St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1892-02-06
christopher and The Fairy
BY W. G. MORROW.

people of the "profession" in all parts OF
Christendom, and likely he did know a
great deal; for, in his humble capacity
be had served many Of them in divers
countries, and, though q boastful man,
he had never been detectedin an inability
to give trustworthy information. So
when it was announced with a great
show of large type, that christopher
and the Fairy had just landed at San
Francisco from an Australian steamer,
under contract for the remainder Of the
season, there was much excitement and
curiosity among the people of the circus,
and Centrepole Tom was at once ex-
plotted for knowledge concerning them.
"Hain't you ever heard Of Christopher
and the Fairy?" he asked, plying y;
"well, that gifts me. The Fairy's the
purtiest little trick on wheels, an the
way she kin do the flying trapeze is
something 'stonishing. No, | hain't
never seen her, but | know all about
her. Every man-jack under the canvas
went dead gone on her, but she never
took no notice of any of EN-, and didn't
seem to care for nobody's society but the
women's and that ornery, measly old
Christopher.
sis Christopher her husband?" asked a
long-legged young groom.
"No!" th"ndered Tom, with so great
| vehemence that the young man quailed,
and dared not ask any more questions.
"Brother?" inquired one Of the ring
"supers."
"No!" yelled the veteran master Of the
centrepole- hoist; che amt her husbun,
nor her brother, nor her uncle, nor her
grandfather, norher cousin"
The head-hostler, as much veteran as
Centrepole Tom, and more modest and
less theatrical than he, quietly said:
" No use making fool OF yourself
and putting on airs before these here
boys. | don't know who Christopher is,
an | amt ashamed to say so. Now, who
is Christopher" This was the supreme
moment for which Centrepole Tom had
waited. He squared himself around,
and, looking steadily at the head hostlcr
said impressively and with the utmost
deliberation:
"Christopher is an elephant -
1t was a small speech but it was some
time after this before the two men be-
came good friends again.
There was commotion all through
the small army of circus people when
Christopher and the Fairy arrived. They
did not come to the tents for two or three
days after landing, as it was rumorcd that
Christopher had been seasick on the
voyage across the Pacific and needed
little rest. When they did appear, how
ever, they were cordially welcomed. The
women Of the circus found the Fairy
(who in private life was known as Miss
Camilla Armijo) to be delightful girl,
more substantial than genuine fairy, to
be sure, but hardly more SO; for, although
she was full grown, she was so small and
fragile that her professional name sat
well upon her. There was light touch
of sadness in all her conduct, and Cen
trepole Tom explained this by saying
that she had recently lost both her
parents. How he discovered this nobody
ever could learn. But it was clear, at
least, that she was very sweet and
gentle little body, very young, and with
no friend in San Francisco except old
Christopher.
| say "old Christopher" because it is
impossible to associate anything but
great age with his enormous proportions
and overwhelming dignity. He was an
East Indian elephant Of prodigious size.
A more solemn and self satistied elephant
it would have been impossible to find
1t was very pretty to see how solicit
tous was the Fairy Of her immense
charge. She saw that he had sufficient
allowance of fresh, sweet hay, and, from
a bag which she carried she fed him
some dainties which she had for that pur-
pose and which he took in his 1.-THE trunk
with manifest tokens of gratitude. She
patted his great jaws and said kind things
to him, and he took it all as matter of
course, seeming to say, Il see nothing at
all strange in the affection and solicitude
which this beautiful little Fairy lavishes
upon me; for am | not very large and
majestic elephant, and does she not know
that love her better than does any one
else in all the world?" And it was pretty
TO see how gently she babe him good-by
until the evening performance, which
would begin in two hours from that time.
There was far greater crowd than
usual at the performance that evening,
for the flaming public announcements of
Christopher and the Fairy had borne
profitable fruit. Not only were the seats
packed up all the way to the caves, but
rows OF extra seats had been provided on
the level ground facing the ring. Several
acts were done before the manager all
nounced the new performer, which he did
in the following graceful manner:
Ladies' and gentlemen: [ now have
the pleasure to introduce to you the most
celebrated performers of Her Maiesty's
Australian colonies--Christopher and the
Fairy. You will see for yourselves that
Christopher is the largest and most pow
erful elephant in captivity, and that the
Fairy justly deserves her reputation for
being the most graceful and daring fly
ng-trapeze performer in the world. The
performances Of these two renowned in
dividuals will consist in ground acts in
which they both take part, followed by
the hying-trapeze act done by the Fairy
alone, Christopher meanwhile standing
below and looking on, ct the same time |
giving signals to the Fairy and otherwise |
encouraging her in her daring and peril
GUS performance high in the air.
When he had finished, the elephant
came slowly walking out, and thereupon
rose mighty shout of applause and
great clapping Of hands. Sitting on the
massive shoulders Of the enormous brute
was Fairy, glittering with spangles She
was 80 small, and fragile, and dainty,
and Christopher was SO overwhelming,
and majestic, and stern, that the strange