The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-08-05
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soon began to play with her trunk. and
she, In turn, didn't like anything so much
rage and foudle him and let him pull her
trunk
LAS soon as he could crawl he went into
the elephant house by preference. And
| now. no matter what time Of the day he
goes there the elephants are ready to play
with him. If he doesn't appear at his
usual time they make a great fuss, and
| won't keep quiet until he arrives"
While the trainer was speaking the big
| brutes were jostling each other TO reach
Evan and tap him with their trunks. He
stood between their legs, leaning against
them and the elephants never moved a
limb without looking and feeling to make
sure that they would not step on him.
1t wasn't possible to see a bit of him
when he got we'll behind one OF the huge
legs, but he was master of the ele-
plants for all that-Kiplings' Toomaii in
real life.
Mr.. Healey brought out a grindstone,
and Evan stood before the elephants and
commanded Basil 10 take hold. Again
Basil groaned with unwillingness. Evil
IDENTIFY her idea of play was not to do
tricks. But Master Evan permitted No
malingering. Take hold Basil, right
away" he said. and Basil, with one last
plaintive groan and an extraordinary
mournful expression. reached over and
began TO turn the handle. That won't
do" said Evan, firmly. Take hold like
this" He stopped under the trunk, pull
ed 1t to the grindstone and pressed the
end of il firmly against the handle. Now,
turn it, he said, and Basil sadly turned
It, without taking an eye from the lad.
Now, Babe" he ordered, and Babe IN
willingly did the same. But Basil had
not obtained his usual reward, and she
trumpeted and thrashed her mighty feet
around, making a noise that scared the
strangers into jumping. Close beside Evan
the huge feet went up and down, but
Evan never turned. He finished with
Babe, and not until then did he give the
indignant Basil her piece OF sugar.
THE grindstone, said Mr.. Healey, rs
being used now by Evan to teach the ele-
plants to turn a barrel organ. 1t would
be little too expensive to begin with the
real thing. They've smashed this ar
rangement several times. They don't like
TO learn any too well, but they always
come around to It, Evan doesn't let them
off from a single lesson, and, no matter
how much they may object, they always
do II in the end
He has taught them to lie down and
play dead to throw UP Their trunks and
| mail did. and to pick out the American
| flag and wave it. Their musical educa-
ton has been finished so far that they
are ready to play the real thing
Evan walks around Glen Island every
day with the big elephants following him
placidly and watching his every motion.
He takes them out to pasture and to
water and drives them home again as
other boys of his age and size would
drive goats. In the four and one-half
years that he has spent on Glen Island he
has not failed to visit his pIaymates a day
except when he was H. and then the two
elephants became i'll, too.
He is allowed to go wherever he pleases
on the island, with no one to watch him.
he wanders in and out of the menagerie
all day long but his father says that he
knows too much to get within reach of the
cat animals and the bears, although he
is in and out of the tiger. lion, and pan
Their houses all day long and his way lies
right alongside of the cages that contain
the grizzly, cinnamon and polar bears.
He has never been hurt by an animal.
He gets his love for animals legiti-
mately, for his father has made many
trips 70 Asia and Africa to get wild ami
mails for American shows. besides having
been a collector OF snakes and big rep
tiles in Cuba and South America. He has
oeen an unusually successful animal train
er almost all his life. and Evan has
MADE up his mind that he will become
one, too.-Washington Evening Star.