Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-09-21

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was one upon which he had bestowed much
time and upon which he prided himself
it was tableau OF wild beasts, with man
hood and childish beauty for the central
attraction. ....
Hestepped to the corner, led the monster
lion forth into the centre of the cage, made
him lie down, placed the little girl upon
him and stood astride. shrill whis
tie brought the cheetah leopards bounding
upon his shoulders and standing up with
paws crossed above his head, and the black
tiger erect upon ! his left, and throttled
with his hand6tsBut the lioness failed to
do his bidding and take her place upon his
right. She lay in the act of springing, and
bnt at little distance.
'sCome."
There was no movement, and the whip
was raised and fell heavily upon her head.
That was all that WAS needed to awaken
her latent1re, and with a roar like that
given in her native forest, she sprang with
an almost reslstIess force toward him. A
sharp stinging blow on the bridge Of the
nose for moment cowed her, and she
might have been conquered, had she not
partially fell upon and upset the pail and
deluged the floor of the cage in blood.
Then all became the widest commotion
the most terrible and savage sounds.
Every beast sprung down, Tapped the blood
and then tnrned upon him. Even the vet
eran lion appeared to forget the long years
Of training, and something of his young
forest life blazed forth. au .s q
Anberly comprehended all in aninstant,
and the father triumphed over the actor:
He snatched up the now terrified and
screaming child, sprang with her to the
door, thrust her into the hands of watch
full attendant, and would have followed,
had not the liones grappled and drawn him
back, rending his shoulders with her claws,
causing the blood to stream over his rich
dress. - ... ..t
He was fighting against most desperate
odds, knew it, backed into corner, and
called for his iron. One, red hot at the
end, was handed to him, but at the first
stroke the lioness sent it whirling, and
her sharp teeth almost met for moment
through his thigh. ..
Hand me something sharp with which
I can brain the brute ~
Every thing upon which hands could be
laid was thrust to him, but he failed to
reach them, and the danger becoming
more more imminent. The blood had been
Tapped up clean-all were mad with de-
sire, the tiger and the leopards crouched
to leap upon him. Then the majesty of
command asserted itself.
"Come, Samson"
The old lion came forward at the words
seemed to comprehend that something was
wrong, thrust himself between his master
and his raging mate, and when she turned
upon him sent her rolling with blow of
his great paw. ..
The lion tanner might have escaped; but
bleeding, wounded as he was, he would no t
retreat, and turned his attention to sepa-
rating the now tangled mass of fighting
animals. Picking up one leopard after
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ner of the cage, dragging the tiger with
the lioness clinging to it and tearing it's
glossy hide, thither, tore open its paws by
main strength. hurled it back and shut the
partition, turned, reeled to the door, fell
upon it, and was dragged through to SAFE
ty, even Withsthe lioness rattling behind
him when it was closing.
A few steps taken, and the lion tanner fell
fainting by the side Of his already insensi-
BILE wife, who lay with her affrighted child
Rugged close to her scarcely beating heart.
Then the silence that had been as death
was broken by the most tumultuous shouts
and breath was drawn again, and half
fainting women and fear-palsied men felt
as if a mountain had been lifted from their
hearts.
Lame, torn and weak, the lion tanner en-
tered the cage the next day before the
most unprecedented crowd, it having been
advertised that he would do so in his
bloody clothes, but never again could he
be tempted to take child or pail of blood
behind the bars.
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