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About The Omaha morning bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 4, 1923)
|featup3 lJFICTIONJ ■ VOL. 53—NO. 31_OMAHA. SUNDAY MORNINU, NOVKMMKIt l. l’iTiiT “ nVlTTo-Vm 1---———--- ' TEA CONDEMNED ACSZ%Z THK long, canvas covered cars of the World’s Amalgamated circus rocked and swayed with the uneven roadbed of a side line railroad. It was night—a black night of slashing rain and shriek ing winds and jagged lightning. In the dripping, tarpaulin-covered cat cages the feline jungle beasts roared and hissed and leaped. Here and theie along the rocking train storm coals made their way from one den to another, carefully list hook an elephant when he's seared? Get out of here!" The other man drew back sul lenly. "He broke his chains. Mason. I had to do something!" "Vou didn’t have to try to cut him to pieces. Rajah!" The command was sharp, yet with a friendly quaHty. The beady eyes of the elephant turned in the direc tion of his master. Slowly Mason went forward. "Come on. Rajah. “I’m not going. You're red lightin' me off this show because you're jealops o’ me. Mason. I'm a better anifnal man than you ever thought o’ being.” "Get up that ladder. Brace, and pack up!” “I’ll not! I’ll—” "Get up that ladder!” Mason came forward. The bull-hook circled; a snapping, clacking blow, a gasping cry. Slow ly Mason sank to the straw-covered floor of the car. Brace sl(tod over Thr Mide-walling ripped from the incnascrie tout, and, iluim clanking, pk-krt pin* clattering, Kajali ramp, a trumpeting plunging monster of revenge. wiling it tlie sideboards for sounds of battle—the conflict of savage boasts which turn upon one an l other with a madness bred of dark ness and fright. Ill the horse cars the hostlers made the rounds of the animalH, petting them and raafthurlng them. Hack in the executive Pullmans su perintendents and managers made their plans for the next day, plans for wet lots, for dangerous, rutty rings and a slippery hippodrome. The World's Amalgamated now was in the grip of a midsummer tempest, and with the next show stand a hundred miles away. Ev erywhere about the dripping train there was discomfort—danger. Far ahead, in the biggest of the elephant cars, a great, shadowy hulk turned and twisted and truni Tieted as he sought to evade the uttucks of a “bull hook" In the luusculur hands of a man who cursed amt shouted at him. His chains had parted as he lunged In fright during an outburst of thun der; now he- was an unfettered monster stumbling from one side of the car to the other. The train er's voice rose to a scream: “f let over there, itajah!" he shouted, and drove the bull hook deep into the soft flesh liehlnd the great elephant’s car. "flet over there, or I'll—” Then he turned quickly, as a •wish of rain sent his attention to nn opened ventilator and the dripplii;' figure ijnmberlng within. “That you. Loss?" "!’•«' Wiit I Hie devil arc you tijlng to do lo that hull?" A in o hail dropped Into tho circle C| I i ' hi. i es blitzing. “Haven't o in ■ iiiore sense than to old tsiy!" he shouted. "JSverythlng’H all right—everything's all right!" He grasped the brute's trunk and elung to it. slapping the pachyderm about the mouth, blows whleh were only friendly pals to the thick skinned mammnl. The elephant squealed—a call of friendship—then ceased his twisting. Boon he was only a great, swaying hulk again, his beady eyes fastened on the man who, to him* meant friendship and protection and love. Mason reached for the stay-chain; then as he turn ed, he paused. “I thought I told you to get out of here," he said ubrupt]y. "I'm going." Brace moved surlily toward the ventilator. "Well, move, then. You've only got 20 minutes to pack your stuff. We stop for water at I,nrret«ville." "My stuff?" The assistant paused on tli^ ladder, then slowly clamber ed down again. “Why—why, boss, you ain't goin' to red-light me?" "Ain’t I?” Mason dropped the chain, came forward. Brace stood with hands shifting along the taped handle of his heavy bull-hook “You're through! There ain't a man on this show can sail Into a cat or a hull without getting stepped off for it. You get out of this car and off this train! You're through!" "I’ve got a right to my money!" “Money? Nothing doing! It's cow ards like you that—” He paused. "If you’ve got nnthlng coming to you you’re fined that amount. And you're red-lighted at the nest stop. Maybe the next show you go on you'll—well, aren’t you going?" "No, I'm riot going!" Mason doubled hi* flsis. •lust as vim please. C!ot off or he put off." him, glowering, menacing. Then suddenly he went to Ida knee*. "He's dead!" Trumpeting, tho elephant moved slowly toward the body of hla fallen master. Brace leaped quickly to the protection of the shadows. If one tremendous hoof could only ob literate tho rod mark of that blow! out of the shadows came Brace, his wenis->n brandished hleh in the air. "RaJuhJ" Tlie hook sunk deep. The unimal writhed and turned. A great hoof struck flesh—and for a second and i bird wni fourth time. Then Brace, driving the elephant Into the rear of the car. stood staring down. The mark of the bull hook was gone. A moment later, dripping, scrambling tie clambered from car top to oar top to the Pullmans, his voice shrieking: "Klag dowu the train! Uajah’s gone had—he’s killed Mason!" Brake shoes gripped and slipped and shrieked. Half dressed men tumbled from the Pullmans to race along the tracks to the bull ears, i'ho gleam of the lanterns, through the hastily opened door, displayed Itajnh's big form, half kneeling be side tho crushed body of his mas ter, his cry echoing again and again. "All right, bull-men! Put down the run and get that elephant out o' there before he tokos another streak! Hop to It—Bartwell! Jones! t’assldy! Brace!" They Slipped the wide wooden runway Into place, and drove tho elephant down to be chained and picketed. Then, while the three "tier hull men picked up lie crushed body of Jim Mason, the menagerie superintendent asked: “What happened?” 