The Opelousas courier., 1886-11-13
A Novel Matchmaker.

- yES- 49,
The following clever little sketch,
adapted from the French, appeared in
the New York Graphic:
I must confess that / always had a
weakness for elephants.
You have no idea how much of ex-
quisite sensitiveness, extreme delicacy,
nay, Of genuine poetry is concealed I'M
der this rough and wrinkled exterior.
To me the elephant is q lyric poetspoiled
in the making, but with all the irritabil-
ity that characterizes the genus. What
do I say2 In fact, he needs only his lit
tie blue cloak to be thoroughly equipped
for his rhythmic task. It is a case of a
philanthropist turned pachyderm. Isaw
one once at Benares sprinkle fresh water
with his trunk upon tho head of an
English soldier nearly dead of sunstroke.
What human good Samaritan could have
done more9 Indeed ] have often won
dered why the Academy has not before
this awarded the Montyou prize to an
elephant. But man is SO unjust. He
treats this noble being like a beast
this being at once 50 strong and so gentle
lin order not to be compelled to pay a
debt of gratitude.
/ believe there is much truth concealed
In the Brahmin legend. You remember
that, according to that fable, when
Tishnou had created man and discovered
what q wretched mistake he had made
he at once invented the elephant in or
1er that by means of his charming at
tributes saddened nature might find in
him q compensation for all the
shortcomings of the wicked biped.
Some years ago I visited a small town
i@the south Of France, to assist one Of
the friends of my boyhood in an electoral
contest. Every day ! managed to pass q
portion of the afternoon at the local
Jardin DIES Plantes.
Three eucalyptus trees, FIVE palms, two
specimens of the ailante and six Italian
pines-all very dusty-together with a
dozen orange trees, were the only exotic
representatives Of the vegetable king
dom.
The fauna Of the tropics was suggested
~ phthisicky monkeys, several
hyen 9 porcupine, two very grouty
brown bears, q rather melancholy young
d~romedery, a flabby old lion, and-the
gem Of the collection-an elephant from
the coast of Coromandel.
He. was called Belisarius, from his be-
ing blind Of one eye.
at once made friends with this noble
animal. A strong sympathy drew me
towards him, while he, in turn, was
not Rng ina getting acquainted with
me- although manifesting, but with great
fact, d sense of his own superiority.
AS soon as be saw me coming the cap
tive would greet me with q low trumpet
note Of satisfaction, and after having
swung round his long proboscis as . sign
Of welcome, he would raise il above the
IRON barrier which separated us and re-
ceive from my hand the delicate rye-bread
rolls with which | had taken care to pro-
vide myself. And fixing on me his eye,
his only eye, which gave to his intelli-
gent face an air Of paternal gentseness,
and which seemed to sadden his charm
ing smile, be appeared to thank me for
the thoughtfullness that THUS ministered
to his tastes.
Ills keepers dwelling. q ttetty cottage
completely covered with honeysnckle,
opened ON the enclosure where he was
usually exhibited. Noticed at the win
dow q young woman who was generally
singing as she rocked the cradle of a
sturdy pink-and-pshite, chubby-faced in
FAINT. The delicate beauty of the mother
and the inviting appearance Of the neat
little rustic home served tothrow around
tie Colossus Of the Jungle an atmosphere
Of peace and happiness. From time to
tirne Belisarius would APPROACH the win
dow, and, With his trunk thrown back in
the.air, would seem 10 send d Kiss to the
baby asleep ID lis wicker nest.
It occurred to me that she family must
81 very fond 81 this great, kind brute,
whose manifestations Of dumb affection
were evidently % sincere.
a voice disturbed my reflections. Il