Death of Babe

Behind the Zebra House at the Washington, D. C. Zoo last week, laborers, dug a number of large holes. Then, sombrely, they carted into them, piece by piece, some 8,500 pounds of elephant flesh. Thus to her last resting place went Babe, described in the eulogistic Washington press as not only the oldest, but the most celebrated elephant on earth.

No elephant since Phineas Taylor Barnum's Jumbo has had a legitimate claim to the distinction of being more famous than all others of the species. And no world-wide tabulation is kept of ages of elephants, which live to be about 120. But Babe, aged more than 100, may well have been the oldest in captivity. And as for fame, certain it is that she trouped with Jumbo, worked for and outlived Showman Barnum, the Ringlings, and generations of circusgoers.

Babe was captured in India at the age of ten or eleven. She was transported to the London Zoo where she remained until boisterous Showman Barnum blandly cajoled her away from the directors for $10,000. With his circus, she performed all over the U. S. and Europe. In later years, when she went with Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows, millions gawked at her and fed her peanuts. Always leader of the parade, Babe was the unquestioned monarch of the elephant picket line. But three years ago General Director William M. Mann of the National Zoological Park persuaded the Ringlings to retire Babe to his pachyderm house. Besides plain old age, she was afflicted with an ingrown toenail, bad teeth. Even so she became the prize exhibit of the Washington Zoo. Younger, stronger elephants soon discovered she had brought her ruling manner with her. Her stanchest admirers were the President's grandchildren, Sistie and Buzzie Dall.

Gradually her strength was ebbing, and for nine years Babe had not been off her stiff old legs, because she realized that if she lay down, she would never rise again. Last week, ambling from her cage into the yard, Babe lifted her foot, tripped on the doorsill, fell to rise no more.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.