MY SAVAGE ELEPHANT.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXII, Issue XVIII, 6 May 1899, Page 635

MY SAVAGE ELEPHANT.

A TRUE STORY. My elephant, Romeo, was a murderous brute. Before coming to this country he had killed three men, and after his arrival he killed four more. I bought Romeo in Berlin in the late forties. On the journey to this country he killed his keeper on shipboard. Later he killed Joe Nobles in Pittsburgh, Frank Gray in Louisville, Calvin Porter near Indianapolis, and little Eddie Smith near Yonkers, N.Y. The great creature either killed or frightened away every person who had the care of him but one, and that was a keeper of his own selection. The story of how the selection was made is interesting. It was at a little town in Dutchess County, New York. A throng of idlers surrounded the notorious elephant one morning. Among them was a twelve year old boy, named Arthur Searles, the son of a local mechanic. He unconsciously stood dangerously elose to Romeo, who suddenly put out his trunk, grasped the lad around the body, and raised him to his back. When he had securely seated the boy, Romeo lowered his trunk and left him there, more surprised than frightened. The keeper, believing that another tragedy was imminent, called to the boy to slide down the creature’s side while Romeo was eating some

peanuts, of which he was very fond. This the lad did; but. no sooner had his feet touched the ground than he was again eaught up and seated upon the elephant's back. Three times Arthur Searles attempted to escape, but each time the elephant recaptured him.

An alarmed messenger summoned me, and I arrived on the scene in time to see Romeo foil the boy’s third attempt at escape. A happy thought struck me. I promised the lad five dollars if he would remain and ride on Romeo in the street parade, which would soon take place. The little fellow smiled faintly, and said that, as Romeo would not let him go. he would have to stay and earn the five dollars. As a result, half an hour later Romeo paraded the streets of the town peacefully and contentedly, with the boy on his back, to the great ’surprise of the citizens.

The line of parade led directly by Arthur Searles’ home, and when his horrified mother saw her son perched upon the back of the notorious elephant, whose record was familiar to nearly everyone, she was almost too frightened to protest; but she follow ed her boy and Romeo throughout the l>arade, inn til she saw the elephant, when he arrived at the exhibition grounds, raise his trunk and tenderly set down his youthful rider. At once I sought the boy’s father, and so arranged matters with him that when the circus left town Arthur Searles went with it as Romeo’s keeper. This was the only master that Romeo never attempted to harm. But the elephant gradually grew more and more intractable, until, to keep him anywhere within bounds, Arthur Searles had to sleep beside him. Even this was effective only for a short time, and Romeo gradually became such a constant source of anxiety that it finally was necessary to have him

killed.

DAN RICE.