THE WHITE ELEPHANT.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2575, 8 July 1882, Page 3

THE WHITE ELEPHANT.

A TALE. Since the fjnndatlon of the City of Flatansquare, a matter of some thirty years, never had there been euch bi*h times as during the few months ■when the Great International Exhibition was being held there. The Exhibition itself was certainly a most creditable affair for what was, even for those railway times, a very young community. The bcHding had sprung up, so to speak, in a night, like Aladdin’s Fairy Pa’ace. It had its courts, its avenues, its transepts, and its cupolas. In it were to be f jund the produce of nearly every nation under the sun. Live Maoris sold flax mats with impossible tassels: from Japan there arrived a shipload of tea sets and China monsters at which the children recoiled : articles constructed of the purest Canadian gold were sold at figures ridiculously low : and there was a picture ga'lery containing many really genuine works of art Indeed, it would be impossible to describe the varied treasures that filled this great emporium from end to end. Then there were balls and concerts innumerable : also dog shows, bird shows, doll shows, and every sort of show that ever was showed, except a barmaid show.

The building had been opened In state by the Governor of the eoleny, and, taking one thing with another, during those few months of tho Exhibition fever its two promoters were about the biggest mm iu the community. The Groat Promoter was always to the front devising nsw schemes and saying pretty nothings to the principal inhabitants, while the Little Promoter waa equally energetic in his own department. A slice out of the people’s park on which tho building might be erected. had been granted by the Government for a limited period, and, to crown all, on one memorable occasion the Houses of Parliament adjourned for the expre?a purpose of allowing tho members to visit these halls of dazzling bliss. The fillip, too, given to tho town itself must not bo passed over. The hotels were crowded ; the Cathedral chimes, which had hitherto taken exrotly fire minutes to perform cnabar of ‘There’s naa luck about the house,’ smartened up and did It In two and a half minutes; while conversation, which is apt to grow dull iu an Isolated community, became suddenly as brisk as the most sparkling champagne, for the question ' Have yon been to the Exhibition lately !' was sure to lead, even with the oust bashful young man, into a fall stream of delightful con tabulation.

The time fur olosing this wonderful show at last drew near, as all good things must have a finish. Exhibitors began to pack up their goods. Exhibition medals were distributed lavlshly-~a snro sign of the beginning of the end. Young ladies looked forward with no small horror to the time when tho afternoon promenade in the building would no longer be possible. And the Groat and the Little Promoter began to think seriously of what should be done with their structure. There were evidently only two courses open It might easily—very easily—be broken up and sold piecemeal, or it might be sold as it stood. As to the first process the result would be, at the best, but uncertain. The second waa evidently the correct method, if a satisfactory figure ccu'd be obtained. * A People’s Palace,'had whispered the Great Promoter to the Little Promoter, when tho jinks were still at their highest. The Little Promoter had smiled. Soon the occasion of the visit of tho members the affair waa first mooted publicly, and a convert to the brilliant idea was found in the person of the Mayor of Flatansquare. That worthy gentleman had, with a patriotism worthy of all praise, given, in the early days of the Exhibition, a grand Inaugural ball, which, by its marked success had naturally added, ia no small degree, to his popularity, and had made the citizens both proud of their chief officer aud attached, to his champagne. The proposal by the aid of such powerful assistance grew apace. A company was formed for the, purchase, a Bill was introduced Into Parliament alienating to them the rite, a price wis settled by arbitration, and the matter wav carried to a satisfactory conclusion. The structure passed out of the hands of the Promoters, who forthwith left hurriedly to start another show in tho classic East.

When the exhibitors had all cleared out, it was found that the avenues were somewhat draughty, nnd the general tout ensemble of the People’s Palace was hardly as cheerful as might be. Still inhabitants of Platansquare wars proud of their new possession, and kept on giving their balls and concerts there in fact got up a good many more balls and concerts than they would have done if the Palace had not been standing. But by degrees it began to be observed that the amount of sneezing that took place among the weaker vessels, particularly of the female sex, after a ball in the Palace was quite abnormal. A dance there generally entailed a doctor’s visit a [few days afterwards. The loss reckless among the young ladies noticed that, aa the building grow older, so did the mysterious winds that played around their exposed shoulders become stronger and stronger. And they reluctantly, but finally, came to the oonclunou that the Palace was somewhat ton well ventilated, and refused to go to any more balls held there. When this resolution was notified to the Company, most of tho members looked somewhat aghast. The Chairman, however, who was no other than the worthy Mayor, said that, after all, it did not much matter, because all along hia idea had been that tho Palace should be principally used for public meetings and dinners. And so, as a uow Governor had just been appointed, and was shortly exp-ctod in Plalansqunre, it was determined that a grand banquet should be given to him in the Palace. Tho day came, but the weather was anything but Queou’s weather. A steady downpour started before d aud continued without intermission. The Governor and suite, arriving at tho Palace doors in covered carriages, wire landed dry enough, but no sooner had they entered than they were made painfu’ly conscious that the floor of bauquatting hall bore a remarkable resemblance to a map of the war'd, in Its equal distribution into tracts of laud and water Moreover, from above ihiro fell an almost impalpable but steady mist, through which tho numerous lights looked bfu rod and dim. The Governor was a man of rerve, but he shuddered. ‘ I feel my ardor for the f ay somewhat damped,’ he muttered aside to his aide-de camp, 'the latter by tho inflect'ou of the Governor’s voice know from long ex poritnee that this was intended fir a joke, and, notwithstanding that he was a martyr to sciatica, laughed consumedly for several miuuto-3. At last tho feist was finished. The health of the illustrious visitor was proposed, and he lose to reap nd. At this moment an unusually violent gust of rain was heard outside, the roof creaked, and a waterfall of considerable dimensions projected it elf with great force between the hack of tho vice regal dress coat and the vice regal skin. Jumping aside with the activity of a man cf half hia years, tho Governor with the greatest presence of mind unfurled his umbrella, which luckily lay close at hand, finished his speech uudor its hospitable shelter, hardly making a pause in his fluent addr-ss. The cheers that followed this coup de parapluie were loud and prolonged. Never perhaps in tho hlatny of Flatanequare had a speaker so risen to a groat occasion. * JTiomicl,' said the Mayor, ‘dare’s a bui'ding for you. free how it has brought the Governor out !’

