The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1901-05-30


ed to encourage him he was clean gone.
He soon discovered that | had claims,
and there was open enmity between us.
1t was not my fault While l felt
little sulky over the girls conduct,
did not doubt her loyalty to me and
pursued the even tenor Of my way. 1t
was Norton who at once became in
sanely jealous of me. He was a man
of violent temper. and it wasn't three
days before we quarreled. This pleas
ed and amused lara. and none of the
rest of the staff regarded 1t as serious
matter.
The animal quarters were in one
great house. divided off by half way
partitions. Atsthe east end of the build
ing came Jamrock first Of all. and just
over the partition was the cage of the
three tigers. There were alleys run
aing north and south and east and
west, and once a beast got loose he
could wander over the whole floor.
My elephant had his annual mad fit on,
and he was secured to the floor by four
chains. l slept In a rough bunk 40
feet down the alley. SO as to be on hand
should he try to break away. There
had been only the one quarrel between
Norton and I. and no blows had been
struck in that. He had exhibited a
fierce temper. but had not threatened
my life. AS we went about our duties
we passed and repassed each other,
but there had been no more words. On
the night Of the 9th Of February, after
days anxiety over Jamrock, who was
unusually ugly, I turned into my bunk
and after, time fell asleep. had
slept three hours when awakened by
clutch at my throat, and as soon as
opened my eyes found Norton bend
ing over me. He had a grasp on my
throat with both hands, and his inten
| tons were to strange me. We were
pretty evenly matched as to strength,
and though he had taken me unawares
desperation helped me to break his
clutch and throw him off. AS l flung
him clear of me he drew a knife.
had no weapon, and was crowded into
a narrow bunk, but l used my pillow
as a shield and he buried his knife into
it several times as he struck at me.
| At the end of two minutes l knew
that must have help or lose my life.
We were alone In the great shed, and
after the choking / had received my
voice would not carry across the build
ing. In the dim light I saw that jam
rock was watching us, and that his
eyes were ablaze. l had no hope that
he could break his chains, and l knew
that he would kill Us both If he did, but
yet called out to him. He answered
with scream, and throwing all his
i weight on the chains he snapped them
as If they had been old clotheslines
and came dashing down the alley. The
tiger man was thrusting at me and
cursing below his breath, and the point
of his knife had drawn blood three or
four times. AS he heard the beast COM
ing he turned to look, but he had no
time to escape. With a sweep of his
trunk Jamrock knocked him down, and
then lifting him up again the body
was battered against the beams right
and left until it was reduced to pulp.
1 did not try to leave the bunk, being
/ almost helpless, and hoped the ele-
plant would go away after BIT. When
he had given the body fling down the
alley, he pickG d me out of my bunk and
carried me back to his STALL l expect
ed death. but he let me down ON the
straw with care and stood over me.
remained quiet for Is minutes and then
tried to creep away, but Jamrock
brought me back so roughly that I
dared not try it again.
1t was morning before any one came
to us, and you may be sure there was
great excitement. 1t was lara who
finally approached the elephant with
food and distracted his attention while
got away, and later on we opened the
doors and let him out into a field
where he could do no more damage.
1t was an affair that never reached the
newspapers, and two weeks after the
incident a wedding was quietly cele-
brated in our quarters. Why Jamrock,
who had often tried to kill me when
his fit was on, should have spared me
on this occasion has always been a
puzzle to me. Perhaps the one victim
took the edge off his temper, or it may
be that he remembered our long friend
ship and conquered his desire to STAY.
Be it as 1t may, mourned him almost
as a brother when he was killed in a
railway accident the following year.