Last Christmas, the circus owner, Jimmy Gates, decided to take some presents
to a children's hospital. Dressed up as Father Christmas and accompanied by a
'guard of honour' of six pretty girls, he set off down the main street of the
city riding a baby elephant called Jumbo. He, should have known that the
police would never allow this sort of thing. A policeman approached Jimmy and
told him he ought to have gone along a side street as Jumbo was holding up the
traffic. Though Jimmy agreed to go at once, Jumbo refused to move. Fifteen
policemen had to push very hard to get him off the main street. The police had
a difficult time, but they were most amused. 'Jumbo must weigh a few tons,'
said a policeman afterwards, 'so it was fortunate that we didn't have to carry
him. Of course, we should arrest him, but as he has a good record, we shall
let him off this time.'&