Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1881-01-20

rose from among the spectators. HERNIA
began to tremble, and tears flowed from her
beautiful eyes; she lost empire over herself
and over the animals that surrounded her;
the big lion raised his head, looked at her
with establishment, and suddenly gripped
her left arm cry of horror sprang from
hundred mouths, but HERNIA had already
recovered herself; look and command,
and the lion loosened her arm; she sprang
up, and seized the beast by the name, pla-
ced her foot on him, and dashed him until
he was completely subjected and lay docile
at her feet.
Enthusiastic applause and shouts of ap-
probation rewarded her courage.
"When will the wedding take placer" she
asked of Edgar, when she had left the cage.
1.-The day after to morrow"
"Will you undertake to give him a letter
yourself, and to him in persona"
IF you command me-"
81 beg YOU to do sol" HERNIA pressed
Edgar's hand, but he siezed hers and COW
cred it with kisses.
The next morning the ion-tame wrote
to the Prince. She wished to see him only
once more, and begged him to come to the
menagerie at the usual hour, promising in
return to leave Bucharest on the day of the
wedding. Edgar gave the letter to the
Prince himself, who read it, smiled, and
said: 81 will come"
An hour before midnight the Prince ap-
peared at the little back door of the menag-
erie; it opened noiselessly as usual. HERNIA
appeared, dressed in short fur jacket, in
the pale light of the stars and the snow.
She took him by the hand and led him eau
tiously along the dark passage. AS usual
a second door grated on its hinges, and
HERNIA leading the Prince into that COM
pletely dark space, put her arms round his
neck and kissed him with savage tender
ness.
Then she suddenly disappeared; the door
was shut violently, and the Princes foot
touched something living which moved.
What was it? Had she notas usual led him
into her little salon.
A moment afterwards bright red light
appeared. HERNIA fixed a torch in ring in
front of the lions cage, and in the midst OF
the lions, was the Prince. HERNIA stood
with her arms folded before the bars, and
fixed the Prince coldly with her large blue
eyes; diaboic smile played on her lips.
| The Prince, with rapid movement, tried
| to open the door, but in vain.
in heavens name, HERNIA, what is youl
| intention?"
Il am celebrating my marriage with you
and my lions are to be the wedding guests.
Are you mad?"
II am in full possession of my senses
You have betrayed me. have condemned
you to death. Now to work, my friends
en- avant" And she woke up the sleeping
lions and excited them with her whip, while
the Prince cried for help. But his cries
were drowned by the wintry storms The
lions, irritated and encouraged by Herma's
cries, sprang upon him. His blood was al
ready flowing. He supplicated and defend.
ed himself desperately, while she, her face
leaning against the cold bars, feasted he
eyes On his mortal anguish.
Some time passed before the lions hat
finished their horrible work. When thu
Prince lay dead on the floor of the den, thu
lions skunk away frightened and began t.
lick their bloody paws.
That very night the beautiful lion ia me
disappeared from Bucharest, and has new
been heard of since.