Peg Woffington, Christie Johnstone, and other stories. By Charles Reade.

322 JACK OF ALL TRADES.
way below him, M. Huguet seemed "Hush! " says another; " have n't
her favorite. He used to come into you heard "
her box; and caress her, and feed her, "No."
and make much of her; but she nev- "You must n't talk of it out of
er went on the stage without Elliot doors."
in sight; and, in point of fact, all she "No!"
did upon our stage was done at a "Half killed by the elephant this
word of command given then and morning."
there at the side by this man and no It seems he was feeding and coaxother,- going down to the float, ing her, as he had often done before,
courtesying, and all. when all in a moment she laid hold of
Being mightily curious to know him with her trunk and gave him a
how he had gained such influence squeeze. He lay in bed six weeks
with her, I made several attempts to with it, and there was nobody to' desound him, but, drunk or sober, he liver her eulogy at night. Elliot was
was equally unfathomable on this at the other end of the stage when
point. the accident happened. He heard
I then endeavored to slake my enu- Mr. Yates cry out, and ran in, and
riosity at No. 2. I made bold to ask the elephant let Mr. Yates go the moM. Huguet how he had won her af- ment she saw him.
fections. The Frenchman was as We questioned Elliot. We might
communicative as the native was re- as well have cross-examined the Monserved. He broke plenty of English ument. Then I inquired of M.
over me. It came to this, that the Huguet what this meant. That genstrongest feeling of an elephant was tleman explained to me that Djek had
gratitude, and that he had worked on miscalculated her strength; that she
this for years; was always kind to wanted to caress so kind a manager,
her, and seldom approached her with- who was always feeding and courtout giving her lumps of sugar, - car- ing her, and had embraced him too
ried a pocketful on purpose. This warmly.
tallied with what I had heard and The play went on, and the eleread of an elephant; still the problem phant's reputation increased. But
remained, Why is she fonder still of her popularity was destined to receive
this Tom Elliot, whose manner is not a shock as far as we little ones behind
ingratiating, and who never speaks the curtain were concerned.
to her but in a harsh, severe voice? One day while Pippin was spreadShe stood my friend; any way. A ing her straw, she knocked him down
good many new supers were engaged with her trunk, and, pressing her
to play with her, and I was set over tooth against him, bored two frightful
these, looked out their dresses, and holes in his skull before Elliot could
went on with them and her as a slave: interfere. Pippin was carried to St.
nine shillings a week for this was George's Hospital and we began to
added to my other nine which I drew look in one another's faces.
for dressing an actor or two of the Pippin's situation was in the marhigher class. ket.
The more I was about her, the One or two declined it. It came
more I felt that we were not at the down to me. I reflected, and acceptbottom of this quadruped, nor even ed it: another. nine shillings; total,
of her bipeds. There were gestures twenty-seven shillings.
and glances and shrugs always pass- That night tirwo supers turned tail.
ing to and fro among them. An actress also, whose name I have
One day at the rehearsal of a farce forgotten, refused to go on with bher
there was no Mr. Yates. Somebody " I was not engaged to play with a
inquired loudly for him. brute," said this lady, " and I won't."