The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-17
ON AN ELEPHANT SLEIGH RIDE
BROADWAY .AGAPE AT SHOW PEO-
PIES NEWEST STUNT.
Jennie OF the ~HlpPOdrOme Draws . Sled
Load OF Femlninity About to the JOY OF
All but Herself and the Amazed Horses
Even TOdy Hamilton Seemed Pleased.

Even TOdy Hamilton Seemed Pleased.
Jennie the elephant, hitched to a bob
sled, orunched through the snow in Broad
CAV and Fifth avenue yesterday drawing
load Of chorus girls, who nestled in straw
and tweaked her ridiculous little tail.
This she didn't mind any more than the
lanes Of excited people, the frantic horses
that went up on their hind legs at the sight OF
her, or the cursing motormen, who changed
their bells and itohed TO bump her but
dared not,
Only the little dogs worried her. Fear
fully excited by the great elephant and her
trappings Of red and gold, they darted
out Of side streets and scurried under her
massive legs, swapping, snarling and slang
ing her in their little dog way. There Is
only one thing that elephants hate worse
than little dogs-mioe. Jennie, trumpeting
and swinging her heavy head, kept looking
around at her mahout, as much as to say:
This isn't right. This Is all your fault.
You make me walk through something that
II cold and hurts my feet, doing poodle
dog tricks for these girls. Suppose one Of
these terrible little dogs should bite me2
/ am q high caste elephant and l was once
the pearl Of a Rajah. This Is unseemly,.
Ny dignity suffers
The mahout was very busy wading
through the snow and soaring Of daring
little BOYS who insisted on taking chances.
He paid no attention to the ~trumpetings
Of the elephant. The chorus girls waved
their bats and oheered. 1t is not every day
that a chorus girl goes sleigh riding in
Broadway behind a three ton elephant.
The leading lady, her black hair flying In
the breeze, stood up proudly, braoing her
self, and drove calmly. 1t was her prerog-
alive, although she was perhaps the first
leading lady In history to drive a snow
going elephant.
The sleigh party had its beginnings
Thursday night in the Hippodrome Cafe.
Billalah Wahabi, whose other name is
Power, a mighty man with the elephant
people, was sitting at a table taking Bit
ters for his stomaoh's sake. Fred Thomp-
son, the directing genius Of the Hippodrome,
sat at the table with his soft felt hat pulled
well over his eyes, shooting out short,
snappy sentences. Walter L.. Mains, the
circus man, was another of the party.
The rest were men whose names are as
familiar along Broadway as the big build
ings. Outside snow was whirling and
driving furiously. 1t lay four inches deep
In the streets, close packed. Horses were
slipping and sliding and pedestrians were
damning their luck.
its wonder they don't clear the street.
said Thompson. Rotten outside
Nothing but giant snowploug his with
elephants attached would do the job"
said Mains, glancing at Power. The little
man had been Boosting Of his elephants,
giving his solemn opinion that they were
a blamed sight more human than most
men. He bridled at Mains's look.
Il can take old Jennie and hitch her to
any old kind Of snowplough and clear
room floor, in one hour said Power sharply.
Thompson and Mains laughed.
ANY cirou 8 man knows that elephants
won't stand for snow and cold, said Mains.
"You did one stunt, helping Uncle Sam
Of luck. It's a wonder the elephants didn't
throw you over tho Hippodrome.'
Walter" said Power, you talk like a
man crazy with the heat. I've had them
s elephants ,saS out out in as SNOW up to their bellies
"You can't do it, Bill, = said Thompson.
"IIl tell you what l will do" said Power.
"Inl hitch old Jennie to a bobsled and give
q bunch Of girls a sleigh ride along Broad
What'l you bet?"
-Four cases of wine,r said Thompson.
Make it cash" said Power.
Five hundred to a hundred, said Thomp-
son.
you're on" said Power.
The little man hustled around Thursday
night, found an old fashioned bob sled and
rugged up a get Of harness that he thought
woul do. He petted old Jennie, whose
temper is sweeter than sugar cane and yes
terday morning was ready for the prize
stunt.
They sent out a call for the girls, and the
girls came running, dropping side combs
in their excitement. Rose La Harte, the
there were Georgia Dix, Bernice Bartlett,
Marian Hawley and Eileen Spellman. They
came sleepy eyed, but they were eager for
fun
Power, who had made a nice nest Of straw
In the bob sled, loaded the girls in.
"Please," he said, even in ar excess of
enthusiasm, ladies, do not stick hat pins
in old Jennie. She's a good old girl, but she
might break up the show II she felt insulted
Miss La Harte grabbed the gold fringed
Wahabi spoke to old Jennie. She lunged
forward, heaving her big shoulders and
wbisking her ears. The bob sled went out
while q crowd of 500 people massed at the
stage door set up a cheer.
The cold snow after warm straw was
very .distasteful to old Jennie, and she
puilCu up Will NoOl dtio a iuOOl PlBihc
squeal OF astonishment. The jerk was so
sudden that it tumbled the girls out into a
snow bank. There was a display Of fash
ing lingerie and OF hose of many colors,
a chorus Of screams and giggles, a righting
and a tightening Of things that had fetched
loose, and back they were in the bob sled.
Old Jennie, meekly protesting, turned to
the east and numbered along toward Fifth
avenue.
The crowd grew as a SNOWFALL gathers
bulk. People as far south as Thirty-fourth
street and as far north as Columbus Circle,
hearing Of the new thing in sleigh rides,
made for Forty-third street in a hurry.
Hundreds fell in line behind the sled and
followed it to Fifth avenue. White Wings
dropped their brooms and gaped. The cops,
unwaned, took one look at the big
elephant plunging along and turned their
attention to horses.
The turnout hit Fifth avenue at Forty
third street about noon. The avenue was
crowded with vehicles. For a few minutes
there was much doing. Nervous horses
, skid to the sidewalks or stood straight
up on their hind legs and snorted. The
Hippodrome people had a force of men
running ahead for that very thing and,
with the cops, they managed to prevent
trouble.
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