The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1900-04-14

II never, never did, cried Freddie,
who was now limp with amazement.
where did he go to?"
wherever he wished to CO." the
juggfer said. ''Does the sahib wish to
60 anywhere?"
Yes cried Freddie with sudden
happy thought. ''Where my papa
and uncle are hunting"
In moment the juggler placed the
rope in his hands.
Climb said he, and without tax
ing time to think Freddie climb bed.
Just how and when it happened
that he let go of the rope he could not
tell, but without any trouble to him
self he suddenly found that the rope
had disappeared, and he was standing
in great compound beside river
Fy the river banks were great stacks
Of lumber, and a small army of ele-
plants, each in charge of a mahout
who, perched on the brute's neck, was
picking up huge logs and carrying
them, according TO their length and
! thickness, to other stacks, where the
elephants piled them with almost hui
man intelli 5ence and exactness Fred
die remembered this governmental dock
yard. for he had been taken to watch
the elephants once before by his father.
He was greatly interested and wan
dered about freely He chatted to
the mahouts and others, but it seemed
odd they were all very, very busy, for
they did not answer, indeed, they did
not seem to see the little boy at all
Freddie did not mind that, there was
SO much to watch.
Al last he came to corner of the
yard where a big elephant was stand
ing all by himself, swaying from side
TO side, chained by one leg. Freddie
recognized him by his size as one that
he had ridden on in care of the ma
hout when he was here before. Natu-
rally, the boy wished to enjoy ride
again. There was no attendant near
to help him up, but somehow he found
that the swarthy, turbaned old Jug
gler was looking into his eyes again.
and the next instant he was tri-
umphantly seated atop Of tho ele-
phant. He was tremulously pleased at
first, but all of moment the beast
raised his trunk and trumpete with a
savage roar. At the same time he gave
his leg mighty jerk, and the iron
chain burst, and the elephant was
free. He roared again and tossed his
trunk high, and then charged straight
through the compound. The black
men and the white men scattered in |
all directions, yelling in fear.
Run, Run, Look outl Look out.
The Raiah's loose! He's~ mad, I'd
for your life,'
They FL ,aa Inickly that cll
was left for the mad elepba
VINO dashed straight through the VI
shattered the great gates as if I
were orange boxes and. trumnet
lnrlousiy, galloped wildly into the
sprea1'ing open country. Easily
lncomprehensively as Freddie had
up he found he could not now
down, and he was dreadfnllv ofro
pnt he seemed fastened TO the h,]
neasts neck just behind the great ea
ne "onld have liked to jump off
ne could not; he just stuck aud st,
ana stuck. He had had no idea
10 lore that elephants could run 50 e.
Inc RaJab ran like racehorse u
Irees and houses flashed past. ri
came to native village, and the
hahltants-fathers and mothers or
,lng babies and bowling with fea
'ashed and darted and climbed
',a"led to all Imaginable hid;
'laces. niu
crish' Crash. through the branc
: .rees; splish! splash! throngf
river; swish! swash! tbror
,eadows of hish,thick grass, in viii
ene buffalos were entirely hid
n ON sight! Through wood and II
- grass Freddie held on in a M
"iVelious manner. At last thew CO
spot somewhat familiar to tbe
ooy, strip Of Jungle with a hel
,en, rolling grassland in frd
i,1nsh .a1as an opening in the inn
euule : saw the dark green brns
a plantation, and beyond that
:, ana upper veranda of n n
n ngalow. hn Freddie recognized
4 nome He had no time 70 !,
Iee, : !. however, for suddenly riebt
. : 'he elephant, directly in biss s,' ~
msn stepped out from the jungle
'n WIN guns, and Freddie