New Britain herald., 1924-09-17

ready. I'll have to get out meself, or the old boy would never trust me any more"
 Whereupon he vanished, and we were left alone with that swaying, fdgeting, trunk swinging, shifty- eyed, ear Tapping noun tain of mischief That spring, in our an- pual minstrel show, we had used a number of Larabee uniforms, purple with red socks and caps. We had already sent for one of these suits; also for a number of Farnham uniforms. They arrived while Old Tip was being chained to the stakes.
 Now, boys," said the Mayor, i've want volunteer for dangerous service. Who'll step forward"
 Breathing hard, we all stepped forward. The Mayor took step back.
 ''He must be young man with plenty of nerve and a good pitcher" continued the Mayor. Will such a man please step for. ward?'
 We all took another step forward, old Sheriff Winterbottom limping on his stick. The Mayor took another step back.
 He must be a man," he said, "who could Tun like the very old divvle if he was chased by an elephant"
 We all took another step forward, and the Mayor took another step back.
 He must be a man." he continued, "who could be spared by his family"
 We all took another step forward.
 'Dern it aI, said the Mayor, "what do you think this is, a parade: We'll have to draw lots"
 So we tore up strips of paper, and the Judge drew the short piece.
 The Judge was fifty, if he was. five, but all the same he climbed into the Larabee uniform like a two-year old, while half dozen of us put on the Farnham colors, which were white with blue trimmings.
 This latter bunch took up a position in front of Old Tip, and when we weren't throwing a baseball around we were tossing peanuts to the elephant. In about five min utes Old Tip had sworn eternal friendship. He stood there watching the ball and crunching shells as though he had been Farnhsm fan all his life.
 Then it was the Judges turn. The other boys fell back, and the Judge walked near to the elephant O. T. held out his trunk for a peanut. The Judge drew his arm back, took careful aim and caught that poor old elephant with the ball right square on bis dome of thought.
 Old Tip looked puzzled and hostile. He felt his head with the tip of his trunk and began to watch the Judge with a cynical eye.
 Again our eminent jurist wound up, and again he let the elephant have the ball in the center of his features. That time Old Tip pulled at his chain and made a motion with bis trunk like an irritable wife trying to swat a fly.
 At this point the Judge rested. The boys in the Farnham uniforms went to the front again. We soothed that indignant elephant with kind words and peanuts, and he told us how contortional son of sorrow in s purple uniform had been trying to crack his coco nut with baseball.
 Then, for the second time, the Judge sd- vanced. The moment Old Tip saw him he cursed him roundly in the elephant lan- gusge. The Judge wound up. Old Tips re- marks immediately became unprintabls in any jungle journal.
 The baseball flew and caught the elephant sn awful crack right on the root of the trunk He lunged like a locomotive going down bank, stretching his chained leg to twice its normal length, as though it were a gigantic band of India rubber.
 He squeuled he thrsshed his trunk: be pleaded with us to let him loose and give him a fighting chance. One of the stakes