The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1878-05-03

mated with the TecOllectiOns of that
day, "what a gallant fight it was! DO
you remember how we all stood on
| the porch and watched ii, not daring
to fire a shot lest we should hit Old
SOupramany? Do you remember, too,
his look when he drew off, after fight
ing an hour and q half, leaving his
adversary dying in the dust, and walk
ed straight to the corral, shaking his
great ears, which had been badly torn,
with his head bruised and great
piece broken from one of his tUsks?"
"Yes, indeed" said the Major.
"Well, since then, he is more devoted
to my little ones than ever. He takes
them out whole days, and I am per-
fectly content to have them under his
charge. ] don't like trusting Chris
tan children to the care of natives,
but with Old Soup know they can
come to no harm"
Beside the children, on the banks of
the Ganges, stood Old Soup, with a
bamboo rod III his trunk, with line,
hook, bait and cork, like the child
ren's. / had not watched him long
before he had bite; for, as the reli-
giOn of the HindOOs forbid them to
take life, the river swarms with fish
eS.
The old fellow did not stir; his little
eyes watched his line eagerly; lie was
no novice in the "gentle craft" He
was waiting till it was time to draw
his prize.
"a Toe end of his line, as he dreF- It
up, was dangling one of those golden
tench so abundant in the water of
the Ganges.
When SOupramany perceived what
a fine fish he had caught, he uttered
one of those long, low gUrgling notes
of satisfaction by which an elephant
expresses jOy;and he waited patiently,
expecting Jim to take his prize off the
hook and put on some more bait fer
him. But Jim, the little rascal,
sometimes liked to plague Old Soup.
He nodded at US, as much as to say,
"LOok out, and you'll see fun, nOwin
Then he took OFF the fish, which he
threw into water.iar placed there
for the purpose, and went back to his
place without putting any bait on Old
Soups hook. The Intelligent animal
did not attempt TO throw his line into
the water. He tried to move Jim by
low pleading cries. It was curious to
note what tender tones he seemed to
try to give his voice.
Seeing that Jim paid no attention to
his calls, but sat and laughed as he
handled his own line, Old Soup went
up to him, and, with his trunk, tried
to turn his head in the direction Of the
bait-box. At last, when he found that
all he could do would not induce his
wilful friend to help him, he turned
round, as if struck by a sudden
thought, and snatcling up with his
trunk the box that held the bait.
came and laid it down at the foot of
his master; then ni'.'-. I'M his rod
ne Ae4u = out to the Major.
"What DO you want me to do with
this, Old Soup" said the Major.
The creature lifted one big foot after
another, and again began to utter his
plainiVe cry. Out OF mischief, | took
.Iimmy's part, and picking up the
bait-bOX, pretended to run with it.
The elephant was not going to be
teased by me. He dipped his trunk
into the Ganges, and in an instant
squirted a stream of water over me
with all the force and precision of
tire-engine, to the immense amusc-
ment Of the children.
The Major at once made Soup a
sign to stOpr and, to make my peace
with the fine old fellow, / baited his
hook myself. Quivering with joy, as
baby does when it gets hold at last of
Il plaything some one has taken from
it, Old SOupramany hardly stopped to
thank me by a soft note of JOY for
batting his line for him, before he
went back TO his place, and was again
watching his cork ~ IL tIcmbled IN
the ripples of the river.