Evening star., 1923-11-04
A Great Story of the Circus

O6k Asu8cs OoSh OitcuCus tCOth ShOW
ing, blocked him. Mathews raised in
his saddle.
somebody get that dog away from
there!''
Attendants called and cajoled. To
no avail.
A driving rain began TO patter. Men
turned up their coat collars and glanced
hastily ct the sky.
Rajsh's trunk w. curied high. Hs
eyes showed white rims and red rims
His forefeet moved restlessiy. A
binding flash Of lightning creased the
sky and the elephant beloved ex-
citedly, milling nervously about. Then
something tightened on his hind legt
and = shout came from the rear OF the
car.
"Aii right Mr.. Nathewsi rye 20,
him. He's caught tight"
'0oodI Step alive up there. moose
meht''
Figures moved atop the car. Then
came Z curse.
The strings slipped.--it Amt in
Dosition for his heAar'
The menAgerie superintendent
krittSd his teeth.
Have to get In the car ana put Il
around his neck, then. Somebody get
that dog away from that door~-we'il
never be able to DO anything with him
keeping that bull stirred up. Here
'veu!" He turned toward 4 gaunt
man, sinking along at the side Of tho
cars. "You know this dos-set him
away from here"
lard Brace stared.
SIR-is-"
'oh, he's safe enough. Hind legs
lassoed. Grab that dog! We've got
to 60 Ia the Ger to. put on the neck
nooser'
The trainer hurried forward. He
called--but the only answer was .
snariing bark. Again--AgAin. Then
= chorus came, excited, tense:
Quick! Grab that dog--srab that
dog! That bulls Gofng bad again!''
lard Brace seized the swapping,
yappine monsrei and ran with him
out OF the ring OF elephants and men.
Keep going with him--take him
ever to the tent and keep him there"
Back IN the elephant car. Ra3ah
beloved and raged. For he had
seen! He had recognized = beins
whom he hated, bearing away the one
thing In the world he possessed and
loved!
vainly they strove to enter the car
Then shouts! Steam shrieked from
the whistle Of the rear switch engine
Then the engine began to pull. striv.
Ing BY main machine strength to
throw tho great beast to the floor and
hold him there. But new shout OF
warning sounded, . new milling OF
men:
.Tase up, there! This knots slip
pingi This knot's---"
The switch engine whistled in
warning-at the jerk OF tho release
OF a heavy load. Rajah kicked and
padded with his bleeding hind hoofs,
freed them, then with one craah struck
the side Of the car with his full
weight and tore through!
In vain they stfove to block his
path with the other elephants. An
opening showed and through It he
went, in a straight, rushing drive
toward the one thing In the world he
hated, just fading under the side wall
Of the menagerie tent. still with Rags
in his grasp.
TINE storm broke. The great tents
i swayed ana billowed. dripping
figures clung to the guy ropes.
Planks crashed. Straight on Ratah
went--on to the side wall and within.
One thing stood before him. arms
wide, face white, chastity. The great
trunk swung high and laced down
ward: hoofs stamped: long tusks
drove deep, and yellow ivory dripped
carmine. Again-thsn RaJah turned.
at q frightened yelp. Above. some
thing crackled: ropes gave way In q
gale. A quarter pole fell. then =
second and third. The tent ssgged
the center poles began to sway.
Raiah wheeled and trotted to his
little companion. He pushed at him
rently with his trunk. and the dos
crawied toward him. Then slowly
the big brute first settled to one knee.
then the other. and finally to .
ohouching position on all fours. while
tina little mongrsl crawlsd to the pro.
tsction OF his heavy breast ana nos
tied there, whining no longer.
A center pole crashed downward.
AGAINST the thick boned heaA Of the
elephant. hut 1t did not touch the
warm, fluffy little thing against his
breast, And slowly. softly. the can
vas came down ana covered them
from the wind and lightning and
sianting rain.
The storm passed. DTenohsd work.
men, hurrying to the rescue Of. the
animals. 3erksd the canvas from q
hish- piled mound. to stand staring at
: little dog sheltered beneath the
bulky head Of Rajah. Mathews, the
superintendent. was summoned on the
run. Then they heard:
.Don.t you red.light me. Aasonr II
ems 4 hlgt-pitchsd, frantic voice from
somewhere beneath the canvas. II had
TO hook that bull, tell you! Don't
YOU lay . hand on me-ril kill you--
I'll xiii yous'
s-rear OF that canvas! ouick!''
Mathews knelt beaide torn. red.
marked thing. whose eyes stared but
saw not, whose foam.sp4cked lips re.
haatAd again and again:
..riI KIM you. Nason-rn kill your'
sHrscs-what ASs y0u talking aboutf'
.~rns hook MARKS gone! They'll
never 80 tt--nsvef knew but what
ten .em he's gone bAA-Sad--told Aa.