The Hope pioneer., 1898-12-08
"DRIFTER." f"
By GEORGE E. WALSH.
Observation-Disclosures sssa;a;ss,;s;aa;;;s';Sasss,,ss,as,t;ss.;;ss,s

your paw. Does it hurt Sc
much? Drifter will try to make i,
better. He'll tie this bandage aroune
it, an tomorrow the pain will be al
gone"
Drifter was crouching down in thu
corner of the cage occupied by larg.
red fox, holding one of the paws O.
the animal in his hands. To his word:
of sympathy the suffering fox re
sponded with a dismal moan.
"Ycs, it's too bad-too bad! But we
all have TO suffer sometimes"
He patted the animal on the heac
and stroked the sleek body until the
moaning ceased. \ sudden wild crash
of music disturbed him in his soothing
process.
There; I'll have to leave you now;
they're coming"
He rose from his position by the
fox's side and stepped outside of the
cage just as the head Of regiment
of wild animals came trooping into the
tent. There were elephants and bears
dogs and cats, pigs and donkeys, birds
rabbits female leopard, lordly lion
attached to its hind foot.
AS the elephants reached the tent
they trumpeted loudly and swung
their heads from side to side. The
dogs barked and frisked about under
the legs of the big brutes. The leopard
skulked slyly along the edge of the
tent, as if it would spring upon its prey,
and the tiger with the chain snapped
savagely at a donkey that trotted too
near 1t. The lion stalked along. voice
less and majestic, neither turning to
the right nor left.
Drifter faced this approaching cav
alcade of wild beasts unfinchinglv
and as the head of the troop reached
the line Of cages, he shouted:
Hi. there, Tip and Tom! Where are
you going?"
He raised his hand to stop the two
elephants, and then turned them IN
their course as easily as if they had
been horses.
Here. Bill, jump into your cage!"
he cried to one of the black bears,
IAN you, Bruno. go on to yours"
stop that fighting. Sly" and he
made as If he would strike the snarl-
ing leopard. which was threatening a
tall, formida bie-looking Dane hound.
In moment he was right in the
midst of the medley of trained an
imals. directing this one to its cage
and that one to its stall. Mr.. Temp
ster, the trainer of the animals. came
hurrying up from the rear at this
juncture and assisted him in caging
the most unruly ones. When they
were all locked up securely for the
night 1t was nearly one o'clock
Drifter then rolled himself up in a
blanket and went to sleep on a pile of
tent covering and bagging. The an
imals dropped off to sleep one after
another; but the suffering fox could
find no release from its pain in slum-
Der. All through the night it moaned
softly, but dismally. The other an
imals were too sleepy to be disturbed d
by the noise.
But twice Drifter got up through
the night and tried to soothe and com.
fort the fox. The last time he was
repaid for his trouble by feeling the
warm tongue of the animal drawn
softly across the back of his hand
He knew then that the pain was sub.
siding.
In the short, restful sleep that fol-
lowed, Drifter dreamed that he was
no longer a mere boy-of-all-work
among the circus animals, but a full.
fedged and successful trainer and
performer.
This had been Drifter's ambition
ever since Mr.. Tempster had taken
pity on him in the streets, when he
was homeless and hungry. and had
given him position. 4. The trainer was
not always an easy master; he was
more often harsh and overbe ring thar
gentle; but Drifter felt that he owed
him much.
AS the days and weeks and months
passed, the boy learned the ways o.
the trainer, and grew less and les:
afraid OF the wild animals. 1t was ar
eventful day for him when he frs,
dared to enter the cage Of the lion nt
stroke his shaggy name.
At first Mr.. Tempster did not like
this intimacy between his animals ant
mis- chore-boy; but, in time. he saw
that it made Drifter more useful tc
him, and he said nothing. He coult
throw more and more of his work upor
Drifter.
But the ambition had entered th,
boys mind to become great traine
of wild animals. and on every occa
sion Mr.. Tempster was away he de
voted himself to the work of coaxin.
the animals to 60 through certain evo
.utions. He never used harsh mean
to accomplish this; his own tende
heart prevented him from striking o.
prodding the creatures to do his bid
ding.
Thus for two years he had practicee
training the animals secretly, an.
be was looking hopefully forward t.
the day when he might obtain posi-
tisp - trainer, which would give hiu