Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 March 1883 — How the Elephant Carried Out the Joke. [ARTICLE]

How the Elephant Carried Out the Joke.

One of those pests of society, “apractical joker,” visited a caravan in a West of England fair, and tried his tricks upon an elephant there. He first doled out to it, one by one, some gingerbread nuts, and when the grateful animal was thrown off its guard he suddenly proffered it a large parcel wrapped in paper. The unsuspicious creature accepted and swallowed the lump, but immediately began to exhibit signs of intense suffering, and snatching up a bucket handed it to the keeper for water. This being given to it, it eagerly swallowed quantities of the fluid. “Ha!” cried the delighted joker, “I guess those nuts were a trifle diot, old fellow.” “You had better be off,” exclaimed the keeper, “unless you wish the bucket at your head.” The fool took the hint only just in time, for the enraged animal, having finished the sixth bucketful, hurled the bucket after its tormentor with such force that had he lingered a moment longer his life might have been forfeited. The following year the show revisited the same town, and the foolish joker, like men of his genus, unable to profit by experience, thought to repeat his stupid trick on the same elephant. He took two lots of nuts into the show with him —sweet nuts in one pocket and hot in the other. The elephant had not forgotten the jest played upon him, and therefore accepted the cakes very cautiously. At last the joker proffered a hot one; but no sooner had the injured creature discovered its pungency than it seized hold of its persecutor by the coat-tails; hoisted him up by them, and held him until they gave way, when he fell to the ground. The elephant now inspected the several coat-tails, which, after he had discovered and eaten E ' all the sweet nuts, he tore to rags and flung after their discomfited owner.— Chambers' Journal.