San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-10-25

my eyes to the facsSsaat1 was failing to fiold
my own in the estimation Of Ulysses. From
a cyclopedia Of literature which happened to
DO In my library Ulysses had stored his mind
with an enormous fund of information on
subjects of which was completely ignorant
In this field l was continually falling into
traps There were also TRANSACTIONS OF Coclte
and Hegel to which he had devoted consider
able study, but checkmated him there 10y
talking learned nonsense, which was sure
he could not distinguish from deep meta
physics. 1t was evident, however, that he
was beginning to appreciate that something
was the matter Although be had not come
20 the point of ranking me with Briggs, still
my position Yves getting to be precarious
oao, and saw the necessity for great care.
For sore time avoided being drawn into
conversation with Ulysses, keeping him ctl
bay with u number Of now books, which II
had brought with no from Madras. He w.
not long in approaching that there was so.:!s
purpose lying back Of this policy, and de
manded an explanation Of ma. was COZ
fused by his point blank questions, and only
managed to make things worse After that
l was clay in his banda Every day he
branched out into some new field of discus
=
tried in vain to conceal my failures under a
dignifed exterior. Ulysses at first seemed
PANIED and surprised, but thcrs finally showed
itself in his bearing toward me an air Of sat-
isfaction and triumph which was not easy
to endure To have been arrogantly treated
by a member OF my own speeches would have
been a new experience to me, and one which
1 should have vigorously resented; this exhi-
below me in the scale Of creation was moro
than proposed to put Up with.
Ono morning, as | sauntsred out to the
banyan tree, wondering in my mind as to
what was to be tho outcome Of this absurd
situation, Ulysses mocioned to me, and
pointed to blackboard, which saw was COW
cred with finally written characters.
mo, Ulysses" i said, II am tired this
morning, and it is very hot do not want
to get into discussion with you"
Ulysses waved his trunk emphatically, and
pointed again to the blackboard. Then he
gave a fierce trumpet, and glared at me in a
way that gave me a start Of terror.
saw that some sort OF crisis was ahead,
and deeernined to defer ii, if possible, until
l could decide what Was the best course to
pursua l therefore approached tho board,
and read the following message, addressed to
mysolf:
sMsseer-Yn are deceived If you think
am ignorant Of the change which has grad
usily been coming 30 pass in our relation
ship TO one anosher. You have been my su-
perior thus far in life, not by reason of
greater physical power, for can strike you
dead with one blow, whereas you, without
the aid of tools could not give me even ex-
teunal pain. Your ssle claim to command
over me lay in your intellectual superiority.
This superiority am now compelled to ques-
tion. Yesterday you admitted that you had
never read any Of Henry Msckenzie's novels;
you showed complete ignorance concerning
Bishop Berkeley's Aoiphron, and when l
asked why Henry Vaughn, the poet, was
called the 'Silurist,' you had no answer to
give me. In tho conversations of the last
few days you have made countless blundersI
in matters of history, science and literature.
Your ideas in metaphysics are those of al
dotard, and your judgment in belles-lettres
is execrable do not see on what ground
you arrogate to yourself a position above
me. If you are not entitled to the place
which l have given you in my consideration,
if the idea which have entertained with re-
gard to our respective positions is erroneous,
then it is clearly a matter Of justice that wei
should Straightway strange places. will boI
the master hereafter and you the servant.
Can you show me any good reason why this
revolution should not come to passG"
There was no mistaking tho tone and pur-
port of this communication. 1t was at once
a declaration of independence and Il mani
festo of sovereignty Not merely must ex-
ercise no more authority over Ulysses, but
must yield gracefully and submissively to
his rule l did not know, either by expert
encc or hearsay, what kind of master an
elephant would make, but from tie intensely
log ical disposition which Ulysses kad always
shown, had /. suspicion that lie would Prove
at least severe and intolerant.
The dilemma was a hard oae took up
the chalk, intending to write my answer
rather than speak it, taGt l might nave time
for rejection. As did 50, an idea suddenly
occurred to me-a plan by which / could
beat Ulysses ct lis own game. l immedi-
ately became SO confident Of its success that
did not hesitate to stake my personal liberty
on tho chance Of his discontinue
Ulysses" said, II cannot deny that in
many directions you have shown mental
grasp which never expected to see developed
elsewhere than among the best Of my own
species But ell this is not enough. There
IS still one test, the Last and severest to which
culture and intelligence can be compelled to
submit. If you can meet this satisfactorily,
shall no longer question your superiority
over myself"
That is all ask wrote Ulysses: "a fair
trial"
stepped into the house and returned with
book which l bad recently brought from