Notwithstanding tho lucky circumstance that had brought the character of the Cover nor sriprominenfcly into pubUcnot'c •, it was felt -h;,t tho goci name of the Palace had suffered somewhat from the lata entertainment. Sm the Company, haying been founded on a porely commercial basis, and fearing for its dividends, determined to Inaugurate theatrical entertainments at mi lion prices, it was considered that tho venture would pay, because a very largo number could be aooommndated in the principal hall. Having procured the services of a capital company, attractive playbil'a were issued, and the night of the 20th of January, 1534, was fixed on for the opening performance. And now at last the Company thought they had hit on the right idea. Tho hall was crammed; tha prices had drawn ; and although the acoustic properties of the place wore not al. that could be desired, tho piece was going with an excellent awing. But suddenly some larrikin, who thought that he would get as much excitement for bis shilling as possible,

and who was dissatisfied because there appeared every prospect In the play of the virtuous young man coming out triumphant over the villain, raised a cry of 1 Fire.’ Never waa there such a harrying and scurrying. A rush was made by all to get out of the building, but the exits were small and badly arranged. Women shrieked and fainted. Councillor Smith, had his collar-bone broken. The Chairman of tho Electric Light Company Limited fell under a monthly nurse and sustained severe internal injuries. Other casualties there were too numerous to mention. But the Mayor opened his clasp-knife and, dashing at the side wall, ripped open the canvas of which it was formed and escaped scatheless. *' Donner vnd Blitz,” ho exclaimed. “ dere are not many places as handy as the Palace in a fire.” ~v7 The earthquake of February, 1884, will long be remembered by the inhabitants of Flatansquare. It wa* indeed a ‘terrific shake, far surpassing anything that had been previously felt. Chimneys were tumbling about in all directions. Many substantial buildings were utterly wrecked. Women rushed out of the houses in terrible deshabille. Councillor Snooks, colliding violently in his headlong career across the road against a brother magnate with whose . vffews cn municipal matters ho had hitherto entirely coincided, gave him one s’raight from the shoulder and altered his local politics at one and the same time. Tho gilt cross on the top of the Cathedral spire was swung clear across tho roadway and hit the statue of the Rev. Mr Godless clean in the loft eye, carrying away the whole of that aide of the face. It also gave tho entire figure a further cant backwards, thus still further adding to the air it had previously possessed of stupefaction at the success of Canterbury colonization. Indeed, people in general seemed not only shaken out of their beds, but out of their seven senses and universal terror prevailed. However, as no second shook was felt, the alarm gradually subsided, and general curiousity was felt as to how tho PeopVo Palsoa had stood its first earthquake. The Company sallied forth in a body, and made towards the Park. A curious spectacle greeted them. The entire edifice had been shaken out of the perpendicular to an extent of nearly 45 degrees, but, owing to the luoky looseness of its construction, no further damage had been done. In the Company wore many men of an eminently practical turn of mind. Before twenty-four hours were over, horses and bullocks were taken up to the Palace grounds, ropes were attiohod to tho corner cupolas, and the building was hauled back into the perpendicular by main force. Said the Mayor—“ Mein Cfott, dere are few buildings as handy in an earthquake as tho People’s Palace!” YI. But ia 1885 the prospects of the company began permanently to cloud over. There was no denying the fact that the uprights of tho Palaoo were beginning to rot, and that the whole building could no longer even pretend to keep out the weather. Its spacious corridors were no more cheered by the sound of the human voice. As for concert, ball, or public dinner, such a thing was never dreamt of in that once busy spot. Another year passed slowly by, and gradually tho building commenced to fade away. First, the cupolas fell in ; next, huge gaps appeared dn the walls, and the edifice rapidly assumed the appearance of a venerable ruin, But the company had not yet played its lest card. “ Why not let it out for picnics,” suggested tho Mayor, “ Dere are no ruined castles here as in Faderlar.d. Let it be our Draobenfels. Tea and shrimps in a real ruin will be a new sensation for the citizens.” Anl so once more children gambolled down the avenues and lovers met as of yore at the edge of the fish pond. Tho roofless tenement *was admirably picturojque. The Mayor was in eostacies. Nothing so weird had ever yet been seen in so new a colony. And one day as a picnic party approached their camping ground they found seated on a prostrate ratter an elderly gentleman, who cortooualy lifted his bat as they approached. Tho stranger viewed the preparations for the feast benignantly. “ How unlike old times,” he muttered, looking round at the ruin. “ I loft them a white, elephant. I return, and via foi, I find nothing but the bones 1” He was the Great Promother en route for Ooomaseie to start there a Grand International Exhibition, which was to be opened on the first of the following year by the Ring of tho Ashantees with novel and thrilling ceremonials.