St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1892-02-06

you." Tears trickied down her cheeks,
the hard lines deepened, the poor face
became more pinched and drawn, the
beautiful eyes wandered vacantly and
then closed and the Fairy passed into un-
consciousness again.
A physician now came and knelt be-
side her, and, after he had examined her
as well as he could, he said:
"She is desperately hurt, but she is
young and is still alive You must take
her at once to house, where | may care
for her properly"
They gently picked her up, and, as
they did SO, moan escaped her. This
reused the elephant already dazed by
what had happened. He began clumsily
rising to his feet watching them as they
bore her away, and was evidently deter
mined to follow Seeing this, Centre
pole Tom, who held the light body in his
arms, hurried away, and almost ran to a
small hotel not far distant. He took the
Fairy within and laid her on bed which
they showed him in rear room on the
ground floor.
But Christopher had not lost sight Of
him, in spite of the crowd; and those
without seeing Christopners intention
of keeping close to his friend, and know
ing it was impossible, sought to stay
him. They shouted to him and tried to
drive him back, but he noticed them not
at all. They threw boxes and chairs in
his way, but he tossed them aside. A
carriage, which stood in his way, was
crushed. Christopher seemed to think
that, as his friend was among strangers,
she was among enemies, and needed his
protection. He would not give her up.
The situation was desperate. Men
counseled shooting him, but how could a
pistol bullet find a vital spot in his enor-
nous body? Besides, he was already
maddened by the opposition he had en-
countered and further tormenting might
lead to dire results. Before anything
could be done, before any plan could be
matured, he had reached the house. The
door was closed and locked before him,
and furniture was piled behind it; but
with his massive head lowered, he went
straight against it, and everything was
crushed before his advance. Once in
the house, he stopped and listened for
the sound of her voice. He heard faint
means, and mistook the direction whence
they came, for he started straight for the
wide staircase leading to the upper floor
Up the stairs he began laborious as
cent, the helpless crowd standing in
motionless dismay. Up he toiled, roar
ing terribly at intervals. The wooden
stairs creakcd and groaned under his
tremendous weight. The plastering near
them began to fall, timbers were sprung
and wrenched from their fastenings, and
the whole house quiyered.
The catastrophe came at last. just
before Christopher reached the top, the
whole staircase came down with frightful
crash, and the gigantic animal fell head
long to the floor, which he crushed and
splintered. A mighty groan escaped him,
for the fall had done him desperate hurt
He struggled and houndered in the mass
of wrecked timbers, and finally, after a
supreme attempt, he staggered to his
feet. With stupendous effort he
steaded himself on his lettering legs,
and, dazed and shattered, began anew his
search for the Fniry. But he did not have
to 60 any further. Centrepole Tom, fol
lowed by the physician, came forward,
bearing u small, dainty burden in his
arms, which he laid gently on a table
close to Christopher; and the tears which
trickled down Centrepole's grizzly beard
told anew the old, old story, as old as
human suffering and sympathy.
1T will quiet him. explained Centre
pole Tom to tho few people who had
ventured near; land nothing can hurt
her now"
Christopher eagerly regarded his COM
panion, lying so white and quiet and
beautiful, and then he carcssed her cold
face and hands. Perhaps he understood
that it was all over with her, and that with
her had gone all that the world held Of
brightness for him; and besides that his
fall had grievously hurt him. He gazcd at
her and his head sank lower and lower.
The fury had all left him. and, crushed
both in spirit and body, he stood tower
ing, lettering wreck. Not sound es-
capped him. His great body heaycd pain
fully with his slow breathing, and
swayed from side to side. A little later
he sank to his knees, and then he lay
down, and with groan he died.
On the western slope of Laurel Hill
Cemetery, facing the grand Pacific and
the glories of the setting sun, and stand
ing watch over the Golden Gate, through
which the great white ships sail to the
kingdoms far over the seas, stands a
granite monument, marking q very large
grave and a small one; and it bears only
this simple line:
"Christopher and the Fairy