Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-06-12

got sight of him, it would, | was sure,
be soon all over with the poor little fell
low.
"All at once there arose, close at hand,
an awful and familiar yell. 1t had a
strange, muffled tone, but there was no
mistaking Cognac's voice.
again i, came, resonant, long drawn,
and sepulchral. 1t seemed to come from
inside the tree. Where the deuce was
he ?"
"The lion appeared utterly aStonished
and turned his ears back so far to listen
that they were almost inside out, when
from some hole among the roots Of the
tree there popped small yellow head
with long ears.
"Down, down, Cognacr = l cried in
my agony; go back, sir :"
"A cry of delight, cut short by a pite-
Gus whine, was his reply, as he spied me,
and then dashing fully yard toward the
lion, he barked defantly.
"With a low growl and ruffiing name,
the beast charged at the little dog.
Back went Cognac into his cave as
quick as a rabbit, and stormed at him from
inside.
Thrusting his great paw right down
the hole, the lion tried to claw him out.
Oh, how trembled for Cognac!
But he kept up such ceareless fire
of swapping and snarling that it was
plain he was either well round a corner
or that the hole was deep enough for his
safety.
"All the same, to see the great cow
ardly beast digging away at my poor lit
tie dog like that was more than | could
stand. Cooking my pistol, | shouted,
and as he looked up fired at his blood
shot eye. He shook his head, and gave
him the other barrel.
with a scream of rage he bounded
back.
"Cognac Immediately shot forth his
head, and insulted him with jeering
barks
But he was not to be drawn again,
and after a bit he lay down further off,
and pretended to 60 to sleep. Cognac
barked at him till he was tired and then
retired into his castle.
Reloading, found had only three
bullets left, and concluded to reserve them
for crisis.
1T was now past noon. To beguile
the time, smoked a pipe or two, sang a
song, and cut my name, Cognac's and
Mareneo's on the tree, leave space for
the lions, which | determined should be
Wellington. | wished he would go
away. Having some milk in my bottle,
| took a drink, and should have liked to
give some to Cognac. The lion began
to pant, with his red thorny tongue hang
ing a foot out of his mouth. He was as
NANCY and disreputable looking brute
as | ever saw. By-and-by he got up
and snuffed the air all around him, and
then, without as much as looking at me,
walked off and went deliberately down
the road.
Slipping to the ground, l caught up
Cognac, who had crept out directly, and
after looking carefully around for the
lion, was smothering me with caresses.
The lion was turning toward bushy
clump in hollow about tive hundred
yards of. That light green foliage
willows, water Had the cunning brute
shifted it out
Anyhow, it was relief to stretch
ones legs after sitting six mortal hours
upon a branch. The lion disappeared
around the bushes. | strained my eyes
over the plain, but could see nothing
moving. Then l gave Cognac a drink
of milk and few bits of bread cake, for
which he was very grateful. OF course
it was no use beginning race against a
lion, with only two hundred yards start
in any number of miles. The tree was bet
ter than that.
"All the same, he was long time
gone; 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 | kissed
Cognac, and threw bit Of cake into the
hole. Then 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 comfortable
and had evidently had good drink.
"Another hour and he was still there
"While | was wondering how long
he really meat to stay, and If l was des-
tined to spend all night on bough like
monkey, and on very short commons