The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1858-02-05
Mistrllantous.
Life of n Lion

Let as sketch the story OF . lions
life, beginning with his marriage, which
take. place toward the end OF January 4
He has first to seek his vile, but as the
males are more abundant than females,
who are often cut Of in infancy, il is
not rare to find you g lady pestered
by the addresses Of three or four gal.
lan,s, who q ,arrel with the acerbiy OF
Jealous lovers II one does not succeed
in disabling or driving a way the others,
madam, impatient and dissatisfied, Leads
them.into the presence OF an old lion,
whom she has appreciated alta distance.
The lovers fy at him with the temerlty
OF outh and transportation; the old iei'
Low receives them with calm assurance,
breaks the neck Of the first with hi. ter
rible Jaws, smsshes the leg Of the sec
ond, and tears out the eyes OF the third.
No sooner is the day won and the field
clear, than the lion tosses his name III
the air, as he rpsrs, and then crouchcs
by the side OF the lady, who, as re-
ward for his courage, licss his wounds
careusingly. When t~o adult lions
are the rivals, the Q, counter is more
serious.
An Arab, pcrched in tree one night,
saw loncss followed by atuwny With
a full grown name. She lay down al
the foot OF the tree; the lion stopped on
his path and seemed TO listen. The
hrsb then heard the distant growing OF
u lion, which was Instantly replied to
by the lioness under the tree. This
made her husband roar furiously.
The distant lion was heard approach
ing, and as he came nearer, the loness
roared louier. which seemed TO agltate
her husband; for he marched towards
her as il 10 force her to be silent, and
then sprang back to his old post, roar
ing defiance at his distant rival.
Thiscontinued about an hour. when
black lion made his appearance on
the plain. The lioness rose to go to-
wards him, but her husband, guessing
her inte ntion bounded towards his rival
The two crouched and sprang towards
each other. rolling on the grass in The
embrace OF death. Their bones crack
cd, their flesh was torn, their cries o'
rage and agony rent the air, and all this
time the lioness crouched, and wagged
her tail slowly. in sign OF satisfaction
When the combat ended, and both war
riors we're stretched on the plain, she
rose, smelt them, satisfied herself tha
they were dead, and trotted OIL quite
regardless OF the uncomplimentary ePi
thst which the indignant Arab shouted
after her.
This, Gerard tells US, is an example
OF the conjugal fidelity Of my lady
whereas the lion never quits his vile
unless forced, and is quite pattern o
conjugal affection.
Our lion, then, is married. let us say
He is the slave OF his wife. II is sh'
who always takes ptecedence; whe'
she stops, he stops. On arriving at tn
douar (the collection Of tents-wha
we call "village,") for their supper
he.fies down, while -hs zlsaps into ih
inclosurs and brings TO her the booty
He watches her while che eats, takin
care ,hat no one. disturbs her; and nc
until her appetite is satisfied does h
begin his meal, Towards the end
Dscsmber they seek anisoiated ravin'
smdshere! She sprssen,s hef lord vii
ono, two, and sometimes three, PupPie'
Generally ono male and ono 4
male. II the reader has ever seen
handled puppy lion, he will unde
stand the idolatry oil the father an
mother. She never quits them Tor q
instant, and be only quits them TO brin
home supper. When they are thrs
months old their woaning commence
The mother sccus,oms them graduall
10 Il, by absenting herself Tor long
and longer periods, and bringing the
pieces Of mutton carefully skinned, |,
The father. whose hsbitual demeanet
grave, bscomss fatigusd with the iriv
fous sports OF children, and ior the sal
az tranquility removes his lodging to
distance, within reach. however, 10 re
bdsE slijsAnos II required. AZ the q
ioof4eur or 1--WE months, tho children u
Iip6 tbsir motksr to the border Of =
aferssk swhsrss their (atner brings the
thS{r knk>ls.i xAAs;x roonth 0ld III