Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1853-12-09
The starving Lion.

The following incident is from DR..
wayland's Memoirs Of the missionary
Judson. IL occurred during the peri
cd Of Mr.. Judson's cruel persecution
by the Burman authorities
After Mr.. Judson had been about
month In the loathsome inner prison,
he was attacked by slow fever, which
threatened TO destroy his life. His
guardian angel was, rs ever. on the
alert; but Il was In vain that she en-
treated permission TO rebuild his room
In the prison yard About this time
the poor sufferers were astonished by
n most singular accession TO thcrnum.
bers. Something like year previous
10 the commencement of the war, the
king had received from some foreigner
q present of lion. The poble, ,bc9st
had been particular mvorite With him
and an object OF great interest nj court.
But IL was now whispered about, and
with mysterious meaning In the wills.
pcrs. that the English bore lion upon
their standard.
The disgracoful defeat OF Bandoola,
his alarming final fall, and the utter
inefficicncy Of the hardest Burman
troops before these charmed warriors,
were matters OF grave conference, and
strange glances were cast toward the
kings noble pet; but for time no one
dared 10 speak. The matter WAS first
preached by the queens brother. an
ignorant. brutal fellow, who owed his
elevation from the lot Of common
iishmonger entirely TO his clever. in
triguing sisters power over the king.
He was positive that the English had
demoniac ally In the palace, in the per-
son Of this regal-looking beast, which
had entirely won the heart Of the king.
The pakan- woon, man OF more sense
but, like all Burmans. supcrstitious.
seconded his opinions; and other coun-
sellers, now that they durstspeak, came
in with floods Of argument and tcsti-
mony. The king repellod the idea Of
any connection between his fayorte
and the enemy rs absurd in the ex-
IRENE, but at last consented 10 the ami
mails being sent to the death prison,
though he expressly stipulated that il
should not be slain without his order
The queens brother, however, gave
secret directions to the keepers not to
furnish the animal with food; and so
mcrcilcss was he well known TO be in
the execution ofhis vengeance, that
they dared not disoboy him, even to
please the king.
The cage, all newly ironed and bar
ricaded, rs though some unusual re-
sistancc was expected, was placed in
the prison yard, close against the pris-
on building And now commenced u
new and fearful scene OF misery. The
unhappy prisoners had seen men star
we'd, aud beaten and smothcred, and
strangled TO death. then dragged by
the feet from the door, and thrust, like
dogs. into some shallow pit, or left for
wild dogs 10 dcvour; and they thought
they had gained fearful familiarity
with every species Of wrelchedncss.
But there was something almost su.
pernatural In this new horror-a grad.
ually starved lion. Day after day.
the noble beast writhed In the pangs Of
hunger. parehed with thirst. and bruis.
cd and bleeding In his fearful struggles.
while his roarings seemed TO shake
the prison 10 is foundations, and sent
n thrill of Understandable terror 10 the
hearts OF the occupants.
The jallor said Il was The British lion
Intellectually struggling against the
conquering Burmans; though even his
iacetious features were somewhat elon.
gated by superstitious fears. Some
times compassionate woman would
steal TO the cage after dark, and thrust
n morsel OF food between the bars: but
Il WAS necessarily triilo to the pow
crful beast. and served only to increase
his rawlings. AT other times one of the
keepers would throw pals of water
over him, which would be greeted with
almost human shrieks Of pleasure. tho
il only served to lcngthen for little
the terrible term of suffering. AT last
the scene was over. The skeleton OF
the poor beast was dragged from its
cage, and buried with more care than
many poor human skeleton had been
before.