Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1853-12-23
MISCELI.ANY.
The Starving Lion,

The following incident is from DR.. Way
lands Memoirs of the Missionary Judson,
published few days since. 1T occurred du-
ring the period of Mr. Judson's cruel persc-
cution by the Burman authorities
After Mr.. Judson had been about a month
in the loathsomc inner prison, he was attack
ed by slow fever, winch threatened iq des-
troy his life HIS guardian angel was, as
ever. on the alert hut it was in vain that
she cntrcatcd PERMISSION to rebuild his room
in the prison yard About this time the
poor sufferers were astonished by most
singular accession to their numbers. Some
thing like year prcviou, to the commence
ment Of the war, the king had received from
some foreigner il present of Il lion. The no.
bile beast had been particular invoritc with
him, and an object Of grca! interest at court.
But it was nQw whispered about, and with
mysterious meaning in the whispers, that the
English bore Il lion upon their standard.
The disgracGiul defeat of Bandooa. his
alarming final fall, and the utter incilicicncv
of the hardest Burman troops before these
charmed warriors, We're matters of grave con-
ference, and strange glanccs were cast toward
the kings noble pet; but for II time no one
dared to speak. The matter was first broached
by the queens brother, an ignorant, brutal
fellow. who owed his elevation lrum the lot of
common iishmonger entirely to his clever,
intriguing sisters = power over the king
! lie was positive that the English had de-
monac ally IN the pala 70, in the shape of this
1 regal-looking beast, which had entirely won
the heart of the king. The pakanwoon, Il
: mAG Of more sense, but, like all Burnans, SUI
pcrstitious, seconded his opinions ana other
counS"llors, now that they burst speak, came
in with floods of argument and testimony
The king rcpcllcd the idea of any connection
/ between his iayOritc and the enemy as absurd
in the extreme, hut 1t last consented to the
, animal s being sent to .he death prison though
he expressly stipulated that it should not he
slain without his order. The queens brother
however, gave secret directions to the keepers
not to furnish the animal with food and st
mcrciess was he well known to he in the exc,
rution of his vengeance. that they dared not
disobey him, even to please the king.
The cage all newly iropcl and harricaded
as though some unusual resistance was cx
Pcctcd, was placed in the prison yard. clos,
against the principal building, And now
. commenced Il new and fearful scene of misery
The unhappy prisoners had seen men starved
and beaten and smothcrcd, and stranglcd t,
death, then dragged by the feet from the door
and thrust like dog, into some shallow pit
or left for wild Digs to dcyour; and the,
Thought they had gained fearful lamilarit,
with every species of wretchedncss. Bu
there was something almost supernatural il
tins new horror--a gradually starved lion
Day after day, the noble beast writhcd in th,
pangs Q! hunger, purchcd with thirst, nu,
bruised and bleeding in is icnrful stru.,, -
while lis roarinSS seemed - &lnlr tuc prison
to it's ioundptions, and sen, It thrill ul indies
- criha'lc t"rrQr to the hearts Of thrucc4luuts
, The .nilor SAID it was the !ili.st LION incl
5 iectually strugs ling against th' e,ugu.riu
f, Burmans though even hi, iurotious feature
a Were somewhat { longatoa by suPrrsrl,ou
fears. Sometimes IA cIlupa lanltr WomaI
wqnll steal to the cage a,t,r t,.s, and thrA
IA mQrscl Of food between the bars; bat il wa
, necessarily trillc to ihe powerful beast, an
served only To increase his rawlings. AT othe
times one ofthc kccpcre would throw pals c