“Oh, bethink yourself,” cried brave Pee Tee Bee, Of the elephants _now_ on your hands, Miss C. Pray, have you forgotten the ‘heathen Chinee’? “And Patrick and Norah will stay a long while, They have come with their _trunk_ from the Emerald Isle. And Indians and Mormons your leisure beguile.” But Columbia bowed her beautiful head: “These bring me but sorrow,” she mournfully said; “Now, listen to me: tho’ I never may wed, “I will give to that knight my most radiant smile, Who captures this treasure through danger and trial, And children and poor men will bless him the while.” Then up rose the knight without a regret-- “’Tis the hardest task she has given me yet, But I vow she shall have this rare white pet.” What magic he used--the means or the way-- A mysterious problem remaineth to-day; But the elephant came without any delay. And Columbia smiled on Pee Tee Bee, As she had not smiled since she took tea In Boston Harbor with one J. B. When Toung Taloung arrived in New York in March, 1884, Barnum and the patrons of his show were astonished that he was not a milk white in color. He looked very much like any elephant, and the only distinguishing marks of his sacred value were several leprous-like pink spots in various places about the ears. Barnum and his partners made the best of the situation, and insisted in their advertising that the Sacred White Elephant was not supposed to be white. They obtained excellent testimonials to the genuineness of their article. General Daniel B. Sickles, one time Minister of the United States to Siam, was a member of the welcome party to Toung Taloung, and he pronounced the elephant to be the best specimen of Sacred White Elephant he had ever seen. Similar endorsements were also obtained from Colonel Thomas W. Knox, the only American to whom the King of Siam had presented the Order of the White Elephant, and from Mr. David Ker, Siamese correspondent of the _New York Times_. Accompanying the Sacred White Elephant were two alleged Burmese, Bo Tchoo and Ba Tchoo, but their names sound somewhat like publicity Burmese. The following certificate was printed in all the newspapers and exhibited with the Sacred White Elephant: “In the year 1245, month of Tasoung Mong, 5th increase at Mandalay. I, Moung Thee, Second Minister of Royal Elephants, do hereby certify that the Elephant named ‘Toung Tylongu’ is the specie of White (Sacred) Elephant, and possesses the qualities and attributes of such. By Order of “HPOUNG-DAW-GYEE HPAYAH “(King and Lord of all White Elephants) “(Signed) MOUNG THEE “Second Minister of Royal Elephants. “W. MALING, Translator.”