The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1896-07-15

sugN HS friend In the pleas
" T'I9 %EAx ant occupation OF
C1SziSlly .A.-- stringing into gar
lands the chick yell
low and white champac blossoms that
strewed the ground, under the broad
leaved tree near the lentena hedge,
was startled by an angry trumpet, and
looked in the direction OF Shere Bahia
dur.
"He is must" snid one to the other
in an awe-struck whisper; and then, a
sudden terror seizing them, they
bounded like little brown apes, silently
and swiftly into O gap i'll the hedge
and vanished.
There were 100 evil desires Kissing
in Shere Bahadur's heart, as he swayed
to and fro under the huge peepul tree
to which he was chained. Indlgnity
upon indignity had been heaped upon
him. 1t was mere accident that
Aladdin, the mahout who had attended
him for twenty years, was dead. How
on earth was Shere Bahadur to know
that his skull was so thin? He had
merely tapped it with his trunk in q
moment of petulance, and the head oI
Aladdin had cracked in like the shell
of an egg. Shere Bahadur was re-
dgced to the ranks. For weeks he
had to carry the fodder supply of the
Maharaj's stables, like an ordinary
beast OF burden; and alow-caste slave,
q fool to boot, had been put to attend
on him. 1t was not to be borne.
Shere Bahadur clHnked his chains
angrily, and. ever and anon. flung
whisps of straw. twigs and dust on his
broad back and mottled forehead. He,
o Kemeriah, of Kemeriahs, to be
treated thus He was no longer the
stately beast that bore the yellow-aud-
silver howdah of the Maharai Adhirai
in solemn procession-who put aside,
with a gentle sweep of his trunk, the
children who crowded the narrow
streets of Kalesar. No; it was differ
ent now. He was q felon and an out
cast, bound like thief. Something
had given way in his brain. and Shere
Bahadur was mad. The flies hovered
on tho sore part over his left ear,
whero the long peak of the driving.
iron had burrowod in, and, with o
trumpet of rage, tho elephant blew q
cloud of dust into the air, and strained
himself backward.
Click Click Tho cast-iron links
of tho big chain that bound him
snapped, and Shere Bahadur was free.
He cautiously moved his pillar like
ho la nj Il. -
fly himself of the fact, and then, with
the broad fans of his ears spread out,
stood for q moment still as O stone.
High up amongst the leaves the green
pigeons whistled softly to each other,
and a gray squirrel was engaged in
hot dispute with bluelay over treas
ure trove, found in hollow of ono oi
the long branches that, python-like,
twined and twisted overhead. Fai
away, tier upon tier of purple hills
rose, and beyond them a white line o.
snow-capped peaks stood out against
the sapphire OF the sky. Hathni
Khund was there, the deep pool o,
Jumna, whero, thirty years before
Shere Badadur had splashed anC
swum. 1t was there that ne fought
and defeated the hoaIy tusker of the
herd-the one tusked giant who hat
bullied and tyranized over his tribe
for time beyond Shere Bahadur'
memory.
Perhaps a thought OF that big fight
stirred him; perhaps tho breeze
brought him the sweet scent of the
young grass 10 the glens. At any
rate, with quick, impatient flap o
his ears, Shere Bahadur turned an(
faced the hills. AS no did so hi
twinkling red eyes caught sight of tn,
KGlesar state troops, on their parad,
ground, barely quarter of a mill
from where he stood.
The fat little Maharaj was there
standing near the saluting point
Close to him was the Vizier, with the
court and last, but not least, o know
ing little fox TERROR dug up the eartl
with his fore paws, scattering it about
regardless of the august presence.
The Maharaj was proud of hi
troops. He had raised them himsel
in an outburst of loyalty, the day af
ter birthday gazette, in which Hi
Highness Sri Ranabir PeTtab Sing
Maharaj Adhiraj of Kalesar, had beer
admitted a companion of an exalted
order. The Star of India glittered OF
the podgy little prince. He wa
dreaming of glorious day when he
he himself-would lead the victoriou
levy through Khybor, first in tho fiel,
against the Russ, when murmur the
swelled to cry of fear rose from tn
ranks, and the troops melted away be
fore their king. Rifles and accouter
ments were flung aside, there was
wild stampede. and the gOrgeouslY at