Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1908-09-03

MeanWnlle the Dull WAS rushing oI.
He Travelled for some twenty PAGES,
and then suddenly he stopped
Family reflected that he was COM
ing back to finish me, but even the
prospect of imminent and dreadful
death could not rouse me into action.
was utterly spent; could not move.
Idly, almost indifferently, watched
his movements.
For moment he stood still, then he
trumpeted until the welkin rang, and
then very slowly, and with great dig.
nifty. he knet down.
At this point swooned away.
When l came to myself again I saw
from the moon that | must have been
insensible for quite two hours.
was drenched with dew. and shiv.
ering all over.
At first l could not think where !
was, when, OH lifting my head, | saw
the outline of the one-tusked bull still
kneeling some tive-andtwenty PAGES
from me.
IUen L TelIlelliDcIeu.-
Slowly raised myself, and was in
stantly taken with violent sickness.
the result of overexertion, after which
I nearly tainted second time.
Presently l grew better. and consid
cred the position.
Two of the elephants were. as |
I,,,t ahp Nj
three?
There he knelt in majesty in the
lonely moonlight
The question was. was he resting. or
dead?
l got on my hands and knees, loaded
my rife, and painfully crept few
PAGES nearer.
l could see his eye now, for the moon.
light fell full upon it; it was open, and
rather prominent.
l crouched and waited; the eyelid
did not move, nor did the great brown
body, or the trunk. or the ear. or the
tail-nothins moved.
Then l knew that he must be dead.
I crept up to him-still keeping the
rifle we'll fOrward-and gave him a
thump. rejecting as | did so how very
near l had been to bein. 'thumpee
instead of thumper.'
He never stirred; he certainly was
dead, though to this day do not know
if it was my random shot that killed
him, or if he died from concussion Of
the brain consequent upon the tire
mendous shock of his contact with the
tree.
Anyhow, there he was.
Cold and beautiful he lay, or rather
knelt, as the poet neatly puts 1t.
Indeed, do not think that l have
ever seen sight more imposing in its
way than that mighty beast crouched
in majestic death and shone upon by
the lonely moon.
While I stood admiring the whole
scene. and heartily congratulating my
self upon my escape, l once more be-
gan to feel sick
Accordingly, without waiting to ex-
anime the other two bulls, l staggered
off back to the camp. which in due
course l reached i'll safety.
Everybody in it was asleep.
l did not wake them. threw off
my coat and shoes, rolled myself up in
a blanket. and was soon fast asleep.
When l woke it was already light,
and at first thought that, like Joseph,
l had dreamed a dream.
At that moment, however, | turned
my head, and quickly knew that it was
no dream, for my neck and face were
so stiff from the blow of the butt end
Of the rifle that 1t was agony to move
them.
collapsed for minute or two,
Gobo and another man, wrapped up
like a couple of monks in their blank
cts, thinking that was still asleep
were crouchlng over little fire they
had made-for the morning was damp
and chilly-and holding sweet con-
verse.
Gobo said that he was getting t,ret;
of running after elephants which they
never caught.
Macumazahn chat is myself was
without doubt man Of parts, and OF
some skill in shooting. but also he was
q fool.
None but fool would run so fast
and far after elephants which 1t was
Impossible to catch when they kept
cutting the spoor Of fresh ones.
/ He certainly was fool, but he must
not be allowed to continue in his folly
and he, Gobo, was determined to put q
stop to It,
He should refuse to accompany him
any farther on so mad hunt.
Yes, the other answered, the poor
man certainly was sick in his head, ant
1t was quite time that they checked his
folly while they still had patch oi
skin left upon their feet.
Moreover, he, for his part, certaini,
did not like this country of Wambe's
which really was full of ghosts.
Only the last night he had heard thu
spooks at work; they were out shoot
ing; at least it sounded as though they
were.
1t was very queer, but perhaps thei
lunatic of a MASTER
"Gobo, you scoundrel" l shouted ou
at this juncture, sitting bolt uprigh
on the blanket, stop idling there, ant
make me some coffee"
Up sprang Gobo and his friend, ant
In half moment were respectful.
skipping about In a manner that con