Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-03-15
DAILY SHORT STORY
THE TEARS OF HOUSSAN.

1t was just past midnight III the great
geological gardens when one of the Gle
plants who had been noddinS in sleep
suddenly opened his eyes to their wild
est extent and threw up his trunk ana
sucked in the air with Il kissing sound.
He looked down the long aisle past the
cages of the lions and tigers with Il
steady stare, and when the figure of Il
man came into view the great beast
uttered Il grooming. coaXing sound.
The man came swiftly but quietly
forward, and the elephant encircled
him with his trunk and showed eXtrav-
agant signs of affection. The lions and
the tigers rose up TO stare through the
bars of their cages at the intruder. Had
he been II stranger their growls and
roars would have brought the watch
man in short order.
"Chanda, my dearly beloved, l have
come 10 talk with thee whispered the
man to the elephant as he stroked his
trunk with caresSing hand. They said
they would kick me if they found me
about the place again, but have risked
that to talk with thee. Dost remember
how long ago it was, Chanda, that l
was brought here from Bombay To be
thy keeper and thy master: Sixteen
long years have passed since that day.
We were good friends from the start.
/ treated thee well, and thou gavest me
thy friendship. Sixteen long years,
Chanda. hath we been good friends,
and not one quarrel during that time.
Thou hast been ailing, and hath cured
thee. L hath been ailing, and thou hath
sympathiZed with me. Is it not SO,
dearly beloved?"
Chanda Rugged the man and made Il
gurgling sound III his throat.
And the other day, after sixteen
years-after have become an old man
after the unbroken period of friend
ship between us the manager sent me
away at days notice. 1t is true that
| drank too much of the strong wine of
the country, and that when Janviers of
the lions made fun of me l drew my
knife and would have stabbed him.
Then they discharged me-
The elephant lifted the man clear of
the ground with his trunk and swung
him back and forth pendulum fashion.
The lions and tigers got up again to
look.
Il would not give place to any man,
Chanda, but to Jauviers least of all.
He will be hard on thee. He Will prod
thee with the iron and beat thee with
bars. He will be thy master instead of
thy friend. For some other man thou
might in time have n liking. but not for
Janviers. IT is four days since he took
charge of thee. Hath he beaten thee
yet? Methinks there is fresh wound
on this ear"
The elephant hung his head and rock
ell TO and fro for moment as if asham-
ed and Inundated.
"Dost want thy Old friend and broth
er back, Chanda? Aye. thou doSt. and
there is way. There is IL way, and
but one way The watchmcn are
asleep and the beasts are quiet, but
what / say l shall whisper in thy ear.
Listen to the words of HouSSan, be
loved"
With hands smoothing and caressing
the great Tapping ear the trainer wills
pered away for three or four minutes,
while Chanda stood so quiet that he
seemed turned to stone. Then the
whisperer drew back and raised his
voice little and asked:
wilt thou do it. old friend-wilt
thou do it for thee and me?'
Again the elephant lifted the man
with his trunk and swung him to and
fro. and the sounds in his throat almost
seemed to form words.
Brave old Chanda," whispered Hous-
san as he patted the trunk Ills for
thee and me. that we may be together
for years more. Make no bungle over
it. If 'twere some one else-some one
who had not plotted against thy friend
and brother-a broken arm or few
broken ribs might suffice, but with jan
viers, no. Make sure, dearly beloved.
that it goes beyond that, else you will
see me no more. l have said what L
have said and must go. If l We're
caught here l should be treated in n
manner to humiliate me in thy sight.
One more caress, beloved, and then 1
go. Tomorrow night l hope to sleep
at thy feet again"
When the man had glided away like
Il ghost the elephant stood quietly for
five minutes. There was mischief In
his quietness Then he began weaving
to and fro and fiinging his trunk about
There was menace in the action. There
WAS no truUDellnS, Only Al SOu1lu ike
the kissing of Il great snake.
Il have heard that sound in the for
ests of India,' said one of the tigers
to himself, land it always meant death
to something"
When morning came Janviers came
with it. 1t was for him to feed and
wafer the great beast. He. was in
surly, impatient mood, and he did not
notice certain signs that would have
told him much.
Back with you, brute" he shouted
as he fiourlshed the iron bar over Chan
da and threatened to bring it down.
A trunk shot forth like serpent and
twined around him. He was lifted
high up and given a fling, and when he
landed on the stone floor a hundred
feet away he no longer lived. The
lions and tigers raved and roared and |
flung themselves against the bars, and |
IN