Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-12-04

one or two PAGES further forward, towar
the edge of the opening, where he was I
come out, to have as close a shot as posi-
Bile.
| could still hear his steps at thirty pace
distant, then at twenty, then st fifteen, an
yet was all the while afraid lest he NIGH
turn back, or in some ma nner avoid Inc, o
that my gun might miss fire.
What if he should turn aside, what if h
should not come out of the woods, Witt
every new sound my heart beat in he avy
throbs with the intoxication of hope. Nov
all the life in my body rushed through m,
veins. then again my very lie was stilleC
by the emotion.
The lion, after a momentary pause, thai
appeared to me an age, started again, anC
| could see the slender tops of tree, whose
base he brushed, trembling as he passed, al.
most within sight. Now no more barrier
between me and him but the thick foliage
OF single tree.
| glarced at the sight on my gus, it was
barely visible; thanks to the lingering day
that still hung on the horizon, the transpar-
ency of the air, and the stars that were al
ready burning above me. This was enough
for close shot, end stepped still further
ahead, that might have nearer mark
But still the animal did not show himself,
and began to fear lest he should have the
instinct of m7 presence, and, instead os
walking slowly out. would clear the mastic
tree with single bound.
AS if to justify my fears, he commenced
grow ling, at first with two or three gutteral
sighs, and then increasing to the full force
Of his voice.
Fe!low-huntCr, it is for you I am writing.
You only can understand and feel my emo
lions. There: in the solemn forest at night,
stan ding alone in front of thicket from
whence are coming roars that would drown
the roll of thunder. / thought of my single
ball to hurl against L foe that has the
strength Of a hundred men in his single
arm, and that kills without mercy when he
is not killed himself.
You can truly say, that ic l had counted
on my own strength, that my heart would
then have been troubled, my eye dim, and
my hand trembling. | confess that those
roars made me feel my own ltteness, and
that without a firm will, and an abso ute
confidence, founded upon that Arm that is
ever around US and supports US, | would
have faltered and failed. But instead of
that, could hear that roar so near me with
out a fear, AID to the last remained the
mas.er of my own heart, and the director Of
my actions.
When heard the lion making his last
steps, moved little to one side.
| His enormous head came out from the
dense foliage, as he stepped with COM
manding grace into the light of the open
glade, and then he halted, half-exposed,
half-concealed; while his great eyes dill ated
on me with look Of asionishment. took
my aim between the eye and ear, and press
ed the trigger.
From that instant until the report of the |
piece my heart absolutely ceased to beat.
With the explosion of the gun, the smoke
shut out everything from my view, but a
long roar OF agony stunned my ear and
frightened the forest. /
My two Arabs sprung TO their feet, but
without moving from their places. | waited,
with one knee Oh the ground, and my poinard
iu my hand, until the smoke that obscured
the view should dssipate.
Then saw, gradually, first paw-and,
heavensI what paw Tor living beast
then a shoulder, then the disheveled name,
and, at last, the whole lion stretched out on
his side without sign Of lie.
"Beware! don't go near him." shouted
Bou- Azz, as lie threw large stone at him;
it fell on his head & bounced IF; he did not
move-Me lion ras dead.
That was The evening of ;he eight OF
July, one thousand eight hundred ami forty
four.
Without giving me time to approach my
prize, the Arabs sprung upon me Ike two
madmen, and ] was nearly thrown down
and crushed by their transports Of JOY and
gratitude. A iter me it came the lions turn;
and they overwhelmed him with recrimna-
tions and blows, and then from time to time
fired their guns in the air, TO spread the glad
tidings TO the distant douars. After they
had leapt, and gamboled, and hurrahed over
the animal, was permitted to draw near
him, and examine him at my ease, to look
at the size of his teeth, and to measure the
strength of his limbs, and place my hand OH
his tawny name. had no ifficulty in re-
cogniz;ng him by the Arab description OF
The Venerable.
To i've an idea of this lion, it vii, suffice
me to say that the united strength Of us
three men vas not sufficient to turn him
over as he lay, ana that his head was 30
heavy, that could scarcely lift it from the
earth.
With the echoes of the reports from my
companions guns, came the distant sound
of musketry; now here, and now there, as
the signal was rung from dOuar to dOuar,
around the whole base Of the mountain,
until, at last, it was general lusilade. In
about an hour The Arabs came in on foot
and horseback, hurrying forward to touch ,
and insult a foe hat had chilled their very ;
souls while living. Alter great efforts we
at length were enabled to put the lion on
two mules, placed side by side, and in this
manner marched down the mountain. 1t
was about midnight when We reached the g,
douar, and made our triummphal entry by ,
NE ll2nt ol nuSe uohHeS' WIFI sie Sounu Vi l.
music and OF guns, and the women chanting
the war-s,ng to the clapping of their hands. u
The body of the fallen king was laid out in
state on mat between two fires, and the c
whole population of the country marched d
in front of him in stately procession, that l
they might admire and apostroDhize the h
III ighty dead: and all night long, and until Il
the sunrise of the morrow, high revel and q
L roval wake was held in all the tents, for y
the lion of Ell Archioua. a
ANOTHER OF THE BETS AT Chicago n W
most singular be! was made upon the Pre- fl
sidential election by a German, ho bet his h
house, lot and wife and baby, that Fremont p
would be elected. After hearing the result W
be took his deeds, wife and child, AMI made b