The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1873-06-19
- elect II ale
A Mothers straiasem.

In June, 1860, the ship Wanderel
left the settlement of Monrovia, oi
the coast of Liberia, in Africa. hav
ing on board, among her passengers
bound homo to England, Mr.. Benton
q young missionary, and his beauti
full wife Helen, with their child,
title girl three years old.
For three weeks the vessel en-
countered a succession OF head wind,
together with violent squalls, whicl
driving her towards land, at length
compelled her captain to anchor il
a small bay on the coast Of Morocco
It was beautiful spot, but O few
hundred yards from one of the hal
detached peaks Of the Atlas Noun
tains.
Gazing inland, the passengers be
held wealth of verdure, with tai
trees and climbing plants, and flow
ers Of variegated hue, many Of th,
latter ascending to the top Of tn,
rocky hills, and hanging down in
long, graceful festoons over the val
leys between.
In tho afternoon, the gale having
abated, the captain lowered q boa,
to make soundings in the bay.
~ would 30 like to take little Clarf
ashore said Helen to her husband
"You know she has been teasing ut
all day long for some Of those prett,
flowers"
"very well; if the captain will take
the trouble to put us ashore, we vii
60" said Benton.
The captain having readily given
his consent, the two passengers were
soon landed on the beach.
"Dont go too far away sir, SAID
the skipper, as he showed off again
But little Clara, breaking from hel
parents, now ran up one Of the lofty
rocky elevations, the sides OF which
were covered with shrubbery of the
most attractive color.
"Wait for me, George" said Helen
to her husband, "and I will bring
her back"
The height the child was ascending
to being very steep, she had pro
ceeded about q hundred yards ere
her mother overlook her. The naked
arms and shoulders Of the little one
were by this time scratched at sever
al places from contact with the briers
Mrs. Benton, therefore, dipping her
handkerchief in q spring trickline
down o rock, was about applying il
to the bleeding parts, when she wai
suddenly startled by Q roar, deer
and prolonged, like rumbling thun,
der, apparently emerging from the
very heart Of the mountain, and
shaking it to its centrei
Terrified, she turned, to behold
an awful spectacle-the huge, brist
ling head and round, glaring eyes Of
that most dreadful Of wild beasts
an African ionl
First the head, and then the sup
pie tawny body, appeared from the
shrubbery, the tail whisking furious
ly to and fro, the name standing on
end, the fiery tongue and sharp fangs
visible, as a second roar came boom
ing from the cavernous throat.
"Just Heaven! was all the poor
lady could gasp, as, with a mother
instinct, she snatohed the child to her
brtast.
Mr.. Benton now saw her danger,
He was unarmed, but he shouted 10
the men in the boat, who, turning,
also perceived Helsn's peril.
To gain the ships side, TO call for
and obtain loaded muskets, was, with
the captain, the work Of few min:
utes. Then he directed the boat
ashore. A cracking report wss
heard as one Of the weapons was dis
charged, and, with Q terrible roar,
the lion turned, slightly wounded
looking towards the seamen.
Only for moment, however the
next, away he went in pursuit Of Mrs
Benton, who, with the speed Of des
psratiop, her child olasped tightly
in her arms. was fleeing up The
height
On she ran, the lion, though wound
ed, gaining hat Now and then she
would turn 10 behold that hidsoui
bead within few yards Of her, ths
syes now resembling great white cir
olss, with lambent points Of fame d
tbs centre while TIE closed tech end
Wriikled noetrils beloksned that Il
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