, 1872-01-29

bad suffered and I have always held Ii
, doctrine that where q sin is thorough
repented Of, men should allow to di
!. ont OF remembrance that which the goo
God torgives; and SO, after a silent fash
ion, he and I became rather friendly
l talked to him, and made him tai
some also about the creatures in hi
charge, and praised him little once o
twice, and saw the dark blood sweep n,
to his brow like a girls blush; and afte
q while. when he had leisure, he woul.
come and sit near me when I was sketch
ing, and take curious but wordless not,
OF my work, and occasionally suggested
to me some slight points that caused m,
to wonder at his close and quick ohser
vation. Mr.. Kingsley had always Z.
CHEEKY something to say to him; and q,
look back now I am glad to think tha
Bill seemed to take an unusual comfort
as time went on, out of the distant com.
! FesAAoAAAP WALL uS tWOs
The season had been extremely hot
and August fairly blazed with the dry
fierce heat Of long drouth. It was on
one of the scorching, electric, kind Of
days that make men feel lstless, and
beasts restless and wicked to deal with.
that we halted in the suburbs of grow
ing city, and spread the canvas for an
exhibition. The big Bengal tigress had
been unusually uneasy all the morning
when lying prone on the floor of the
cage, she lashed her powerful tail, and
painted out low ominous growls as if the
bloodthirsty spirit of her lost liberty
was angrily astir, and she would start
up with sudden bound that shook her
prison, aud impatiently pace its narrow
limits with yellow eyes all afame, and
snarling lip drawn over the strong and
hungry looking teeth; and once or twice
she rolled herself against the thick
wires. and caught them in her great
claws as if she longed to tear the rest
ing bars from their secured sockets.
Bill kept careful watch on her antics,
and I heard him say to himself,
" ThereU be trouble with that vixin."
But the rest Of the collection were furn-
ishing them all with fresh drinks, and
throwing water on some to cool them
of, he had quite as much as he could
do before the hour fixed for the per-
formance, without devoting especial at
tention to any one animal.
There was crowded audience from
far and near; whole families from the
father down to the babe in arms, were
ranged on the hard benches to enjoy
the acting elephants and precocious po-
MES. There was even an extraordinary
number of children. for thriving Sun
day school had entered early, and noise
lessly secured nearly all the front seats,
and delighted anticipation shone on rows
of chubby and eager colntenances.
The peanut boys drove heavy trade,
and the venders of mugs of mead had
very profitable and active time, and all
was going on merry as a marriage bell
in the ring and out of 1t, when sud-
denly became aware that something
serious was the matter. for I saw Bill
slip quickly from behind the cage of
the fidgeting tigress, and come toa stat
uesque stand in full front of the amused
people who scarcely observed him,
amidst a round of uproarious applause;
but he was in his shirt sleeves and dead
ly pale-as well he might be, having
just discovered that the mighty beast
beside him had, by some unnoticed fran
tic effort, SO loosened the structure of
her cage that the next wrathful move
ment would render it fearfully unsafe.
There was not minute to be lost in the
creatures evidently excited condition,
further aggravated by the sounds Of the
band and tormenting attacks of exas-
peratiug flies; and Bill had rushed out
to look for Mr.. Kingsley among the au-
dience where he usually sat, and tell
him to dismiss the crowd as rapidly and
quietly as possible, not knowing what
instant the necessary power of protec-
ton would be past, but not seeing him
at the moment in his accustomed place,
Bill scarcely hesitated at announcing the
danger himself; but before his slow
speech could be framed into words that
could warn, not to severely alarm, it
was too late. .a
The awful animal crouching warily
in corner of its shattered enclosure,
gave an abrupt vault, and, swift as light
ming, amidst the startled shrieks Of the
terror stricken throng, rushed into the
open space before the encirling seats.
For second it stood still there, as
though dazed by its freedom, while the
struggling mass Of scared humanity,
with scarce regard for life and limb in
each other, fed in frenzied haste and
fright. But just % she had gathered
herself up for her second spring, our
quiet Bill made q simultaneous leap,
and landed square ON her bristling back.
with his muscular arms clasped tightly
around her swelling neck, and his legs