Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-07-02
A MOTHERS STRATAGEM.

among her passengers bound home to
England, Mr.. Bentons a Young mission
AIRY, and his beautiful wife Helen, with
their child-a little girl three years old.
For three weeks the vessel encountered
succession of head winds and violent
squalls, which, driving her toward land,
at length compelled her captain to anchor
in small bay on the coast of Morocco.
1t was beautiful spot, but few hundred
yards from one of the half-detacbed peaks
of the Atlas mountains.
Gazing inland, the passengers beheld
wealth of verdure with tall trees and
hue, many of the latter ascending to the
tops of the rocky hills, and hanging down
in long, graceful festoons over the valleys
between. H
In the afternoon, the gale having abated,
the captain lowered a boat to make sound
ings in the bay. s
81 would SO like to take little Clara
ashore" said Helen to her husband.
s'You know she has been teasing Us all
day long for some Of those pretty flow
ers." I'm
Every well; if the Captain will take
the trouble to put us ashore, we will 60"
said Benton. i47a
The Captain having readily given his
consent, the two passengers were soon
landed on the beach.
'Don't go too far away, sir" said the
skipper, as he showed off again.
But little Clara, breaking from her pa
rents, now ran up one of the lofty rocky
elevations, the sides of which were COW
cred with shrubbery of the most attractive
color.
"Wait for me, George" said Helen to
her husband, land [ will bring her
back"
The height the child was ascending to
being very steep, she had proceeded about
a hundred yards ere her mother overlook
her. The naked arms and shoulders of
the little one were by this time scratched
In several places from contact with the
briers. Mrs. Benton, therefore, dipping
her handkerchief in a spring trickling
down rock, was about applying it to
the bleeding parts, when she was sud-
longed, like rumbling thunder, apparently
mountain, and shaking it to it's center.
Terrified, she turned to behold an awful
spectacle-the huge bristling head and
round, glazing eyes of that most dreadful
of wild beasts-an African lion!
First the head, and then the supple,
tawny body, appeared from the shrub
berry, the tail whisking furiously to and
fro, the fiery tongue and sharp fangs visi-
ble as a second roar came booming from
the cavernous throat.
'Just Heaven!" was all the poor lady
could gasp, as with a mothers instinct she
snatched the child to her breast
Mr.. Benton now saw the danger. He
was unarmed, but he shouted to the men
In the boat who turning, also perceived
Helen's peril.
To gain the ships side. to call for and
obtain loaded muskets, was, with the Cap
tain, the work of few minutes Then
he directed the boat ashore. A cracking
report was heard as one of the weapons
was discharged, and, with terrible roar,
the lion turned, slightly wounded, look
ing toward the seamen.
Only for a moment however; the next,
away he went in pursuit of Mrs. Benton,
who with the speed Of desperation, her
child clasped tightly in her arms, was
fleeing up the height.
On she ran, the lion, though wounded
gaining fast. Now and then she would
turn to behold that hideous head within
bling great white circles, with lambert
points of flame in the center, while the
closed teeth and wrinkled nostrils beto-
kened that it scented the blood from the
scratches the little one had received, and
which had reused to the utmost the hun
CRY desires of the savage beast
Gasping, painting, wild with terror and
anxiety, the fugitive hurried along, scarce
ly hearing, far below, the shouts of the
pursuing seamen. They could not help
her-they were not near enough The
victims would be torn to pieces and de-
voured long ere they could attack the lion.
This Mrs. Benton comprehended, She
saw no way of escape-her only help was
in Providence
Watching the figures, as he sped on at
the head of the seamen, the young mis-
sionary almost screamed in his great ago
ny, expecting every moment to see his
wife and child fall prey to the monster.
The lion now being in a line with the flu
gitIve, the muskets were useless in the
hands Of the sailors, who would not fire at
the animal for fear of hitting Mrs. Ben
ton. EF 4..4 gf
The strength of the latter, in spite of her
efforts, was evidently giving way. Her
limbs trembled under her-she swayed
from side to side-her gasping sobs could
be heard even by the sailors. - Aaa
IhC savage pISucI uOW Sdlucu Will
fearful rapidity
"Great Heaven!'' screamed Mr. Benton,
striking his forehead with his hand, "can
nothing be done?" ~
Already the lion was within three yards
of the fugitive.
''Fire!" shouted the missionary. sI
give you leave. There is no other alterna-'
tive.'' aH
"True," answered the Captain as pale as
death; sit must be either the lion or the
bullet"
He gave his orders; the men took aim,
and fired. But neither the beast nor the
lady was harmed. In their fear lest they
should hit the latter, the marksmen had
aimed too high.
On went the pursuer and pursued, the
hon now not more than two yards behind
his intended victims.
Mrs. Benton saw ahead a clump of
slender trees, evidently growing from
cleft in the rock. A wild hope animated
her, and gave renewed strength to her
faltering limbs. By getting behind the
trees, and lodging, might she not contrive
to elude the animal until the party from