The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1900-03-08

Just how and when it happened
that b, 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 ne was standing
in a great compound beside a river.
By the river banks were great stacks
! of lumber, and small army Of e!e-
plants, each in charge of 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 hn-
man intelligence and exactness. Fred
die remembered this government dock
ward, 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
50 much to watch.
At last he came to q corner OF the
yard where 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 be found
that the swarthy. turbaJed old Jug
sfsF vas looking into his $eyes again,
and the next instant hen was TIL
umphantly seated atop of ne ele-
phant. He was tremulously pleased at
first, but all OF moment the beast
raised his trunk and trumpetel with
savage roar. At the same time he gave
his leg a 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 out! Look out!
The Rajah's loose! He's mad! Run
for your life"
They all ran SO quickly that clear
path was left for the mad elephant,
who dashed straight through the yard,
shattered the great gates as if they
we're orange boxes and, trumpeting
furiously, galloped wildly into the far
spreading open country. Easily and
incomprehensively as Freddie had got
up he found he could no. now get
down, and he was dreadfully afraid,
but he seemed fastened to the huge
beasts neck just behind the great ears.
He would have liked 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 Rajab ran like +. .,ehorse. The
| trees and houses hasN past. They
came to native ssSage, and the in
hahitants-fatheFs and mothers grab.
; bing babies and bowling with fear
dashed and darted and climbed and
crawled to all imaginable hiding
places.
! Crish! Crash! through the branches
of trees; splish! splash! through a
muddy river; swish! swash! throug h
meadows of high, thick grass, in which
tame buFalos were entirely hidden
from sight! Through wood and river
and grass Freddie held on in a most
marvellous manner. At last they came
to q spot somewhat familiar to the lit
tie boy, strip OF jungle with a belt OF
open, rolling grassland in front.
! Through an opening in the jungle
Freddie saw the dark green brushes
of a plantation, and beyond that the
roof and upper reranda of high
bungalow. Freddie recognized his
own 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 were his father and uncle.
For the first time the boy found breath
TO yelI.
Papa! Uncle Fred! Let me-
DOWN. he screamed, The elephant
has run away! He's mad! Stop him
Take me down.
It was impossible to believe it, il
was absurd to credit it. Those two
big men, at sight of the maj elephant
and the little boy charging upon them,
turned and fed! True, they had only
light, small calibre rifles, but-was
that 40 excusefor deserting an adored
son and nephew in his extremity:
They did not get away, however
Freldie's father tripped and fell right
in the road Of the Ra.ah! Uncle FREQ
stopped, white as death, but steady.
astriae of the stunned figure OF his
brother. Seventy yards away the ole
phant trumpeted and bore down tri
lmphantly. Uncle Fred took careful
aim. There was but one little spot il
the great beasts forehead to hit sue
cessfu!ly and stop the Rsjah. 10 mis-: