The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-03-03
HERNIA. TIE LION tanner.


RE came to Bucharest for the first time.
All the town was in a state of great ex'
citement about the number and rarity of
the animals, the beauty of the lions, and
above all about the tanner who perform
ed some remarkable feats of strength.
HERNIA Dalstrem was her name; she was
young Swede, beautiful, distinguished,
bold and unapproachable. 1t is true that
she was supposed to be the mistress OF
the owner of the menagerie; but the rich
Boyards who lavished homage upon her
in order to win her good graces were met
only by cold politeness and sarcastic
haughtiness which drove them away.
She lived with the Harrisburg family at
the first hotel in the town, went to the
menagerie and returned from it in a car
riage, like a lady of high degree, re-
ceived no visits and was never seen alone
either in the street or anywhere else.
This vestal severity puzzled the gallants
as we'll as the ordinary mortals, so that
the Swedish lion tanner soon became as
popular at Bucharest as La Catalani and
Lola Montez.
One night Prince Maniasko, the spoil
ed child of the ladies of Eucharist, who
had Just returned from an excursion to
Paris, came to the menagerie. He re-
viewed the different animals in company
with some friends, was highly amused
by the explanations and by the feeding,
and at last stopped before the lions cage
awaiting the arrival of the celebrated
Swede. with skeptical smile on his lips.
Suddenly a little door opened in the
back wall of the cage and HERNIA ap-
peared in the midst of frenetic applause.
She threw off with Al indescribable
movement of pride the large silk cloak
that covered her, and advanced into the
cage dressed in costume of white satin
bordered with ermine, IA whip in her
hand, tall, slender, with the noblest face
in the world, to which her golden curls
and her fresh color impaired an irresist-
able grace. The prince was at once fas-
cinated; he followed each of her move
ments with feyerish agitation. His
heart beat when she placed her pretty
head in the lions mouth.
Hardly had He.na LETT the cage when
the Prince Maniasko was bowling down
before her while she put on her cloak
With the aid of Edgar, Harsburg's son, a
young man of remarkable beauty. She
fixed her blue eyes, astonished and
almost frightened, upon that ideal of a
beautiful almost feminine figure; she
did not reply to his questions proudly
and coldly, but with embarrassment and
with smile of indescribable sweetness.
The prince came every night, and Her.
ma received him not only with affability,
but she even looked for him with rapid
glance as soon as she entered the cage,
and when she left it she stamped her
foot ff Tho thara m holy,
her on with her cloak.
But that was all the prince could OBJ
tain, and the more luntractable she
showed herself to his PRAYERS, the more
he was urged on by diabolical desire to
possess her. An unexpected rival came
to his aid Edgar said to HERNIA one
night, with trembling voice, before she
entered the cage, "Cp till now l thought
you were my fathers mistress. and 1
have not spoken now l tell you, / love
you. and 1 will never consent to your
lowering yourself with that Boyard, who
is already affianced to princess. and
who is only making sport Of YOU When
the prince came to see her after the per-
Torrance, she said to him in whisper,
us it true that you have a fiance?"
1T is true" he replied, but as soon
as you please 1 will put an end to that
tiresome romance and PROSTATE myself
at your feet as your slave"
But you do not love NE.
How must prove that ! love you?"
She drew herself up before him.
Come an hour before midnight to the
little door of the menagerie," she said in
a low voice and with coura geous resolu-
ton.
Il will come,' was the reply
And he came; and when he left the
menagarie in the midst Of the shades of
night, two straining arms we're round
his neck, and two burning lips were
pressed against his own.
Soon the talk in the clubs WAS of moth
ing but of the strange liaison Of Mani
ko with the beautiful lion tanner, and the
young princes father. anxious for the
future of his son, fastened as much as
possible his marriage with the Princess
Agrafne Slobuda, to whom he had been
afianced when he was a child. A violent
scene took place between the father and
the son; at last the latter yielded, and one
right he did not appear a. the menag-
erie.
HERNIA passed night of anguish. Two
evenings she again waited in vain for her
lover; then she wrote to Il IN and received
no answer.
The fourth night. as she was coming
mt Of the cage and wrapping herself in
her cloak Edgar said to her:
''Herma, shall l tell You why the
wretch comes no longer
Tell me-" she said, in smothered