Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-23

imORfial majesty the eleplhut HAS IL
to a superlative degree. Personality has
it's parts in the animal kingdom just as
-A in the human family. The hyena Is
S,eak The lion is a slugger. The leopard Is
4 cat. The ape and monkey breeds are ou1-
ICONS But the elephant Is everything. he -
buffoon yet he can be tragedian; child, sage,
lover and hater, strong, weak, stohd, YET snrewo
With a shrewdness one might believe Impossible
On n beast He is honest, yet thief: faithful,
tsft tricky and coquettish as q chlorine. He Is
n clown with a serious mind, and wrecker
with the heart of saint.
x.haye known an elephant to kill his keeper
while In a rage. and later mourn for MIN, ols-
playing every evidence Of remorSe that could
possibly be exhibited by a human murderer. !
nave known elephants to work with their worst
enemies in a performance, to exert every pos
sible effort to put on a good show. to be friendly
and even helpful to those enemies in the ring,
yet once outside the big top to refuse to abide
them. dog, tor example, is an object OF
dislike to an elephant. but he win go into the
ring with him and appear perfectly satisfied.
yet let that same dog come within reach on the
picket line and he will ride in the head wagon
ut a dog funeral
once knew a very wealthy man whose hobby
was the study of elephants. In diary kept by
him and which he loaned me to read he set
down a lot of very interesting data regarding
khis very lovable animal 1.-The elephant is
strong and gentle. He is the most cautious of
all animals. He is the swiftest mover when he
makes I'D his mind. He walks softly and has
mighty wallop. He can knock down q house
and pick up a pin with equal efficiency. He
lives through century and never gets too old
DO learn new tricks. He is master Of the jungle
without tyranny He is the servant Of man
without slavishness. He has size without un-
Rieldiness. Two five-ton elephants executing
fancy steps on stage viii produce less vibration
than ballet of go expert stage beauties He
has importance without pompoSity."
Yes, sirl Elephants are strange beasts. In
Che circus world they changed an old express
sion TO fit the Observation-Disclosures
name Is elephant!" The most beloved beast in
the menagerie so Is he the most feared. One
day he will drag the show out Of the mud when
the mire of a wet circus lot has sunk every
wagon to the wheel hubs On the very next
day he may wreck everything he has worked
DO hard to save. He will swing confidently to
the attack should lion make break-Gaay,
but the proximity of q mouse or even a small
harmless snake on the road Is the signal for
hysteria. He will carry a cannon on his back
into performance and stand immobile while
the booming charge breaks in deafening fashion
above him, and then on the Fourth Of July
Ego Eighty" at the popping Of a baby fire.
cracker.
He Is the most sagacious animal In captivity,
yet when be becomes frightened he doesn't
know enough to turn out Of the way Of brick
building. His daily food consists Of fully 200
pounds Of roughage, q few pounds Of coal which
he munches greedily, bushel or so of grain,
10 or 20 pounds of pure dirt and o tub or two
Of water, yet he will quit It all gladly for one
lonely peanut or a piece Of candy. Yes sir,
Elephants are SO inconsistent, they're almost
human.
AN interesting character who worked with
me in the Barnum show was "Towbelly"
Collins. Towbelly was one Of my best friends.
He had special care Of the elephants, Babe and
Empress. He was jovial little Irishman, with
b stomach which stuck out like the well krown
stomach of Santa Claus. He was q lovable
little cuss, but he had the bad habit Of taking
an the drinks he could get with no regard to
his capacity. Every pay day found Towbelly in
dulging in the cup that cheers"
Finally our animal boss said to him: Nov
see here, Collins, not another drink 1W you
while the show is on the road You're too
I'd an elephant man to IRE. but the very next