The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-08-05
EVAN, WHO Is
MASTER OF BABE
Small Boy Commands Great
Elephants Absolutely
THEY THROW HIM ABOUT
Visit to Zoo Where Boy Plays
All the Time.
THEY THROW HIM ABOUT

pentine embrace OF q great black trunk
shes very playful. Babe is. he added.
somewhat breathlessly, which was natural
for Babe and her mate had oSsn playing
bah with him. throwing him from one 10
the other and catching beautifully IN
manner calculated to inspire basenaH
rooter. She's a good deal friskier than
Basil. You see, she's only half as old as
Basil. who is sixty this year"
Babe was stamping her foot, just ike
an infant, and demanding more play.
Frank Healey, the trainer, patted her on
lue trunk and said: i guess she won
be contented now till Evan comes around.
He's my son, and he can do more with
these two fellows than l can"
So he sailed fortn to find Evan, and his
visitors went in with him, expecting to
see a big husky animal trainer like his
father But all they saw was yellow
head full of curls peering snyly from be-
hind a tree and vanishing as soon as the
strangers approached.
Dragged forth finally by the arm. with
his face turned bashfully away, behold
Evan aged four years and eleven months,
master Of the elephants.
Master Evans unwilling way lay
through an unrestful avenue OF wild anil
NAL cages, from which the big cats spat
and roared their disapproval of intrusion.
A black panther and young lidn par
ticularly were so vehement in their frank
expressions of dislike that the strangers
took careful care to remain well in the
center of the thoroughfare. But Evan
~ Ill
panther. whence he was extricated on the
verge of tears.
In the doorway Of the elephant house
the parental grasp relaxed and with a
dive Evan got between the mighty wrin-
killed. pillars that supported Babe.
That playful young creature had her
vast ears thrust forward like immense
banners. Her piggy eyes were a-twin-
kle. She gurgled down in her caverns,
like a mountain full of sizzling water.
Gently, ever so gently. her big trunk
with its pink orifice reached out and
seized the little chap. Slowly she rocked
him to and fro. while he sat. holding to
the trunk as calmly as other children
would hold to the hopes of a swing But
BASH wanted a bit of it. too. He reached
and pranced and trumpeted until Babe
swung Evan over to him. A toss and
a catch and Basil had the boy. Back
and forth they swung him like a ball.
but with a care and gentleness that
seemed impossible in creatures so huge.
A word muttered from Healey and Basil
lifted the little golden-haired trainer up.
up until she held him ten feet above the
ground. Then the trunk curved back
wards and set him as softly as IL he were
bsaue on her big back. He sat there for
a few moments slapping the leathery skin
and then. with a sudden motion slid
tuown the sloping back of the tail, swung
Ffrom it as if il were a rope, and let him
self drop to the ground, while Basil and
Babe trumpeted and wagged their ears,
watching for him to appear between their
legs again.
-Safe?" said Mr.. Healey why. OF
course. Ia rather have Evan play with
.the elephants than with other children.
They take as good care OF him as any
nurse could Every morning they are
RESTLESS till he comes. And as for him.
me is always in here lie plays among
their feet and lets them swing him up
ION their backs all day long. They would
mot step on him; no indeed. They take
smore care rot to hurt him than a human
being would. See here
lie lifted the boy up to Babes left
ear. and commanded: Listen. Babe.
Something 10 say to you
Babe stuck her ear out and inclined
her head toward the boy. while he talk
ed into her ear Then she nodded her
head wisely and grunted.
Healey dropped the boy. Evan stepped
alongside of Babe, and slapped her on
che leg as high as he could reach. which
wasn't higher than q short mans knee.
''Down, Babe. down." he said
Babe looked at him with a funny look
Of appeal IN her eye. She wiggled her
:tail and 7irted her trunk and turned her
head away, saying plainly: Lets talk OF
something else" But the baby trainer
was persistent. And Babe slghed-a rum
bling roaring sigh. as il a steam engine
were to whisper. "Oh. my"
Then. With a weary grunt she held her
trunk out 10 him coaxingly But Evan
only patted 1t and cried shrilIy: Down.
Babe. say" So Babe. looking as II she
had no friend on earth. grunted once
more and dropped laboriouslv to her fore
knees. With another plunge that shook
the elephant house, she let herself fall
cumbrously on her side. and stuck her
four feet into the air Then she held
out her trunk and wiggled her upturned
ear. Evan scrambled with hands and
knees up her massive throbbing side and
perched himself. a little bright spot on
top Of the great tonnage Of black flesh.
Then Basil had to go through the per
formance, and she too. begged Evan TO
let her on, but finally did what she was
hidden like a lamb Each elephant az
once searched his clothes for sugar when
he let her get up.
Basil" said Mr.. Eealey. rs one Of the
biggest elephants in America now She
Is a little more than nine feet high and
Babe IS almost as big but thirty wears
younger. Basil and Evan have been
friends almost since Evan was born. He
was born in Willis avenue. New York
and when he was only a few months old
we came 70 Glen Island. and ever since
then Evan and the elephants have plsveS
together. When we first came her RASH
larned to wheel Evan around in the baby
carriage and II soon got so that we could
turn her loose with the uttle one ana feel
that he was safer IN the protection Of his
great nurse than he would have been
under the care OF any human attendant
I'VE used 10 say that Evan had the very
biggest nurse girl in the world She was
rs gentle and careful with him as she
could be. She never let 20 the handle or
the carriage and she would push il UP and