People's Pilot, Volume 6, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 April 1897 — A ZOOLOGICAL DIVERSION. [ARTICLE]

A ZOOLOGICAL DIVERSION.

An Elephant That Used to Play a Clever Trick on Visitors. The elephant at the Jardin des Plantes, at Paris, used to play his visitors a trick, which could hot have been thought of but by an animal of much intelligence. His house opened upon an inclosure called the Elephant’s park, containing a pond, in which he would lay himself under the water, concealing every part of him except the very end of his trunk —a mere speck that would hardly be noticed by a stranger to the animal's habits. A crowd would assemble around the inclosure, and, not seeing him in it, would watch in expectation that he would soon Issue from the house. But, while they were gazing about, a copious sprinkling of water would fall upon them, and ladies and gentlemen, with their fine bonnets and coats, would run for shelter under the trees, looking up at the clear sky and wondering whence such, a shower could come. Immediately afterward, however, they would see the elephant rising from his bath, evincing, as it seemed, an awkward joy at the trick that he had played. In the course of time hi 3 amusement became generally known, and the moment the water began to rise from his trunk the spectators would take flight, at which he appeared exceedingly delighted, getting up as fast as he could to see the bustle he had caused. —Pittsburg Dispatch.