The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-09-28

When got 10 him, he was sitting
up on his tail, his mouth sucked In like
a sloth bear begging peanuts, and his
under lip trembling with whimpep.
He was wringing biz trunk the way
Burke had taught him 10 ring the din.
ner bell In our act when he wanted a
drink, and he was about the pitifullest.
looking fool Of an infant elephant a
man ever nur~ed.
"of course ] got scared, and started
the crowd fetching pals Of water. And
when he'd blowed the first bucket down
his orifce. he let out a new sort OF q
oampli whina nti the per.immons
griped his pipes. and he laid over on his
fat sides and bIubbered and blew bub-
bles like kid with the collie.
@Say that was before I was married.
We were all lot Of old bachelors on
the job. We didn't know what TO do,
and Punch wouldn't let US try 10 learn.
A. soon ss anyone got near him, he
whipped out for belt with his trunk
and squalled like he was teething.
After he'd missed me by an inch two
or three times I threw bucket Of water
on him and went of 10 get old man
Morris.
"And when got back 10 him. he was
feeling better-a little red In the face
and teary around the eyelashes and
trembly In the under lip-but better.
The persimmons had let up on him and
he was lying back and thinking II over.
He's all right now. Morris says
Leave him here till Burke comes. We
don't need him In the prade.' So got
him truss Of hay and left him with
with Il.
"But Burke didn't come. Burke
didn't come. and the afternoon show
did. And II was up 10 me. oh the
elephants all right the old man said,
He's rs mild as milk. TIL send Eyres
In with you. Go ahead Eyres was
sort Of assistant keeper to Burke; but
he wasn't anything but a gat.t6othed
New. England mud.puller that didn't
know anything more about orphan el.
ephants thM ! did. I made him up
from Burke's trunk, and started him
of TO fetch the brute. and | says TO
myself; That's all right. Punch1l
think its Burke, and II he has any kick
coming he'll take II out on Eyres. That
lets me out And | put on my grease,
just grinning at myself in the glass.
when | comes 10 the door TO take
the turn, | finds Punch waiting there
with a big uffle around his neck and
the bow on his tail. as meek as Sun.
day school. He wasn't saying a word,
Just reaching out for a tuft of grass
here and a BIT Of paper there. sort Of
turning things over and smelling around
no end interested in nothing at ell. He
let's on not 10 notice me when / comes
up; but | stands of, and keeps an eye
on him, and pretty soon I sees Mr..
Punch slide little wicked look around
at me, and when he finds me watching
ain. he gets double busy again, blowing
dust over his back and tanning him.
self with his ears. And | says to my.
self: Here's where | am going to do
Japanese juggling with a stick o dy.
namite, and move over on the other
side OF Eyes.
"Well, that was all right, too. Eyres
went right ahead as II he had kitten
on a string, and | kept my distance.
We paraded into the ring, making faces
at the little gaifers on the blues and
we put out the tables and the chairs,
and started business. Punch sat him.
self down and Strengthened his collar,
and Eyres sat himself down and
Strengthened his collar. and Punch
knocked off Eyres's hat-the way Burke
had .taught him-and then Punch rang
the dinner bell, and l come running up
with the canvas-pie. And that's where
the trouble started.
Il says to myself: There's some. |