Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1905-06-30

the extent Of allowing him to have his
crackers, and in the noise of these he
tried to drown out the noise of the circus
band that foated out from the big dingy |
canvas SO near and yet 50 far. Sudden |
ly it flashed into his head that he might |
send up crackers on his kite. Why not?
He had read of a camera being sent up
to take photographs, and if camera
could go, crackers could. Jack set to
work at once to put his idea into execu-
tion. A long fuse was made and attach
ed to the crackers. Near the crackers a
string was tied to the fuse and this in
turn was tied to a bit of wire on the
kite string near the kite, which had been
pulled in. The free end of the fuse was
lighted, the kite set free, and Jack watch
ed the tiny sputtering sparks sail up
into the air. When the fire reached the
string it burned it off, setting free the
crackers which exploded a second later
in midair.
Finally Jack took the biggest cracker
that he had, one he had been saving for
a grand climax, made an extra long fuse,
attached it in the usual way and then
gave the kite all the string he had. Up,
up, up she sailed until she foated fairly
over the circus tents. Then Jack saw
the tiny speck of a cracker drop, and.
watching it speed downward without ex-
ploding, he muttered to himself in dis
appointment, .Why didn't I keep it and
fire it on the ground where I could make
it go anyhow But Jack had simply
miscalculated and had allowed too much
fuse between the cracker and string for
an explosion high in air. Just after the
tiny speck vanished behind one of the
smaller tents, Jack heard it explode, fol-
lowed Instantly by a scream that made
Jacks hair rise. Out from behind the
tent shot a huge black beast, tearing
across the fields with awkward, lumber
| ing strides, but wonderfully fast. 1t
was the elephant! With trunk thrown
up and back of its head, and trumpeting
| shrilly, it made straight toward Jack,
smashing down the rail fences in its path
as If they were straws, his keeper in full
pursuit, hopelessly distanced. From the
| big tent began to pour out strange
motley crowd of townspeople, painted
clowns and scantily dressed bareback
| riders to see what had happened. For
moment Jack, too frightened to move,
watched the huge beast bearing down
upon him, then he fed for the hayloft
in the barn, and through crack watch
ed the mad race. Straight on came the
elephant, nor did he stop for an instant
| at Miss AIMS nice picket fence; it
crashed down as had the rails before it.
| Then the runaawy caught sight of the
big. wide-open barn doors (Miss Ann had
told Jack to close them that afternoon)
and probably seeing safety in the dark
recesses of the barn, rushed In, where he
stood trumpeting and trembling with
fright. A few minutes later Jack heard
the keeper close the doors and say TO
the crowd coming up, that he would shut
the elephant In for awhile until he had
calmed down. Then the keeper told how
someone, he didn't know who, had
thrown a cracker in front of the big
beast lust as the latter was drinking,
and the runaway had resulted.
Meantime Jack was in an unhappy
predicament and retreated to a far cor
ner of the NOW, the cold chills chasing
each other down his back as he heard
the heavy breathing of the elephant be-
low. Gradually the elephant grew quiet
er and Jacks courage began to come
back. He could hear old Nell whinnying
with fright and stamping uneasily in her
stall. Curiosity got the better Of him
and he wanted to see what was going on
below. Cautiously, inch by inch, he
crept to the edge. of the NOW. In the
dim light he could see the back of the
elephant not two feet below him. The
animal was quiet now. Presently he
noticed the long trunk feeling along the
edge Of the NOW and examining the new
quarters, SO he beat retreat once more
The new hay was not yet in, and the
small amount of old hay left was at the
back of the NOW. A rustling on thu
edge Of 1t caught his attention and ht
made out the elephants trunk stretch
. ing for the hay, which it could no
reach. Cautiously he held out wisp
It was taken and the trunk disappeared
A minute later it was back again. s.
| Jack continued to feed the elephant
and growing bolder, crawled to the edg
; again, having bundle of hay In hi
hands. This time the elephant saw him
|, and before he could retreat the BIZ
: trunk had caught him and deftly, bu
/ gently, lifted him down. The hay b.
still held, and timidly offering it, it wa
J promptly accepted.
) A few minutes later the keeper opened
t the doors, to find to his establishment hi
) big charge and small boy on the bes
! of terms, and when the elephant was or
dered out, he refused to move withou
, Jack. "Pick him up, Mike" ordered th