The Colorado statesman., 1920-03-20
HAS FINE TRAITS
Animal Trainer Reveals Facts
About Elephant.
Says the Brute Is Both Tender and AZ.
fectionate, Though He viii Hold
Grudge Against One Who
Has Abused Him.

An elephant lives to a great age and
comes to maturity slowly, and is
not ful-grown until from thirty-five
Ia forty years old. II Is mistake 10
think an elephant is clumsy because
he looks so In proportion TO its size
an elephant Is much lighter on Its
feet than horse, and can outrun most
horses for u short distance. and there
is no one of an elephants four feet
that he cannot strike or kick quickly
and accurately with.
An elephant can stand considerable
cold If he is kept moving. | have taken
elephants In Bridgeport, fitted bags
over their ears and tails and worked
them up to their bellies in the snow
pushing cars without Its doing them
any harm. On the other hand, lost
fine elephant once as II result of ex-
posure to the cold, writes George Conk-
lin in the Saturday Evening Post.
The elephant Is the most affection
ate of animals and will watch over and
protect favorite keeper. and he will
also hold a grudge against one for
some time, watching for an opportunity
to get even with him. But | do not
believe those popular stories of ele-
plants that have remembered being
cheated by strangers and squirting
water over them when they had an
opportunity after the lapse of years.
An angry elephant, however, is
dangerous thing, and an elephant
keeper who is rough is always running
a risk. A cross elephant is usually
made so by the keeper. Some men are
naturally cruel and are willing to do
anything to satisfy their desire to show
Off This is apt to be fault of new
men around elephants. l knew of the
case of fellow called Bayou Bill, who
was with the Jerry Mabie show. An
elephant put her trunk round his shoul-
ders, pulled him off his horse and be-
fore anyone could prevent she put one
Of her feet on his legs, pulled him in
two and threw the pieces over her
back. L have also known many in
stances of men being squeezed to death
between a wall and an elephants head
or under its foot But from keeper
or trainer who treats them properly an
elephant will accept punishment, and
when it has given In the man can do
almost anything with 1t and the ami
nal will not lay 1t up against him.
In spite of It's great size the ele-
phant is quite timid. A strange animal
or an unfamiliar noise will start him
in panic. Once Tody Hamilton, the
Barnum & Bailey press agent had me
demonstrate to group of New York
reporters how easy 1t was to frighten
an elephant. 1t was at the winter
quarters in Bridgeport. We had at the
time some two or three dozen ele-
plants, and I let a pig loose among
them. There was commOtion at once.
They snorted and squealed and kicked
and. by the way, they can use their
hind legs like gatling guns. l also put
some rats in among them, and they
were just as afraid of them. If they
had not been well chained the whole
bunch would have run away.
Elephants are driven from the near,
or left. side, like oxen. The driver
tells them to shy when he wants them
to 20 to the right and says "cOme in"
to bring them toward him. Mile"
means to go fast; mule up" to trot,
and when he wants them to stop the
driver calls out tut"