The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1883-09-06
A Lion story.
"You see that corn movine?''

s'OI course 90.
"Well, that is the tail of the lion
beating the ears. = 81
We wisely halted tolearn the enemy s
intentions, when with incomprehensible
stupidity, one of the Arabs shouldered
his rifle and shot it off in the direction
of the lion. Even if that rifle had been
Deyismes or a Lepage, unless the
Arab had hit the lion between the eyes,
the only result was the wounding and
exciting the lion. The consequences
had not long to be waited for. The
lion instantly began bounding forward
in fearful strides, and our courage be-
ing equal to the occasion, we climbed
up the nearest trees as quickly as we
could, considering discretion the tatter
part of yalor. But the lion had seen
us. and he approached like a steam
engine, As fate would have i, he
looked round and chose the tree on
which | sat with two Zouaves, roaring
tremendously, and wildly beating the
air with his tail.
He then went a few steps back, never
for one moment losing sight of US. and
with a sudden bound jumped at the
tree and tore a big bit of bark and
wood out and shook rs in the branches
like grapes A second time he tried the
same experiment with rage grand to
behold; but after the third time, failing
to break the trunk, which fortunately
was a very solid one, or to make us fall
down, he began, first in a large circle,
then gradually in narrower ones, to
rnT1r13 h 4aI -,
the air ready to strike He never for a
moment turned his eye away from tho
inhabitants of the leafy roof. & Z confess
here, that did not feel comfortable,
and If any one tells you he met lion
and he was perfectly calm and com.
posed, take his narration cum qrano
sails. know THAT Jules Gerard who
killed eight-and-twenty lions, and who
made that sort of thing his profession,
once, only once in his life, after hav--
ing waited whole night for lion, sud-
denly heard some wood cracking be-
hind him, and turning round, beheld
the head of the beast Then he said,
Il looked at him and he looked at me
for what | fancy was a full minute, but
may have been half minute or less.
and when / thought the comedy had
lasted quite long enough, bringing my
rifle into position, let the whole cour-
tesy" this was. his expressionl Unto
the lions eye, and have no doubt that
one second later it would have been
too late y
Anyhow, we felt curious sensation
with TINS monster so near and seemingly
SO determined to wait any length OF
time, for he looked up at us with the
clearest possible expression, as much as
to say: You just come down, you
towards, and let us have fair fight;
we will soon see who viii get the best
OF it. And he continued slowly walk
ing round the tree, watching us as if to
espy every movement of ours. At last
he marched SO slowly and so near, always
holding up his proud, majestic head,
that | said to my eomades: 1--WE have
six good shots. The next time he comes
within my range shall slowly take aim
and fire; If miss him, do not be rash.
wait your chance-ene of us must kill
him. When he neared me I took aim
slowly and cautiously, knowing the
danger if | failed. One second more
| pressed the trigger, the ball went
straight in at the corner of his eve and
he fell. Now was the question: Was
he dead or did he, as they often do,
pretend and lie motionless? The blood,
however, flowed freely and he seemed
not to have any life, when one of the
Zonaves said: Isl monsieur me dome
cent francs 1f4), je descends ct ie lui
dome son reste. :" I said: | will give
you the amount with pleasure, but [ do
not wish you to risk your life for a
paltry sum, because if he is not quite
dead, you are dead the moment YOU
come near him. Well, the man
thought he would risk it, being of opin-
ion the beast was dead. He descended.
his rifle under his arm, his finger on the
trigger, but as he with the utmost eau
ton neared the lion, violent, spas
modic stroke with the tail made us fear
that it was all over with the man. AT
this critical moment he let the whole
charge in at the lions ear and fortu-
nately killed it. Then of course we all
came down, and now the Arabs began
insulting him: You robber, you thief,
you stole my sheep; You dishonorable
brigand, you murdered my lamb ETC.,
ETC. don't know whether the lion de-
spised calumny, but he replied nothing,
which seems the most practicable means
OF silenoing gossiping tongues, and
after cutting his head of, which was
borne in triumph into the village, this
X