'II don't know, sir. I was milk ing my wny along the top of tin bull cars when I heard Mr. Mason shouting down here, and a terrible racket. i climbed inside. Rajah trampled him. I drove Rajah back with the bull hook, but it was too late. Mason told me privately that he was always a bit afraid of Ri jali.” “Funny he . never came to me about it. Still. Mason always tided his best—guess he thought h* could handle him.” “That was about it. sir.” “Hate to see this!” There was a tone of sorrow in the superintend ent's voice. “Old Rajah was tin* first elephant this show e ver had.” ills eyes grew reminiscent. “Guess it wouldn’t have been the show it is today without Rajah. Used to b« about tlty whfde thing helped un load in tft*- morning, worked around the let, made parade, acted as about all the menagerie we had, want in performance, and then put thoslmw baok on the train at night. Rut 1 g iloss lie’s gone now. Mason wasn't mist rent log him?" eyes gleamed. Of oourso, when 1 saw him last, he was book Ing him pretty bad; but then, he was fighting for his Ufa” "Sura Sorry to see It happen. Mason was a good man. and Rajah wan a good old bulL But I guess there Isn't much chance for him now. Hotter watch him pretty close." "Me. Mr?" "Teh. You take all your time to It&Jah- see If you can pull him out of It. If It wan just a grudge prop osition against Mason alons, there's a good chance. Ho—M "Ten, sir. I understand, sir! I'll handle hlrn, all right." Brace apoke cockily. "A# soon ss them other men got back, we'll run him Into i he car again and -chain him. The storm seems to be letting up.” "Hope so." The superintendent went on. “Hop to It." Tho train was again oa the move, and Brace, back In hie bunk In tbe sleeping cars, stared ilxodly at the face-board of the berth above him. Safe! Safe from suspicion! Safe— with a reputation of fearlessness. But the neit morning— The door of the big bull car slid open In th« gray of dawn, mul a inan hurried to the shadowy form «-f the elephant within. I|.- ).h . I hie chain a, I prodded the pmst la the fclmiiHn ‘ •'ll right, ISitjah,’ I • ordered. "Get With it,' The elephant wile l.-d grudgingly; liin eyes rolled, and his trunk be '■i n to curl slowly upward. A s it rill trumpet-blast sounded, angry, theratenlng. Hrn -e moved into the more op< n space of the car. Itn.lah! Got around there- and out of tills car.” Hut the elephant's foreleg* aero moving Ilk- the stamping of a child in a tantrum. Ilis small heady eyes rolled, showing the j-edrlmrned whites. Sweat came to the train ers forehead. Gray lips moved In a whisper: "He's next to me."' Again and again the shrill blast sounded. Then the trumpeting sud denly took on a new note, a queru lous note. The padding of thn great hoofs ceased. A little squeal tamo from the elephant, and lie moved forward as a woolly littln dog, harking with all his midget strength, came bounding up the runway, bounced into the car, sniffed about the straw, then began joyously frisking about th. legs of the elephant. It was Rags, Ma son's nondescript, little compsriiou of the circus, ju. released for the day from the dog wagon and f arching for his master. Here and there lie trotte-l bark log with a surprised • when M.o-on did not answer. l it. ele phant sic <-d d<>v t a1 him Hags, merely an endured thing until this moment—for an elephant, by ln Htiuct, hatae a dog—Invariably de noted the presence at Jim Mason. Itajab squealed delightedly arid cg iended hie trunk slowly toward the little mongrel. Rags leaped and wagged hia tall For a long moment they aloud and sniffed at each other In ani mal alienee. They appraised each other and were satisfied with their llnding*. while In ths blackground a murderer stood staring at the strange pair. Brace bent forward whistling to the mongrel and loss ing him with soft words and an extended hand. Rage bounded and leaped a front the man, sallying toward him. then rushing happily to the shelter «C the elephant’s leg* Ths trainer straightened, with the knowledgn that Rajah again was coins. Held petting ths dog with one hsn^ Brace sought ths doorway of thr car. and turned. "Corns on. Rajah r he ordsrsd and ths elephant obeyed. Thera was no attitude of yielding. ontF of tolerance. A ranine friend had Intervened, that was all. The dog often scurried about the circus lot In vain soorch for hia lousier hut inevitably hr returned to Rajah. And the elephant ifimt' In watch for him At night ltruce toil a stiilic to the i 'll. uf i;i - Tl.J | .1 ||> 1. Tl., .... ,1