The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-09-15
TANNED WITH NEW GOODS.
A GRATEFUL ELEPHANT.
He Was q Mere Mendicant, But He ke
membered His Friends

membered His Friends
A few leagues from Pondicherry
stands the celebrated pagoda OF Willie
moor. This pagoda possesses a large
number of sacred elephants ana among
them is mendicant elephant
/ never fail to give him piece of
money for his pagoda: and in considera-
ton of this. and of the loaf OF bread
which my servant always dipped for
him in the molasses-of which elephants
are extremely fond-he and IN short
time became fast friends. He had seen
me only in indoor dress-that is to say,
in light Moorish costume OF india
silk. behind the columns and balcony OF
the veranda.
One day business called me, to Willie
moor. l arrived at noon. The sun was
scorching the earth. There was no one
in the streets or under the verandas;
every body was enjoying siesta.
Ny carriage had stopped IN the main
public place, and l was about ID take
nv way to the house of the thaslldar,
the village chief, when suddenly
monstrous black elephant came at
SdIlOp HUN liiO pay tNto- 'A'ANAi
opposite us. He came towards US, and
before | had time to know where was
he had lifted me up and set me on his
neck and was returning rapidly to the
pagoda.
He took me through the first in
closure, that of the great Lake OF ADJ
buttons. and carried me straight to the
elephants quarter. There he sat me
on the ground, in the midst of all his
comrades 1t was the mendicant ele-
plant that had recognized me. lie
uttered little cries and at the same time
waved his trunk and tapped his ears
demonstrations which his friends doubt
less interpreted to my advantage, Tor
when the thasildar, followed by several
Brahmans from the temple. came to
find out what had happened. they saw
me quiet and perfectly at ease, sur
rounded by these monstrous ANNA Is
paving me veritabe ovation.
''This is an extraordinary thing"
said one of the Brahmans; 81 have
never seen them evince SO much friend
ship for anyone"
Iexplained my weekly gifts to the
mendicant elephant.
81 am no longer surprised" said he.
sHe has told the whole herd about 1t.
and the gourmands are fiattering you
to obtain the same favor for them
selves"
SIS it possible?" said I, with astonish-
ment.
Il am quite sure of it. Would you
like to prove that it is SO? Pass your
arm about your friends trunk and signal
him to go out with you. They will all
follow. Let them lead the way and
you will see where they will take YOU
l followed his suggestion. The men
dicant elephant and 1 went first; the
nine others Immediately fell into line
with us, exchanging with each other
sounds expressive of satisfaction. We
passed out at the door of the pagoda
and they led me straight to the shop OF
a native baker. Once at the shop II
was clear that must do what was ex
| pected of me, and | bestowed on each
one of them loaf dipped into the
| coveted strip.
The Brahman told me that at various
times the mendicant elephant hao
| eluded their watchfulness and had gone
as far as Pondicherry to beg on his OWL
account, and then, as he was well &C
quainted with the bazar to which he
was taken in his turn to get provisions
for the temple, he would stop there on hi:
way back and deposit all the money
that had been given him on the table O.
fruiterer, and proceed to eat as many
sugar canes, bananas, pineapples ant
mangoes as the Hindoo would give him
!