The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-10

| n hit at the Biiou Theatre last season,
| will be seen again here March 18th.
| The story is based on the events
leading UP to the assassination Of n
Queen Draga of s;ervia, 1t opens with
n characteristic scene from that land,
showing the people working IN the
fields, the future bride of the ruler
among the peasants Her beauty cap
tivates the King, and despite the siren
uous objection of the nristocracy, he
makes the beautiful peasant girl his
wife. From that time on her troubles
begin, and they seem to be overwhelm-
ing.
One on Rajah.
Rniah, the largest Of the group OF
elephants in Bostoclts Wild Animal
4 Arena. purchased few years ago by
agents OF Director Frank G. BostocK /
in India, is according to his trainer
Charlie Miller, none other than tho
4 famous East indian war elephant Rus
tin Singh, which won fame IN tho
great Abyssinian War of 1859 to 1917.
..There is no mistake about IT. said
Charlie Miller last night. MIR. Bos-
tocls has moro sheets OF parchment
hearing seals Of the British East In |
dian government and native rajahs !
containing that elephants official pedi-I
gree history snd war record thhn no
has about all the other animals In his
collection combined.
"Eajah and the lion Wallace are M.
Bostock's favor.tes. He thinks more
or those two animals tran he docs Of
The entire remainder of the show. The
elephant believe, Is tho smartest
animal alive o-day, except Consul, OIL
course. and Wallace is the most ZERO
cious and untamnblc without any eX-
ception.
goth animals know Mr. Bostock
Raiah will fairly raise tho root OF inc
arena building trumpeting with De-
light the minute he sees mr.. rranh.
But Wallace will rant ana rage, trSlns
to get at Mr.. Bostock
"Rustln singh, or Rajah, as Mr.. Bos-
took has named him, was originally the
property Of the GaekRor OF Baroda.
one Of the most powerful OF the Indian
princes. and warm supporter OF the
government He was trained for war
and was also known as iightine eAe-
phant, These are maintained by
great many Indian princes for the
sport Of seeing them battle with each
ether Thousands Of pounds sterling
are often wagered on these elephant
Is fights, and frequently the battle con-
tinues until ono Of the combatants
is down and out.
"From the Gaekwor OF Baroda Rn-
iah passed into the possession Of the
sinian War was stationed near Delhi.
Elephants are used in warfare in India
to carry mountain batteries and Lord
= Robcrts-'Bobs was commanding
the campaign. wanting such, Rajah and
. nineteen other elephants were sent to
Bombay from which place they were
a. shipped to the scene of action.
"a No difficulty attended the loading of
l. the other nineteen, but when 1t came
Rajah's turn to be harnessed and hoist
= ed aboard the ship, he positively re-
fused In his fight he killed three Brit
ish artil1erymen and one officer. Lord
Roberts finally telegraphed the Gaek-
wor OF Baroda. who sent his native
trainers They came--three of them
for in India every elephant has three
attendants-t mahout, sycee and a
goriawallak.
Lord Roberts ordered to work the
mahout, head keeper or trainer but the
fellow was obdurate. He said no. He
must first pray to Gunputti. the ele-
plant god. Ceremonies We're Their
started, and lasted several hours Rice
cupatties sweetened with sugar and
skrup. bananas, plantains. mangoes
and pomegranates We're fed to him
His Keepers bowed and salaamed and
praised him by the hour.
"Then the lnahout announced tina
he was ready, turned from his prayers
roundly in the Hindoostani tongue
calling him "rinnbotesustewallah'-
AZ which means bad elephant, rogue ele
phant--and threatening him with dir
punishment IL he did not obey or sub
nit.
Then tho mahout took his own littl
babe from the arms of its mother
placed the child on Rajahs trunl
mounted his head, gave his comman
N to move and threatened that he woul
\ beat him to death IL he dropped tn
child. The elephant marched straigf
to the side Of the ship, submitted t
having the sling placed about h
body and being hoistcd up with til
HUGE derrick,
after his arrival In Abyssinia /
worked all summer carrying suppl,
and ammunition to the troops owe
forty miles OF desert ard continue
with the expedition through the ba
tla OF Magdaia, In that fight he oil
haved with sreat bravery, though s.
Nerely wounded, and four of his con
pnnion elephants We're killed. At oil
time the herd was stampeded, but RI
Yah, with his shrill trumpetine
brought them back and led them
the charge, tramping down many
the enemy.
After the war Lord Roberts me
toned Raiah in his reports, and tt
elephant was set aside as one of Il
state elephants Of His EXcellency, t
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