Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1857-01-31


began playing with him at hide-and. seek en-
braciDg him with an ardor, which was more
atfectionate than agreeable. "One night, in
high spirits, he embraced me so fervently,
that should have been strangled had they
not beat him away with their sabre-sheaths.
That was the last time cared to play hide
an1-seek with him But must DO him
the justice to say, that in all our struggles
he scrupulonsly avoided using his teeth or
talons; be was the same to all he liked ana
to whom he was really very affectionate and
gentle"
Hubert was sent to Paris, and placed in
the Jardin des Plantes whero some time
afterwards Gerard went to see him. He was
lying half asleep, gazing with indifference on
all the vsiters when suddenly he raised his
head, his eyes dlatcd, nervous twitching Of
the muscles Of his face and agitation of his
tail showed that the eight of the well-known
uniform had reused him. He recognised the
uniform, but had not yet identified his old
master. His eyes eagerly iDterrogated this
vaguely remembered FORM Gerard approach
ed, aud, unable to resist his emotion, thrust
his hand into the cage. 1t was teaching
moment which followed; without taking his
eyes from Gerard, he applied his nose to the
outstretched hand, aud began to breathe
deeply; with every breath his eye became
more affectionate, and when Gerard said to
him, well, Hubert, my old soldier !" he made
q terrible bound against the bars of his pri-
sous which trembled beneath his weight
My friends alarmed, sprang back, and called
on me to do the same. Noble beast thou art
terrible, even in thy love lie stood up,
pressed against the bars, striving to break
through the obstacle which separated us. He
was magnificent as he stood there roaring
with joy and rage. His rough tongue licked
with Joy the hand which abandoned to him
while with hi, enormous paws he tried TO
draw me gentle to him. No sooner did any
one approach the cage than he few ont in
frightiul expressions of anger, which changed
into calmness and caresses on their retreating
1t is impossible for me to describe how pain
tul our parting was that day. Twenty times
| was forced TO return to reassure him that
he would see me Ggan and each time that
| moved out Of sight he made the place tremble
with his bounds and cries" Poor Hubert
this visit, and the long tete-dtetes OF subse
quent visits, made captivity little less pain
ful to him, but the effect seemed to be inju.
rious on the whole. He dropped, and the
keeper attributed it 20 these visits, which
perhaps made him languish for the camp and
his old days of liberty. lie died, leaving Ge-
rard firmly resolved to kill rs many lions IS
! he conld, but to capture 10 more; death in
the forest, by rife, being infinitely prefer
rable to pulmonary disease bread in q pri-
| son.
| Has the lion power of fascination ? The
Arabs all declare be has and both men and
beasts are forced to follow him when once he
exercises that power over 1herl. The royal
aspect and the piercing splendor Of mis- tswuy
eye, together with all those associations Of
! b;,l, nnll a,,T
| fee to paralyze, and Iascinate an unhappy
victim although Gerard says, for his part.
he never felt the slightest inclination to fol-
low aud exclaim-
| "Oti, &c ia suite, roll de tn suite j'en suits
| For our own part, we can believe in any
amount of fascination We were once EN-
braced by an atfectionate young lioness, who
put her paws lovingly around our neck, and
would have kissed our cheeks, had not that
! symptom Of q boldness more than madeny
been at once by US yirtuously repressed. The
fascination of this tawny maiden, by whose
embrace we were haunted for a fortnight, was
| equalled 10y the humiliation We felt on another
occasion in the presence Of the forest king.
| All visitors to the Geological know and
admire the noble lion who occupies the last
den and most visitors have seen his wrath
when the keeper approaches the den before
the bone he is knawing is thoroughly clean.
The sight of his wrath and the sound of his
growl greatly interested us, and the keeper
not being at hand to excite them, We one day
got over the railing opposite his den, and
/ began dancing and Kissing before him, in q
wild and, as we imagined, formidable man
ner.--lnstead Of flashing out in wrath and
thunder. the lion turned his eye upon us, and
in utter contempt continued licking his legs
of beef, perfectly untroubed by our Kissing
probably asking himself the meaning of
those incomprehensible gesticulations. We
felt small. lie evidently did not think us
get back over the railing, utterly discounted
by the quiet dignity Of his majesty.
| However, on this subject of fascination, let
us hear the story which Gerard heard from
the Arabs. Some years ago, Seghir, the hero
Of this adventure, was denied the hand Of his
mistress, from no worse crime than impecuni-
| osity, which has cut many true love knot,
and he thought il simpler to elope with his
beloved. He, did 80 but Lis path was dam
gerous, and he armed himself to the teeth.
In his path he suddenly espied lion walking
straight toward them. The girl shricked so
learfully that she was heard trom the tents,
and several men rushed ont 10 the rescue
When they arrived, they saw the lion walking
few PAGES in front of Seghr, on whom his
eyes were constantly fixed, and leading him
thus towards the forest. The young girl in
vain tried to make her lover cease TO follow
the lion, in vain tried to separate herself
from hlm. lie held her tight and drew her
with him, saying, Come, . my beloved, our
S3igueur commands US; come" "Why don't
you use your arms p she cried. Arms? !
have none replied the fascinated victim.
"Seigneur, believes her not she lies; il
am armed; | will follow you wherever you
will" At this moment eight or ten Arabs
came up ard fired. AS the lion did not fall,
they took 10 their heels. With one bound
the lion crushed Seghir to the earth, and
taking his head within his enormous jaws,
crunched it after which he lay down by the
side of the young girl, placing his paws upon
her knees.
The Arabs now, finding that they we're not
pursued, took courage, reloaded and returned
At the moment their guns were pointed he
sprang into the midst Of them, seized one
with his jaws, and 2 with his claws, dragging
them thus together, so that the three formed
as it were, but one mass OF flesh he pressed
them under him, aud maugled them as he