Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1860-06-30
THE DEATH.BED OF A LION.

THE DEATH-BED OF A LION.
Every one may not be scientific but
every one may at least be- a close observer
of nature animate aud nature inanimate.
If plain people, with good eyes and open
hearts, would but keep notebook for
their original observations, and jot down,
in few words, the simple facts Of life
among Gods lower creatures, the great
men of the day would always have good
story or fine materials TO deal with. The
philosopher would stand at ease on the
grand platform of truth, and build with
stones readily heEn to his hand, inste ed
of having to send his thoughts wide over
the land in search of straw wherewith to
make bricks for the house of his widom,
or perhaps to gather offers for the wad-
died wigwam Of a nomadic theory.
" Do animals understand what death
is DO they recognize its coming signs? ?"
asks the uninitiated. "No,' says gifted
philosopher of our acquaintance, you
never see animals apprehendiug the mean,
ing of DEATH Very well, then, here is a
fact:
The writer once strayed into mena-
gorie in the North of England, which had
campcd for day or two in little moun-
tain metropolis. A large, elderly lion was
making an involuntary tour of the coun>
try, in company with his wife, and a fine
family of young people. What an insult
to put the desert monarch iuto such vul-
gar clap trap travelling carriage as this!
But what is the matter with the grand
old lion? He is in pain surely he is in
pain. His breathing is short, and is
drawn with effort; his nostrils are spread
wide, lips drawn back, and that great,
shaggy chest heaves unoasily. He is suf-
fering from bronchitis, for he evidently
cannot bear the keen air of the North.
He is couchant; but now he lifts his head
high, and looks round and round the show
into the hundred faces Of that unfeeling
crowd, as if searching for sympathy,
But no; they cannot read his eye of
mute appeal; he is nothing to them but a
great, tawny lion, with shaggy mano,
and tufted tail. Suddenly he rears him.
self up to his full stature, throws back his
grand head, uttcrS tremendous desert
roar, and falls down heavily on his side
dead. Dead; but with an imperial ges-
turc, such as CAESARS, when he fell.
Look at the widow. She has been ia.
king short and stately turns up and down
the den--a very Juno in her gait, and in
her temper, too. But she stops, look,
inquiringly at the PROSTATE figure, draw:
nearer, bends her head with an anxious
bcwildered look, and then, as if at last
receiving the great idea, she throws her
self down upon the dead monarch with
great abandonment. Presently up comes
the heir; crown prince he was--ho is the
young king now lie stops short, in a
fierce, brusquc attitude, spreads his nos
trils, flashes his eyes, and snorts aloud
That was long and searching gaze, tru-
I ly. But at last he, too, filings himself
down with great sounding .l2p upon the
dead body of the old lion. Up comes the
coarse looking keeper, and dogs away the
widow and the son. But they watch their
opportunity, and stalk forward again, and
throw themselves down in the same atti-
tude of grief Again the hateful whip,
and again they spring to the other end OF
the room, with short, impatien, roar
Three times did this take place, and three
times did they return to the same posi-.
ton, abandoning themselves to the same
eloquent symbols of grief. Not many can
say that they have been present at the
death bed of a lion; and never can the
scene, so touching, and yet so grand, be
forgotten.
sas- A New York paper, in announcing
the wreck of vessel near the Narrows
says;
A" The only passengers were T. B
Nathan, who owned three fourths of the
cargo and the captains wife.
In another paper We find the following
! advertisement
For SALE.-An excellent young horse
would suit any timid lady or gentleman
with long silver tail.
! We heard a good Methodist preacher
60 on in this way;
Gas I was riding along on one of thost
beautiful Western prairies, with my deal
old wife, who has since gone to heaven il
7 n buonv ~