The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-08-23
OUR STORY TELLER.
THE LION tanner.

"That lioness will be the death of you
yet, joe"
Pshawp' and Joe Amberly, "the
Lion Tanner " of large travelling circus,
laughed at the predictions of his assis-
tant.
"You may laugh as much as you
please but some day you will find am
right, and that to your sorrow, though
then it will be too late"
Z" have performed with all the ami
mails for some years, and never had any
difficulty"
"You forget the one at Longtown."
"That didn't amount to much. l soon
brought them to subjection."
"But the trouble commenced with
this same lioness."
Eyes; though it wouldn't have been
so bad if those cats of hunting leopards
had not set up yell, and drawn the
black tiger into the affray."
"She has a devil of temper when it
is up-is the most treacherous beast /
ever fed or had any thing to do with. l
have been watching her close for couple
of days." continued the assistant, "and
know she is mighty cross-grained. So,
depend upon it, you are going to have
trouble"
az don't see why, more than at any
other time"
"There are times-and you know it, if
you will only rehect-and this is one of
them. If was in your place, wouldn't
try to show off to-day with any extras,
but just give a common performance
and get out of the cage as quick as
could"
"You know what we advertise, and
what a crowd has gathered"
es,"-with laugh; and l know
we never have or do one-half there is in
the bills. Paper is cheap, Joe, but
human life is precious. Think how
poorly off you would leave your wife and
s...ld is any thing should happen to you
any thing should happen to the child I?
Do not mention it."
The man who had handled and tanned
and toyed with the savage beasts as il
they had been harmless kittens, groaneC
aloud at the thought. A man of tn,
most ardent, even passionate nature, h,
bowed down in worship to his wife ant
little girl. And that day it had beel
advertised that he would take his chilc
and a pail of blood into the cage will
him.
1t was very daring, foolhardy pro
ject at the best; but how much more 81
when the beasts were doubly savage ant
out of temper-when the slightest thin,
might arouse them to all their pristin
fury, and the fierce blood of the wilder
ness assert itself in all its tempestuou
wrath.
But the husbandly and fatherly emo
tion was soon conquered. The habit O
years and his natural strength gave hin
self-reliance; and it would take NOR
than idle words to turn him from hi
purpose, no matter how dangerous j
might appear to others. To this must b
added the esprit de corps that woul
make him take the most desperat
chances before having even the shade,
Of cowardice attached to his name.
Still he could not help thinking NOR
deeply, perhaps, than ever before. Wa
there in reality any danger? He coul
not convince himself of it, argue tn
matter as he would.
The old lion in the cage, though
monster in size, was inoffensive, tam
and obedient In the language of tn
keepers, he was "good for nothing bu
TO make a show and sit back in tn
corner, grind his teeth and growl.
Besides, he was his friend, and upo
more than one occasion had acted th
part of peacemaker. The leopards-
pair of spotted cheetahs-were scarcel
to be taken into consideration. Th
black tiger, the most rare and strikingl
beautiful animal in any collection, Wa
ordinarily quiet, though when full
aroused not to be trifed with.
But the lioness was the especial one I
be dreaded and watched. She was
beast of uncommon power, with massiy
arms, long curving claws, tail 1.-THE an
nervous as a serpent, teeth sharp
needles, fexile, treacherous, sm0otl
tawny skin and yellow eyes that ev,
flashed fercely. Never, even in h,
best moods, had she been submissiv
and her mildest play was rough in IL
extreme.
The Lion Tanner turned from his cor
panion to go and dress for his attractiv
but dangerous performance; but befol
doing SO, he visited the double cage, an
made a critical examination of tt
beasts, who at any instant might be
him rs fate. There was nothing
especially awaken fear; and, half-vexe
with himself for having been needlessl
disturbed, he passed from the grei
canvas into smaller compartment
and found his wife and child waiting {,
hlm-the one a young and beautif
woman, and the other very fairy of
child, whose hair hung down upon h
back, as the brightest and finest of spu
silk.
ffI am sorrv Toe ~ aaid tho 1,;fo NJ