The Forrest City times., 1904-05-20
TRUE ELEPHANT STORIES.
some Popular Beliefs About the Anil mals Are Exploded by an Ex-
 perieaced Traine-.

| ' 1 70 elephant-training. To look after Inc welfare of 40 elephants. which he must. does not appear an attractive ioo' but there were no lines of care Ill his face nor his straight up-and- Town frame, relates the Chicago Chronicle
 The best part of my life has been spent in the company of elephants and nearly every day somebody tells me things about them don't know. What makes me most tired is the fool question about bad elephants. A bad sIephant is freak and is seldom come up with. The big beast is as domestic as the horse. although a little too cumbersome for the same uses. When an elephant gets little cranky there Is always some light-headed attend ant II seems, to fly off and say he Is crazy. Ntnety-nine times out of a hundred the poor elephant has been odaIy treated. and as he cannot talk ae does about the only thing he can 10 and trnmpets his disgust, and may. oe eases his feelings by taking a crack "lth his trunk at something within reach. Elephants are as kind -heartod anu anu tender as women and respond to at'le attentions in the same way. and ID the same way just like a woman when they get soured it takes a long "hlIe 10 sweeten them again. if il can be done at all
 Because the elephant is such bjo 1 anlmal most people think he must he iuil ot danger. This is all nonsense D.a you ever notice how fond they are ol children? Who ever heard of an eIe- Phant hurting a child? Why. in our winter quarters the boys and girls will pet them and walk among them and the elephants enjoy it. They will move SO as 10 make room and never step on thelr feet. This is more than can be said of horses In their jungle home the babies always run under their moth CT body when any danger approaches. ana eNpIorerS say that no matter how panlcky the stampede they have never tound more than two or three crushed baby elephants. This may account for the fact that elephants never make the mistake of stepping on a friendly foot. The animal is really of loving dis position and very gentle and obedient.
 An elephant cannot jump. He can not even cross trench six or seven feet wide, although the step of a large one Is more than six feet long. There are times in the movement of a circus when 1t would be impossible to get on without him The big. heavy cages used 1 by Ringing brothers never could lYe set Tn place on time without his powerful help. l have seen heavy stake and chain wagon stalled in mud LID to the | hub, where horses could not budge it. l Then his trunk and tusks at once be- came lever, screwjack. dog-hooks and crane. With his aid the wagons were pushed out of their trouble and those | that were tipped over were righted. SO that work could go on in the necessary | quick way of a circus. The elephants 1 head, protected with a pad. is ram | of immense force. These things show that he is a mighty useful fellow in our world and not half as bad as many peo- pie think
 The real elephant-the one know is the best natured wild animal in the world. He Is affectionate, loyal. obedi- ent and as ready to learn as child. He looks on the cheerful side of things and will play with his neighbor, even when so old that his bones are stiffened with | rheumatism. They have a family feel ng and when one is sick it would do your heart good to see the others give 1t attention. They will bring bundles )f straw over to make its bed will toss wisps of hay over its back and body Ca practice elephants love) and save the choicest of the food they may pick up for the ailing elephant. When one of them dies. even if it happens in a | remote quarter, they seem to know it tntuitively and their sorrow is as plain O the eye as human beings. At such dimes their trunks hang limp. their eyes overflow with water and their bodies lose that swinging motion which they seem to be forever enjoying Their 'ondness for baby elephant Is almost human. The little one owned by Ring ing Brothers Is a wonderful comfort to the big herd. This youngster is now over ! year old and is as full of mischief as a young colt. We give him the liberty of the big barn. because if We didn't he would whine and whimper so as to get the whole elephant family into the dumps He gets the best of everything hat is fed to his elders. and is selfish enough to take it all. even if he can't eat it. It is fun to see him try to hide things he doesn't want. just for the mere sake of keeping them. I am at little ioss to figure this out. because his mother was an unselfsh beast. and his father was jolly. good-natured fellow. who would let any of his mates lick up his bran without any kick.
 The daughter is best at her father in-law's house, and the elephant is best at the rajah's, is the Indian way of say ing that daughters and elephants are aa expensive luxury. But however that may be, and all good things after all come under the head of cost, don't let any body lead you into the belief that an ele-