couldn't
bear 10 see poor dumb brute suffer.
decreed that the bull hook" must not
be used. They didn't have to be with
the elephants all the time The men
who did either hid the hook part in
their hands while the agents of the ).
Il. G.. A. We're around or displayed
broomsticks that would bring an ele-
phant 10 time about as soon as feath-
er duster would a cyclone. The bull
hook is shaped like a boat nook. IL has
"A straight point. This is to Jab in where
the skin is tenderest near the root or
the tail.
1t is a sight well worth seeing to Wit
ness Patsy Forepaugh (his name is
Mears, but he was with Addie Fore
paugh so long that people hardly know
what his right name is) get the ele-
plants to bunt the wagons up from the
basement of tAe Madison Square Car
den. He is the boss of all the herd, a
short, stocky little man with quick
eye-he needs il in his business-and
something about his looks which says
that IL you want TO get into fight with
him you had better make arrangements
TO spend about six weeks in the hos
pital. The workingmen get the wagon
slowed around SO that ii will go up the
inclined plane. Then they scatter like
trash before a broom. Here comes Patsy
walking along with two elephants,
their attitudes seeming TO say: I'VE
don't want to" while Patsy seems to
say: "This one right here. All together
now" They make curious noises. They
sometimes whine so that you can locate
the very spot il comes from, and at
other times not so unlike the last pedal
key Of a church organ Oftenest IL is
like an amateur trying 10 blow cornet
for the first time They shuttle up to
wagon. put their foreheads against IL,
and up IL goes. Patsy trots behind
them, making vicious downward Jabs
with the hook. while he shosits. "HooIah!
hooyah," They scull their way along
the inclined plane and toddle Gown
again for more. once / saw wagon
half way UP CUI1Te TUtffug uUvr, w-hfte
the elephants turned tail and ran.
trumpeting with terror. A lion inside.
angry at having his sleep broken
roared. That was all that Romey and
John wanted 10 hear. They fed, Patsy
after them with hi, hook. and, though
they snuffed and breathed hard. they
had to come and push that wagon up.
Perhaps they will treasure that up.
and some day Well, some day they
are sure to get 10 him.