The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-11-30
HOW WEARY WIDDLES
BECAME ELEPHANT HUNTER
A Story of the Circus in Its Winter
Quarters.

When Weary widdles was little
fellow, the circus was his ambition.
Did the maternal hand fall chldingly,
his one threat was that he would run
off with the circus, and at the time ne
meant every word of It. Many time
he had planned just how he would at
tach himself to the next circus to en-
hibit in Laurel, but, somehow, when
the time came. lump rose In his
throat at the thought of leaving home.
Circuses were very well, but before
he could speak to the manager there
would come before his eyes picture
of his mothers grieved face, when she
learned that she would see her boy no
more. Then the spangles lost their
brilliancy, and even the white-faced
clown seemed less attractive.
or course, Weary Widdles was not
his real name. William Warrington
Wedell was the way 1t read in the
family Bible, but all Laurel had knick-
named him Weary" and the name
| held.
He was a happy, alert little fellow
and a pet in the village. But despite
this when he lost both his parents in
an epidemic of fever in one day In the
year Of his thirteenth birthday, no one
| offered to take him in: and the lad
| was sent to the poor farm.
Here he drudged stolidly for six
| months until the edge of his grief wore
off, and then he could stand 1t no
| longer The place was badly man
| aged. The few on the farm who could
work were compelled to toll beyond
| their strength and the overseer was
a bully. SO one night Weary stole
| quietly down the road-not to run
| away with circus, but to work for
| himself.
Chicago, the nearest large city, was
the goal Of his ambition. 1t was hard
work, travelling over the snow-covered
roads, but Weary kept sturdily on,
making little money in each town
he entered.
He was within fifty miles Of the big
city when he came upon huge col
lection of barns gaudily painted: Win
ter Quarters of Harris Mammoth and
Stupendous Railroad Shows" The old
love of the circus seethed within him.
A neat house stood by the roadway
and here Wearx made application for
position.
rider?" asked fat man with jolly
face, to whom he spoke.
Weary shook his head.
mo SIR" he said. IT just want a
job where 1 will have a place to eat
and sleep"
Harris sharply. Run away from
homer"
Weary told him his story and his
earnestness carried conviction with it.
Here" said Harris you fill up that
empty stomach of yours. Then go out
to the ring barn and tell Robinson. the
boss hostler, that you're to go to work"
A rosy-cheeked waiter girl carried
out the first part of the order with en-
| th4siasm that made the hungry and
tired boy feel that he was among
friends again Then she pointed out
the ring barn and Off he went to find
| Robinson.
The ring barn was gorgeous with red
| and blue paint. Inside II was rather
dreary affair, little larger than the reg
ulation forty-foot ring. Here troupe
Of painted ponies were going through
their tricks, while in one corner a tired
man was trying to teach dog to climb
up ladder.
Robinson and another man were
waiting by the ring to take the ponies
back to the stable when their daily
lesson should be over. To Weary's JOY
they told him to wait while the lesson
ran on. Then he helped the hostlers
to lead the horses through covered
passage way to the stock barn.
Weary always had been fond of
horses, and 1t was a labor OF love to
help unharness the pretty ponies and
rub them down. while Robinson led
cut a pair Of trained horses for the
next lesson In the ring. There were
thirty horses in the ring stock where
his work lay. the work horses being
cared for by another gang In the
larger stable.
When work was over. he was free to
wander about, and before many days
he struck up an intimacy with the big
lion, who in private life was as gentle
and amiab1e as he was fierce on the
posters. Weary soon became very fond
OF the tiger cubs, too, but his strongest
love was for Mahata, the big trained
elephant, head Of the herd of four that
twice a day ambled into the ring and
ponderously moved through their
tricks.
Mahata returned the boys affection
and soon the friendship between the
pair was matter Of comment about
the stables.
O'Brien, the elephant keeper, asked
Harris TO let him have Weary for an
assistant. Harris was afraid that the
lad was too small for the work. but
whenever there were few spare mo-
mentR, Weary would slip into the eIe-
Dbant house and chat with hts friend,
The big beast would see him coming
ana the air would ring with trumpet
ings til be went 20 Mahata's side and
gave him BIZ Of brtad or a lump Of
sugar.
Circus people o. the right sort al
ways are friendly, and Weary had a
happy time with them ia the quiet life
81 winter Quarfefa Ia tgas oulck ana