Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-10-27

the aid Of tools, could not give me even eI-
ternal pain. Your ssle claim to command
over me lay in your intellectual superiority. |
This superiority am now compelled to ques-
ton. Yesterday you admitted that you had |
never read any of Henry Mackenzie's novels; |
you showed complete ignorance concerning |
asked why Henry Vaughn, the poet, was |
called the 'Silurist,' you had no answer to
give me- In the conversations of the last
few days you have made countless blunders
in matters of history, science and literature.
Your ideas in metaphysics are those of
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 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 matter Of justice that We
should straightway strange places. will be
the master hereafter and you the servant
Can you show me any good reason why this
revolution should not come to passf'
There was no installing the tone and pur-
port of this communication. 1t was at once
a declaration of independence and 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
ence or hearsay, what kind of master an
| elephant would make, but from the intensely
logical disposition which Ulysses had always
| shown, had suspicion that he would prove
at least severe and intolerant.
| The dilemma was hard one I took up
the chalk, intending to write my answer
rather than speak 1t, that might have time
for reflection. As did so, an idea suddenly
occurred to me-a plan by which 1 could
beat Ulysses at his own game. l immedi-
ately became so confident Of its success that
| did not hesitate to stake my personal liberty
| on the chance of his discontinue.
Ulysses said, Il 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 all 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,
l shall no longer question your superiority
| over myself
That is all ask, wrote Ulysses: "a fair
trial.
stepped into the house and returned with
a book which l had recently brought from
Madras and which Ulysses had not seen
laid 1t open upon the rock before him. He
brought up his monocle, and glanced at the
title and the author.
''Ahai' he wrote; Il have heard of this
man, and have long wished to see some of his
work.
"You know what position he occupies in
letters" 1 asked
II do" wrote Ulysses; i have read what
his admirers say of him"
Very well,n l answered; ''you know,
then, what is demanded of you-that you
should understand and enjoy this work. II
You cannet meet both these requirements
then you have failed"
Ulysses shrugged his trunk with easy IN
difference, raised his eyeglass and began to
read. | lay some distance away, doing in
nv hammock, and awaited results. They
were not long in coming.
At the end of about half an hour he
trumpeted TO me in an indignant tone Of
voice, and inquired on the blackboard
whether had given him the original Englist
or some kind of translation.
| answered this satisfactorily, and for more
than an hour he toiled away, breathing hare
at times and swaying from side to side when
ever he thought he was about to gain clew
Presently he called to me again
Il forgot TO ask, said he, whether thi
was to be read backwards or sideways
Straight ahead, " answered
l saw that he was getting involved in th1
tolls and knew that they would soon clos
on him. 1t must be remembered that | haC
never deceived Ulysses, and the thought tha
l, or any one else. could feign an opinion
which was not genuine had never occurret
to him The book had been submitted Il
him about the middle of the morning Ulys
ses took no refreshment that day, neithe
water nor food. When came out of the hous
after "tiffin" l advised him to lay the vol
une aside and look at it again the next day
He seemed to feel that this would be a cor
fession of failure, and refused
Tell me, , he wrote, ARE there many @
your species who understand and really er
joy this bookf'
There are not many in number" / ar
, swered. ''but their position in the society Q
: culture and taste is an exalted one With
the last few years it has come to pass tina
. the understanding and appreciation of thi
l work is a shibboleth by which the true di,
ciples of sweetness and light may distinguis
themselves from the miscellaneous herd Q
Philistines. Do not be discouraged becaus
you have failed l added in kindly, ps
T troni1ng tone. There are many estimabl
g mortals in the same situation. You under
stand, however, that you cannot be admitte
i to the elect, much less claim superiority owe
T. myself"
al Ulysses wrote upon the blackboard sever,
5, profane expressions, which suppose he ha
N learned from Briggs and resumed his stud,
n 1t was nearly evening when Akbar can
to me and said Ulysses was showing decide
lie ymptoms of becoming must" went OF
t. with the intention of taking the book ava
ID from him, but stopped several yards ava
it struck by his changed appearance. His ey
i were wild and bloodshot, his ears erect, b
Is legs spread apart. He was beating his sid
y with his trunk, and at times trumpetng
f. low. bass tones When be saw US approac
lie he seized the book from the rock and dash,
s it at me with all his force
m ULYSSES said, keep calm"
l Look out!n cried Akbar; he is mus
a. Bewarei"
" With terrific roar Ulysses turned, al
tie sprang in great, ponderous leaps ont of t
Mt garden Briggs, who was in his pat
as dropped his rake and flung himself into SOL
IT, bushes
to after him, Akhsrl" l cried; "see whe
he he goes"
s. Ulysses ran toward clump of Woo
n which grew over a knoll short distan
of away. Into this be plunged, and was so
ed out of sight We could hear the limbs era
as he tore his way into the thick folias
of Akbar followed cautiously The directi
SO which Ulysses had taken caused a SUSPECT
Id of possible calamity to dawn on my min
I'M and l waited uneasily for the mahout's
to turn. 1t was not long before Akbar emerg
nd from the woods and ran toward me-
on praise be TO our fathers, he is deadln
IT shouted Akbar had come to fear and
10 hate Ulysses
ito care you suren l asked.
ar. May the hyenas eat my grandfathe
hv said he, solemnly. You, who know OF
re truth, remember the rocky bank beyond I
Ia hill, which slopes off to Instruction. YC
he servant, Ulysses, rushed thither and fu
NO himself down, bursting his head against I
ma stones. l myself saw him there, lying 4
iii tionleSs and dead"
Mo This was the end of Ulysses. | have
ready remarked at the beginning of this n
ITO rative that felt less Of sorrow than of
at lief over the catastrophe. Long associat
I had made him dear to me in many wa
ras yet l was not prepared to endure him a
mo master. There could be no other outcome
de- the unhappy situation than tragedy
m some kind. sadly gave orders for the int
ment of his body and retIlrned to tho bo,