Huntington independent. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1871-1874, 1873-11-27

they could sttack the iIon.
This Mrs. Benton comprehended
She saw no way Of escspe, her only
help was ip Providence.
Watching the figures as he sped
on ct the head Of the seameu, the
young missionary almost screamed
in his great sgony, expecting every
moment TO see his wife and child fall
prey to the N 'tor. The lion now
be:ng 10 a line with the fugitive, the
muskets we're useless in the hands o!
the sailors, who would not fire at the
animal for fear of hitting Mrs. Ben
ton
The 8 rength Of the lat er, in spite
of her efforts, was evidently giving
way. Her limbs trembled under her,
she suayed from side to side, and her
gasping sobs could be beard even BY
the sailors.
The savage pursuer now gained
With fearful rspidity.
"Grest beavensr screamed Mr..
Benton, striking his forehead with
bis hand. "cau nothing be doner
"Firelv shouted the missionary. 81
give you leave. There is no other
slterpative.'
"True," answered the csptsin. as
male as death. "it must be either the
lion or the bullet"
He gave bis orders; the men took
aim and fired But neither the
beast nor the lady was harmed. 10
their fear lest they should bit the
latter, the marksman bad aimed too
high.
On went the pursuer aud pursued,
the lion not more than two yards be
hind his intended victims.
Mrs. Benton sav ahead a clump Of
slender trees. evidently growing from
a cleft 10 the rock. A wild hope ami
mated her, aod gave renewed strength
TO her f.lteripg limbs. By getting
behind the trees and dodring, might
she not eontrive TO elude rhe animal
until the party from below should
arrive?
The cluster Of trees vas now the
coveted goal, ard she strained every
nerve to reach it. But when she was
within ten feet of it, she met with =
fearful disappointment, a deep, yswu-
ing chasn, right in her pa'h between
her and the trees. and which had
hitherto been hidden from her sight
bv hi.:h bushes friuging the edge.
The chasm was too wide TO leap
over. She turned and stood at hay,
her back to the abvss aud her face
toward the lion. There seemed no
hope now. Death was before and
behind her, hemmiug her on both
sides.
The lion paused rs ste turned to-
ward him. He uttered growl of
triu nph, aud crouched for the fatal
spring,
The lady strained her child closer
to her bre at. To descend the dark
depths of the chasm was preferable
70 being torn bv that savage monster
There was no time to lose. 10 an
other moment the tawny Lody must
come swoopiDg down upon her.
But nova quick, Wild tboughi-
a mothers inspiration, flushed
through her brain Under the arm
pits. she clasped the child with each
hand, and raised it high above her
head. so that the bleeding scratches
on irs white flesh we're fully exposed
to the lions view.
That sight reused to the full thr
uncomfortable desires Of the savage
beast With q smothered roar he
shot up from the rock, his huge foru
clesving the air wi;h one tremendous
bsund for the child
That vas Whist Mrs Benton had
waited for. Bv elevating her child
she had compelled the lion TO take
lofty leap. and. DOW with her little
one she quickly sank fat on the rock,
thus eluding the monster, which uf-
tering one long. wild terrible roar.
was carried head foremost out Of
sight for evermore. into the frigh,ful
depths Of the chasm
Nearly sepseless from the fatigue
and excitement she had undergone,
Mr., Benton VS. soon rfter conveyed
to the ship by her rejoicing friends,
who next day left far behind them
the place Of that exciting scene of 4
mothers peril and timely STRAIT gem.