The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-06-24

Il I'M was urea. lie seated himself III
comfortable rocking chair that his
mother had placed in the kitchen for
Betsey, the hired girl, but it was ques-
ton whether Betsey or Tim got the
greater benefit from it.
"Tiredl" said Tim, yawning away.
"Gone round too much to-day. Those
old elephants made me hurry too much.
Ridiculous idea that Obed had! The
idea of trying things on yourselfI l
don't care two snaps about those old
elephants. However, he could not
seem to avoid thinking about them, and
at last-at last-if he did not see an
elephant coming up the back yard
"The creature looks good-natured,"
reflected Tim, {" and / guess l will just
step to the door and see where he is
going"
Tim went to the door.
There he saw a big elephant. At
first he viewed the creature with calm,
amused expression. Then he trembled
with horror.
In very deep, hoarse, gruff voice,
the elephant said: " Are you Timothy
Seelye?"
Astonished to hear such good English
from foreigner and an elephant, Tim
replied, "Y-y-y-es."
"Then 1 must let you know that 1
am police elephant"
Tins heart began to beat very fast.
"And do you recognize this apple in
my trunk? l believe they call it pep
per-apple. How beautiful"
Oh, how disgusting is an elephant
trying to be sarcastic Tins heart
now beat furiously He could not say
a word.
C And there is pin stuck into the
apple; not into my trunk, for elephants
don't like to have pins stuck into their
trunks; do your"
"I'm not an elephant, l haven't q
trunk" Tim wanted to say, but he was
so awe-struck that not word could he
utter.
"Well, young man, you must go
with me. Will you go quietly and walk
ahead of me, or -"
Tim here found his runaway voice.
"I won't go at all. O-bed O-bedl
O-bedl"
"My little boy" said the police ele-
phat, " it is of no use, it is of no use
You must come with me-"
And what did this elephant do but
stretch out his long, ugly trunk, and,
twisting it about the body of the pep
per-apple boy, he lifted him off from
the threshold just as easily as could
be. Then off walked Sir Police, the
unlucky Tim squirming and wriggling,
shouting for father" for " mother"
for "Obed," for Betsy"
But nobody heard, nobody saw, and
nobody seemed to care in the least, be-
cause in this atrocious way human
being, Timothy Seelye by name, was
abducted from his home by a cruel for
eigner, horrid elephant.
And what did Tim see? Another
elephant tramping down the same street,
Juggling in his trunk another boy.
It's-it's Saml" thought Tim.
Then he shouted, Sam!"
"Stop thatl " roared Sir Police, Civ
ing Tim such squeeze that it seemed
as if both voice and life would be
pressed out of him.
"Oh, OIL" he made out to gasp
Don't-hug-me-so, and L"
"Will you be good and hold your
tongue?"
"Y-y-es."
eyes, what? You are not so polite
as you are in company, and 1 am all
that -"
What airs!" thought Tim.
And you are not so well-mannered
as in school, for you don't say yes,
just yes when the schoolmaster has
spoken to you. l shan't take 'yes
from you now. Yes what?"
Yes, sir" replied Tim, meekly and
promptly.
Every well. Now we'll move on;
but, mind ye, don't say anything to that
other boy"
Those two solemn old elephants
tramped on, firmly and ferociously
bearing off their prisoners.
Quickly Tim found himself in the
midst of great herd of-what?
Elephants, elephants, elephants of
all sizes and of all ages; but each time
it was an elephant. Tim was now sci
down on the ground, but was duly eau.
toned and advised by his guardian
Don't run, and don't say anything tC
that other boy"
That other boy? Tim did dare tC
look, and saw, about twenty feet-Sam
was it?
Looked like Sam in form and
makeup, but he seemed so scared;
he was so pale! THAT elephant
brought him. / do believe his hail
stands on end" was Tins silent re,
Election. He wondered if his OWE
hair stood on end. He lifted his
hand that he might feel of his head
but a single strong tap from his com
panion's trunk was hint that he coulC
not do as he pleased with his hand Of
his hair. AT last all the confusion
about him ceased. The rambling ele
plants, those shutting clod-hoppers
came to a halt.
"Oh!" thought Tim, " / see! There's
a-a-judgel"
He shivered when he saw Caesar,
hideous old elephant, stalking forward
He wore immense spectacles. The,
were peculiar spectacles. No matte
which way Judge Elephant turned hi
head, the spectacles always confronted
him. They were not only very big
but very bright, very piercing. The,
seemed to 90 through Tim like sharp