Smyrna times., 1908-06-10
WEIRD CALIFORNIA
ELEPHANT HUNT
STORY OF CHARLEY, THE
WESTERN LAD.
Wants to be President of the U. S.
Make a Balloon Ascension and
Kill an Elephant.

Kelseyville, California, June 8,
1908 Charley is a Western lad. He
was born when "winter winds are
piercing chill'' in the coldest winter
Montana ever knew. He has spent
the majority of his sixteen summers
an the camp-wagOn, pioneering with
his parents over several of the Rocky
Mountain States; and it is this
which has made him expert in handl-
ing a rifle and horseback riding. 1t
is important to remember these facts
of his life, as he is the only person
who has ever succeeded in Staying an
elephant in an American Jungle.
Only this spring he set before him
three objects which he intends to
accomplish before mother earth
receives and molds him into original
clay. He is one day going to be
president of the Unites States, to
make a balloon ascension, and kill
an elephant. 1t is, perhaps, not
unpropitious for the other two that
he should have accomplished his last
desire first, while he is yet in his
teens.
Despite the wishes of his parents
Charley is not an angel, but his
faults and virtues are very nearly at
a balance. His morals would have
been better had he not seen his path
to the Presidency led him directly to
a military career. He enlisted in a
company of Montana militia, one
summer to be a generally useful boy
while it was encamped in Yellow
stone Park. His mind was in very
absorbent state, as boys minds US
ually are when they first enter upon
a military career; and he learned
rapidly. He tells with great glee
how the captain of the company offered
a valuable prize to the LATEST man
in the company. He measured off
a hundred course and then lined up
his men for the start, and told them
he would give the prize to the one
who reached the hundred yard line
last. Soon after he had given them
the word to "go," he noticed one
man had sat down on the starting
line with his legs akimbo. He ap-
preached the soldier and with some
warmth he asked him why he was not
taking part in the race. He replied,
81 am too lazy" The captain gave
him the prize.
Since the close of his military career
Charles has been rather indolent and
breezy. He wears eyeglasses which
he carefully readjusts every few min
utes, and his smile has become grin
in which he seems to have lost his
upper lip. He keeps his big SOM
brero pinned up on one side and he
dresses in the Rough Riders garb.
Clothed in this suit of glory he is
confident he could stampede the Phila-
delphia Convention. Whenever you
see Charley you see him with a rifle
sire for killing things. Several
months ago his professor in High
School told the class that elephants
in large bands at one time rOameC
wild in California. Charley bore
this in mind and kept a constant look
out for elephants ever since. No
body ever thought he would find one,
but everybody was mistaken except
Charley. Saturday a week ago while
out hunting with his % calibre riff,
he came onto a large white elephant
The elephant never noticed him a
all. 1t was busy practicing on ;
newsong which it was learning from
a missionary just returned from Sian
-CJust as Siam without on
Flea. ~ Charley could not he'll
thinking what fine prize whit
elephant without ieas would be, s
he blazed away and got him. H
took it home and put it in his bed
room. In the night it proved tn
elephant was not dead (or in som
mysterious manner it had come bac
to life). and after getting up on it
feet it seemed constantly to be grow
ing bigger threatening finally to crus
Charley against the side wall. What
ever may be Charley's faults he hs
no penchant for a remarkable or ez
traordinary death so he began calm
at the top of his voice for his mother
When he woke up the elephant backe
out through the keyhole. Thus ende
Charley's elephant hunting. SOD
viii Cure Consumption