The Opelousas courier., 1900-05-05

yard, for. he had been taken TO wafel
the elephants once before byhis father.
He was greatly interested and wal
dered about freely. He chatted t.
the mahouts and others, but!it seemed
odd they were all very, very busy, 1pl
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. d a.;a s.
At last he came to q corner of the
yard where a big elephant was. stand
ing all by himself, sHaying from side
to sidey chained by Que leg.i Freddie
recognized him. by his size as one that
he had ridden ON in safe Of the Ma-
hout when he was here before. Nata-
rally. the boy wished toJ snjogs arfde
again. There, was. no attendant near
to help him up. hnt somehow ha fouud
that the swarthy, turbaned old jug.
gler was looking into his eyes again,
and the next instant he WIS tFil
umphantly seated atop! Of tho ele4
phant. He: was TREMENDOUSLY, pleased at
first, but all of a moment the beast
raised his trunk and trumpeteI witA.a
savage roar, AT the same time lie gave
his leg q mighty jerk, and the iron
chain burst, and the elephant was
free. He roated 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! RUM Look out! Look Quit
The Ra;ah's ,%Ioose!. He's mad! Run
for your lifer'' - .''''>'3"' .."
They all ran so quickly that q clear
path was left for the mad elephant,
who dashed straight through the yard,
shattered the great gates al il. they
were. orange boxes and, trumpeting.
furiously, galloped wildly into the far
spreading open country. Easily and
incomprehensiveTy as Freddie had got
up he found he could not now get
down, and he was dreadfnliy afraid
bat he seemed fastened to the huge
beasts neck justbehind the great ears.
He would have liked,t to jump of, but
he could not; he just stuck and stuck
and stuck. He had had no idea be-
fore that elephants could run so fast.
The Rajah ran like a racehorse. The
trees and houses flashed past. They
came to a native village, and the in.
habitants-fathers and mothers grab
bing babies and bowling with fear
dashed and darted and climbed and.
erawled to all imaginable hiding
,4s3.s3.t:.t
CrishI Crash! through the branches
OF trees; splish! splash! through. q
muddy river; swish! svashi through
of high, thick grass, in which
tame buffalos were entirely hidden
from sight! Through wood and river
and grass Freddie held ON in a most
marvellous manner. At last they came
to a spot somewhat familiar to the lit
tie boy, d strip of iungls with o belt of
open, rolling grassland in front.
Through an opening in the Jungle
Freddie saw the dark green brushes
Of g plantation, and beyond that the
roof and upper veranda of a high
bungalow. Freddie recognized his 1
home. He had no time to look
twice, however, for suddenly right be-
fore the elephant, directly in his path,
there stepped out from the jungle two
big men with guns, and Freddie saw
that they we're his father and uncle.
For the first time the boy found breath
yell. i: ~sa:sE. f,2. ~ i
Papa! Uncle Fredt Let me
he screamed. THE elephant
mas run away! He's mad! Stop himl /
Take me down.
10 was impossible to believe it, it
vas absurd Ito credit il. two
big men, ct sight of the mad elephant
ind the little boy charging upon them,
and Hedi True, they had only
light, small calibre rifles, but-waa.
hat an excuse for DESERVING an adored
Inna and nephew in his extremity?
they didnot get away, however!
Freddig father tripped sandlfan right
the 1 Sado Ut tbs Raiahf Umcfa Fred
topped, white as death, but steady,
ofSNher stunned. figure Of. his
,rother.- sSeventy yards away the ele-
'hant hGmpeted and bore down tri-
lmphfatly. Uncle Fred took careful
i'm. There was but one little spot in
he great beasts forehead to hit suc-
'essfpIy and stop tue Rajah. 10 miss.
t maaaE death ffor Sbbth .men.s sIhaS
lunter gazed steadily through his
st that spot, and paid not the
lightest attention to Master Freddie,
in an agony OF apprehension,
creeched .at the top of his voice:
Don't miss, uncle, or you'll hit me!'
Seventy yards, Fifty yards. thirty
iards!s Uncle Fred fred. aFianaeH and
noke and roar and crash, and Freddie
ound himself sitting. on the grass
lone, and the wonderful Indian Jug
lers had both disappeared. 4
Hepicked himself up a once and
an as fast as he could back TO The
ungalow. It was past breakfast time.
nd everybody was on tie veranda.
'reddis'a mother was tying up her
usband's arna III d sling. Uncls,
red was standing up and talking ex.
Freddie heard him az lie ran
.sThe closest shavei' Uncle Fred
risd. by Javs, Dick though d aay
myself, 1t was . great shot. tool
light on the vital spotssanl he went
his knees with a crashl HaIloapn
.Freddieln cried bis mother. !
Where have ron been? Without &
I'll OH deal, OH dear? You'll have
lnstrokei'
But Freddie leapsa to his father
reast, sobbing.