The Savannah morning news., 1903-07-05

"That'n do now, Babe" said the ami
NAL trainer, extricating himself from
+be serpentine embrace of a great
black trunk.
shes very playful, Babe is," he
added, somewhat breathlessly, which
was natural, for Babe and her mate
had been playing ball with him,
throwing him from one to the other
and catching him beautifully in a
manner calculated to inspire a base
hall rooter. She's a good deal friskier
than Basil, who is sixty this year. :"
Babe was stamping her foot, just
like an infant, and demanding more
MAY. Frank Healey, the trainer,
matted her on the trunk and said, Il
guess she won't be contented now till
Evan comes around. He's my son,
YOU know, and he can do more with
these two fellows than I can
So he sailed forth to find Evan, and
his visitors went with him, expecting
TO see a big, husky animal trainer like
his father But all they saw was a
yellow head full of curls peering shyly
from behind 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 Ele-
plants.
Master Evans unwilling way lay
through an unrestful avenue of wild
animal cages, from which the big cats
spat and roared their disapproval of
intrusion. A black panther and a
young lion particularly were so vehe-
ment in their frank expressions of dis
like that the strangers took painful
care to remain well in the center of
the thoroughfare. But Evan tried to
hide his bushes behind the black
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 wtinkled pillars that sup
ported Babe.
That playful young creature had
her vast ears thrust forward like inn
mense banners. Her piggy eyes were
all a-twinkle She gurgled deep down
in her caverns, like mountain full of
sizzling hot water.
A Unique Swing.
Gently, ever so gently, her big trunk
with its pink orifice reached out and
ed him to and fro while he sat, hold
ing to the trunk as calmly as other
children would hold to the ropes of a
swing. But Basil wanted a bit Of it,
too He reached and pranced and
trunpeted until Babe swung Evan
over to him. A toss, and a catch, and
Basil had the boy Back and forth they
swung him like ball, but with care
and gentleness that seemed impossible
in creatures so huge.
A muttered word 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 backwards and set him as
softly as if he were bisque on her big
back He sat there a few moments,
slappng the leathery skin, and then,
with a sudden motion slid down the
sloping lack to the tail, swung from 1t
as if it were a rope, and let himself
drop to the ground while Basil and
Babe trumpeted and wagged their
ears, watching for him to appear be-
tween their legs again.
"Safe?' said Mr.. Healey. 'Why, of
course. IL rather have Evan play
with the#Aephants than with other
children. They take as good care of
him as N4hy nurse could. Every morn
ing they are restless till he comes. And
as for him, he is always in here. He
plays among their feet and lets them
swing him up on their backs all day
long. They wouldn't step on him, no
indeed. They take more care not to
hurt him than human being would.
See here"
He lifted the boy up to Babes left
ear, and commanded: Listen, Babe.
Something to say to you"
Babe stuck her ear out and inclined
her head toward the boy while he
talked into her ear. Then she nodded
her head wisely and grunted.
Crossing" the Elephants.
Healey dropped the boy. Evan
stepped alongside of Babe and slapped
her on the leg as high up as he could
reach, which wasn't higher than a
snort mans knee Down, Babe,
down." he said.
Babe looked at him with a funny
look of appeal in her eye. She wig
gled her tail and f1irted her trunk and
turned her head away, saying plainly,
Let's talk of something else" But
the baby trainer was insistent. And
Babe sighed-a runbling, roaring
sigh, as if a steam engine were to
whisper ION. my!''
Then, with a weary grunt, she held
her trunk out to him coaxingly But
Evan only patted it and cried shrilly
Down, Babe, 1 say" So Babe, look
ing as if she had no friend on earth
grunted once more and dropped labo-
nously to her fore knees. With an
Other plunge that shook the elephant
mousse 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.
Even scrambled with hands and
Knees up her massive, throbing side