Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-08-30

\ to erowl. Now, Isthought the time /.
/ comei He rose on his feet and growled
louder, al the while looking hard At me,
Il braced myself up for struggle. with
my gun in my left hand and my handker-
chief il my right I had . notion of en-
deavoring 70 thrust the gun crosswise into
his mouth, and then getting my right
hand down his throat. It was very poor
chance, but the only one Lett, and ! meant
10 die game. 49,
sIn fact, had given up all hope. But
| In few minutes the lion, TO nay surprise,
became quiet again and sat down. He
did not lie down, as before, but kept his
head stretched forward toward me, like q
cat inteHtly examining some object. At
last he lay down again Is though he waa
satisded about the matter that had dis.
turhed him. But In another tan minutes
or 30 he rose up once moro to his feet and
growled more ferociously than ever.
1t struck me then that another Hon
might be cautiously approaching me be-
hind, and that my particular friend was
Directing to any division Of the spoil II
this were the case my fate would soon be
settled Then thought it Just possible
that my men might be making some at
tempt to save me under cover Of the dark.
ness but there was little likelihood OF
their mastering courage enough to do
anything efectuaL was now fully awake,
% you may suppose. The lion was stand
ing up, growing continually, and NOV
ing from side to side % he felt uncertain
what 70 do. At last he crouched, and !
saw clearly that he was getting ready for
DAT that moment I heard loud yell
behind me, and saw everything around
lighted up by blaze Of fire. The yell
was kept up constantly for minute or
two, and all at once somebody, looking a.
though his head and shoulders were al in
blaze, came running IN between mo and
the lion. The brute gave most tremen-
dous roar, more in fright than anger, and
went bounding of into the darkness.
II then saw that the person with the
fire was Apollo himself The blaze had
gone out, but the little fellow had two or
three lighted brands in each hand, and
was flourishing them about his head and
dancing.snd whirling around in frantic
way like little demon though to me,
just then, he seemed like an angel Of
light. The poor little creature was In
such state Of terror that he could hard
ly speak, and did not hear word said.
Load the gun! load the gum he kept
screaming. The beast will come back |!
Load the gum
"This was good advice, and 1 followed
il as quickly az could At first, on rising,
found myself 90 stiff that could hardly
move my limbs. But the blood soon be-
gan to circulate again, and when l had
loaded up we moved of toward the wag-
ons Apollo ran before me all the way,
still in terrible fright, with frying pan
on his head and . flrebrand in his right
hand, jumping and screaming like mad.
man to scare the wild beasts
I'VE got safely 10 the out-span place,
and when I had something to stay my
hunger, made Apollo tell me how he
managed the affair, which was still mys-
terry me. / found that the poor fellow
had tried hard all day TO induce the other
men to join him In going TO my relief
They made one attempt In the morning,
as / mentioned; but their hearts failed
them. At night Apollo made up his mind
to undertake the business by himself, and
he set about it in a really ingenious man
ner. He took one Of my large trying.
pans, and covered the inside with thin
coating of gunpowder, just enough moist.
ened to make it burn slowly. Over this
he placed some straw which used for
packing, and sprinkled dry powder upon
It anu on the top of al he raised little
heap Of brushwOod and dry sticks. With
this on his head, he started from the wag.
ons Just AFTER dark. When he had come
about half way, he lay down and crswled
toward me 30 slowly and cautiously that
the lion did not observe him until he was
within hundred yards Of VI. Then 1t
was that the brute first rose up and began
growing.
heart became a. cold as ice, and he almost
went into fit. He lay perfectly still until
the lion became quiet, and he then began
again to creep forward, dragging himself
along on the ground, inch by inch, and
resting for minute or two at every yard
he made.
AT last, when he thought he was near
enough, he took out lucifer- match from
a box which he had brought from the
wagon and lighted il. He touched the
straw, which blazed up Immediately. Il
was while he Vas doing this that the lion
became 70 much excited; but Apollo lei
him no time 70 oct, Tor he dashed In
upon ~, as ! have told you, with thu
frying pan on his head and . burning
stick In his hand, and routed the enemy
ct onoe.
$50 now you know the reason why
feel such 3 particular regard for the little
Namaqua. l really believe he showed
more ingenuity and courage in saving my
life than he could have mustered to pre-
serve his own"
Apollo had certainly behaved in . mos
credtAble manner, and ! was ready to Cd
NIT that he deserved ell the good that hi
master could do for him. Az for the Hon
I supposed nothing more was seen o.
heard Of him.
"You are mistaken there, said Hutton,
~ have the best part Of him now Ut my
house. had An account 70 settle with
the rascal for the horrid torture / had
suffered through him. Besides - he
wss emincntly . man eater It would NOT
II q A.