Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-13

loved him. From that time was overcome,
the past faded from my mind, and I con-
sented to follow him along the shore with
out attempting to escape.
81 think I lived two years alone with
him. He took such tender care Of me that
he filled my mothers place. and could not
live without him. But did not belong to
him. The tribe of Malsys which had taken
possession of me was to divide among them
selves the price which would be offered for
me by the richest rajahs of India as soon as
they should be informed of my existence
They had made arrangements for disposing
of me to the best possible advantage. The
tribe had sent deputies to all the courts of
the two peninsulas to sell me to the highest
bidder, and, awaiting their return, I was en-
trusted to this young man named Aor, who
was reputed most skilful in the art of tanning
and caring for creatures Of my kind. He
was not hunter, he had not assisted in the
murder of my mother. I could love him
without remorse.
81 soon learned to understand human
speech, hearing it constantly from him. The
infections of his tones revealed his thought
to me- Later I understood this music of
human speech in whatever language it came
to my ears. Music, sung BY the voice, or
produced by instruments, I understood still
better.
L SOOu QUQefSLOOQ IfOm lf1cuu LHdt i
must conceal myself from men for the reason
that anybody who saw me would be tempted
to kill him in order to lead me away and
sell me. We were then inhabiting the most
deserted part of the province OF Tenasserim.
We hid all day among the rocks, and only
went out at night. Aor then mounted on
my neck and led me to bathe, without fear
of the alligators and crocodiles, whose heads
buried in the sand and crushed them
under my feet After the bath we wan
dered through the forests, where I chose
succulent branches for myself and gathered
fruits for Aor with my trunk.
"My life was smooth and completely abb
sorbed in the present. l did not awake to
conscious thought about myself until, one
day, the men of the tribe brought into my
park herd Of wild elephants, which they
had driven with frebrands and loud noise
of drums and cymbals to seek refuge in
this snare. They had previously left three
tame elephants to assist the hunters in con-
quering the captives, and who did assist
them with extraordinary intelligence to
bind the legs of one animal after another.
But few savage males, solitaries, were so
furious that they judged best to associ-
ate me to the hunters in overcoming them.
They obliged Aor to mount me, and he, en-
deavored to obey, although with repug-
me, and l had horror for what they
wished me to do. These wild elephants,
if not my equals, we're At least Of my
kind. The submissive elephants who were
helping to consunmate the slavery OF
their brethren seemed to me i'm
measurably inferior to them and to
me. Full of scorn and indig-
nation / attacked them and
came to the defense of the prisoners SO ener-
getically that they were obliged to renounce
their attempt to degrade me. They turned
me out of the park and Aor loaded me with
praise and caresses "Never,' said be to
his companions, has . white elephant been
employed in menial labor or for deeds of
violence. He was formed neither for the
hunt, nor for war, nor to carry burdens, nor
to mount in long journeys Kings would
not permit themselves to sit on his neck,
and you think to abase him to help you In
enslaving others! No, You do not under
stand his greatness, and you outrage his
rank. The thing you have attempted will
bring on you the power of evil spirits
'!And when in remonstrance they urged
on my friend that he had exerted himself to
tame me, be replied: I used no means but
gentle words and the sounds of my flute.
If he permits me to mount him it is because
he recognizes in me his faithful servant, his
devoted mahout On the day that parts US
one of US will die; it becomes you to wish
that it may be me; for upon the safety Of the
Sacred Flower depend the wealth and glory
Of your tribe.
ITO Be Contiaued Nea Sunaay]