The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1872-09-19

f
Tie Eoodshe3 ) Just the place,
said Mrs Blake.
New tie wco3sheG had 40 deer.
but S2S epsa al enc size alsogegher.
+ Bat The sroub3e vas that when The
/ baby Eas driven in his back touched
/ the root.
No matter. DoaoslesS he'll lis
down. saj6 the Deacon, com5ng m
Singer.y. and beginning 10 pat Tie
/ elephants back.
Do~n. down /, poor tellow +! Good
beast Whoa Gee Shuboy, II
one only knew now 10 address the
+ animal.
'loa'd better lie down, OF know,
said Mr.. Blake, persUs>ively, giving
pull st the np of the animals ear,
i always heard they understood ev-
cry xord addressed to them
SO did L said the deacon. This
Is not so Intelligent sn animal SIS /
as led to expect He appears to be
halfssleep.'
Now, the boys, during this discus
sion, had been peltlng the baby
with pebbles and bits OF mud, one Of
which hit him in the eye. Whether
he was offended at this. or the dea-
cons remarks, nobody knows, but we
do know that, lifting himself TO his
full height, he raised the light roof
of the wood-shed straight up from
the walls. and held it there on his
head. ike s broad -brimmed hat.
Mr.. Blake and the deacon stood
sghast. The boys shouted and yelled
with delight. But their turn was to
come. Dumping the roof TO one side
with a shake of his head, the ele-
plant, quick as thought, wound his
proboscis about clump Of sawed
wood and hurled it ST Steve Blake
with such good aim that 1t knocked
him fat on his back.
Another snd another followed.
BOYS and men fed for life. The
wood showered after them as fast as
hail, until, in five minutes the baby
was left master OF The field.
The boys, il is said. never stopped
running until they reached their own
homes. The men, with DIR. Blake,
called council OF war behind the
barn, keeping sentinel lodging out
10 see iftae enemy were approach
ing. The eiaems, however, after q
few snorts of triumph, began to rock
his enormous body 10 and tro, and
laid down at last. with q thud that
shook the earth.
He ought to be secured III some
way. said Mr.. Blake
It's my opinion. said the deacon,
peeping round the corner, 'lha; be is
asleep. l certainly would not dis
turb him, brother Blake
THAT is my advice, said DR..
Johns.
/ And mine,' said neighbor Locke.
Let a sleeping 10y lie, yo1 know.
But sleeping dogs are very diff.
ferent matter, saia Mr.. Blake. Why
ii may occur to him TO come and
take Inc roof off my dwelling house
next.
Let him alone. He'll not be apt
+ TO waken until morning AID Vel
all come over and advise with Won
about it. Well drop in 10 breakfast
Mrs. Blake,
.Vey well, said Mrs. Blake. Bu,
she said 10 her husband, as they wen,
10 the mouse, Tomorrow is the Sab
/ bath. and / really don't think it will
be likely 10 be spent in very holy
manner.
Mr.. Blake and the boys slept liill
F tina; night They made regular Wis
iis 10 the voodshed, while The ele
I plant slept comfortably, snd awoke
fresh, ready for any combat Indeed
missing the sharp voice and prong OF
his keeper, be was specially risky,
+ and inclined 10 assert his indepen3.
euce. He ley quiet, though, until
/ the neishborS, who had walked over
as they promised, came 10 look a,
him. lie rolled has small eyes up al
them, and they declared gave mos,
significant wink.
They all went into the hoase "a
breakfast, which looked very tempt
ing, laid out on the great kitchen Is
BILE. close by the open window, and
were soon discussing Mrs. Blake,
potatoes and pork and snowy rolls.
OF course the elephant was talked OF
more than church.
What does the creature eat :? said
Mrs. Blake.
Hay said Steve.
Nothing OF the kind said Aic
father. Rice.
Mrs. Blake's taee grew red. She
had only two pounds of rice in the
pantry. And as for borrowing on
the Sabbath, that'll never do for all
the beasts that rum she thought.
Nobody spoke. The truth is they
had very vague ideas of the food Of
elephants. Somebody at last said
they had heard of their eating sweet
balls of spices.
and they will gobble gingernuts
as fast as you can buy them,' said
Phil.
Here, Steve,' said Mrs. Blake, I'll
must have something to eat, / sup
pose. I've made rice pudding fol-
to-day's dinner; take it out to the
creature
Steven took the pudding and wen
out, and from the speed with which
he returned, it seemed probable tina
he had hurled pan and all at the ami
NAL, and had not stopped to look be
hind.
1t is certain that the baby no
liking Mrs. Blake's pudding. or els,
wanting more, got up aud softly FOL
lowed Steve. Going to the back o
the house, he eyed the breakfast ia
BILE through the window, and making
up his mind to have some of the
rolls, he quietly put his proboscis
over the deacon's shoulder to lay hold
of ne of them. With the roll, how
ever, he caught the ,table-eloth, and
took that along with 1t. Dishes
plates, butter, coffee, went flying
through the room, accompanied b,
the shouts and screams of the wo
men and men, while the elephant
marched off 10 the woodshed, tn,
table cloth resming like a triumph
ant banner in the air.
Mrs. Blake sat down and toldeG
her hands.
'My best China ! she said, looking
at the wreck about her. @
The men and boys followed tn.
enemy. He was rather in good
humor, however, with his victory