The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-23
HIPPO IN A FROLIC.
Big Baby of the New York Zoo Plays
seTag" With Her Keeper.

Lotus, the baby hippopotamus in the
Central park menagerie, has recovered
from the lonesomeness which came over
her when she was separated from her
mother a month ago, and has developed
spirit of playfulness which is remark
able for that species of animal.
She is called a baby by the menag-
erie folk. because she is the only child
of old Caliph and Miss Murphy now in
the park, although she weighs about l.,
GOO pounds and is two and one-half years
old. She has been with her mother since
her birth up to the time of shifting the
family from their summer to their win
ter quarters in the lion house, where the
water can be kept heated to a proper
temperature for them during the cold
weather. When the family moved
keeping in the west tank, and Lotus was
put into the east tank by herself. The
youngster has displayed an amiable
temper from her youngest days, and
when she was parted from her mother
she seemed to suffer from the separation
and became restless and grieved SO
much that she refused to eat the carrots
and apples and bread which the keeper
threw into her Enclosure. At the end
of a week she showed that she was be-
coming resigned to keeping house by
herself and began to pick UP her old
time appetite.
AS the days passed her old amiablity
returned and she became fond of human
companionship, and now displays some
of the characteristics of a boy in her
efforts to indulge in frolics. Weighing
more than half ton. she is bit
clumsy in her play fulness, but her good
intentions SO apparent the menag-
erie folk overlook her awkwardness and
forgive her for her rudeness. Director
John w. Smith says that she is the most
renlarka BILE young hippo that has ever
been in the park and is as full of play
as q kitten.
She tries to get John Herlich. her
keeper, to play tag with her when
he lets out the water and goes into her
tank twice a day to clean up. When he
goes to the bottom of the tank she
quietly steals down the stone steps, and
with her thick lips pulls a leg of his
trousers. AS he turns around she let's
out a "O-o-oof. O-o-oof,', and scFam-
bles ND the steps again, evidently ex-
pecting him to chase her If he does
not do so. she returns and again tugs at
his trousers If he goes after her she
let's out grunt of pleasure and runs III
her clumsy way about the tank. OF
course the keeper could easily overtake
her, but he pretends he cannot and this
seems to please her
| If the keeper will not pursue her she
seems disappointed, and going to the
! bottom of the tank. where he is at work.
she catches the rake in her mouth ana
/ tries to pull 1T away from him. Herlich
and Lotus are great friends. When he
stands near the iron stanchions of her
Enclosure, if she catches sight of him she
approaches and onens her big mouth.
whether it is feeding time or not. The
keeper puts his hand inside her mouth
and scratches her tongue. She does
not close her laws until he withdraws
his hand. The keeper says she likes to
have him tickle her tongue.
Sometimes she sDlashes water upon
her friends. much a S boys splash one an
other when in swimming. Director
Smith was standing near her tank the
other day when she threw up her head
with her mouth open. The big lower
! jaw scattered the water upon Mr.. Smith
as he stepped behind some boards. Io-
tus watched him, and when he again
stepped away from the boards she sent
the water splashing. He hustled behind
/ the protecting boards in time to escape
the shower. but Lotus knew he could
not remain there all day, and she waited
for him and give him a "ducking'' when
| he did come out
She means well. but is not very
gentle in showing it. She's as full of
play as a walnut IS Of meat. I never
saw young hippo like her. said Mr..
Snith.-New York Evening Sun.