Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-06-23
yards aft. That light green foliage

yards aft. That light green foliage
Willows, water! Had the cunning brute
shifted it outP
"Anyhow, it was a relief to stretch
ones legs after sitting six mortal hours
on a branch. The lion disappeared
round the bushes. I strained my eyes
over the plain, but could see nothing
moving. Then l gave Cognac a drink
Of milk and a few bits of bread-cake, for
which he was very grateful. OF course
it was no use beginning a race against q
lion with only two hundred yards start in
any number of miles. The tree was bet
ter than that.
"All the same, he was a long time;
perhaps he was really gone for good.
Bah! there came his ugly head round
the corner again, making straight for us.
when he was pretty near l kissed
Cognac, and threw . bit of cake into
the hole. Then l climbed again to my
perch, Cognac retired growing into his
fortress, and the beast of lion mounted
guard over us as before.
"He looked quite cool and comfort
able, and had evidently had a good
drink.
sAnother hour and he was still there.
"While I was wondering how long he
really meant to stay, and if l was des-
tined to spend all night on a Dough like
a monkey, and on very short commons,
he got up, and walking quietly to the
foot of the tree, without uttering 9
sound, sprang up at me with all his
might.
"He was quite q yard short, but \
was so startled that I nearly lost my
balance,
ellis coup having failed, he lay down
right under the branch I vas on, couch
ing his head on his paws as if to hide
his modification.
"Suddenly the thought came into my
mind: Why not make a devil and drop
it on his backP I dismissed it as ridicu-
lous, but it came again. As we have
all, including u English friend here,
been boys, you know what I mean-not
a fallen angel, but the gunpowder devil.
"Good! Well, it seemed feasible-I
would try it.
81 had plenty of powder in my little
flask, sc pouring some into my hand I
moistened it well with spittle and
kneaded away until it came out a tiny
Vesuviuso of black paste. Then I formed
the little crater, which I filed with a
few grains of dry powder, and set it
carefully on the branch.
"My hands shook so with excitement
I could hardly hold the flint and steel;
but l struck and struck-the finder ig-
nited-now, Vesuvius!
"Whiff, whizz! The lion looked up
directly, but 1 dropped it plump on the
back of his neck. For an instant he did
not seem to know what had happened;
then with an angry growl up he jumped
and tore savagely at the big fiery flea
on his back, which sent a shower of
sparks into his mouth and nose.
"Aggain and again he tried, and then
raved wildly about, using the most hor-
rible leonine language, and no wonder,
for the devil had worked we'll down
among his greasy hair, and must have
stnng him like a hundred hornets. His
back hair and name burst into a flame,
and he shrieked with rage and terror.
"Then he went stark staring mad,
clapped his tail between his legs, laid
back his ears, and rushed out of the
grove at twenty miles IN hour, and dis
appeared up the ravine.
"Almost as mad as the lion with Joy.
and feeling sure he was gone for good,
l tumbled down the tree and ran of
along the road as hard as I could, with
Cognac barking at my heels. By and
by 1 had to pull up, for the sun was still
very hot; but l walked as fast as I could
looking out all the time for Marengo,
who would not, I knew, go very far
from his master. PRESENTLY spied him
in a hollow. A whistle, and, whinny-
ing with delight, he trotted up and laid
his head on my shoulder.
"ln my hurry I had forgotten the bri-
die, but with my belt and handkerchief
l e~xtemporized a halter, tied one end
round his nose, and catching up Cognac,
mounted, and galloped off, defying all
the lions in Africa to catch me.
"There were still two hours before
sunset to reach the next village, and by
hard riding I did it. That we all three
of us enjoyed u suppers goes without
saying: And that, gentlemen, is my
story"
We agreed it was wonderful.-AN til
Year Round.
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