Kimball enterprise. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1883, 1883-06-15

UHu, Wnere was COgnac!
L supposed he had run away and hid
den somewhere. If the lion got sight of
him it would, | knew, be soon all over
with the poor little fellow.
"All at once there arose, close at hand
an awfll and familiar yell. 1t had q
strange, mntiied tone, but there was no
Again, it came, resonant, long drawn.
and sepulchral. 1t seemed to come
from inside the tree. Where the deuce
was he?
The lionappeared utterly astonished,
and turned his ears so far back to listen
that they We're almost inside out, when
from iron some hole among the roots of the
tree there popped small yellow head
with long ears.
Down, down, Cognac!" 1 cried in my
agony; ego back, sir"
"a cry of delight, cut short piteous
whine, was the reply, as he spied me,
and then, dashing fully yard toward
the hon, he barked defantly.
with low growl and rutiiing 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 ceaseless fire
OF swapping and snarling that it was plain
he was either we'll round a corner or
that theihole was deep enough for his
safety.
"'All the same, to see the great coward
y beast digging away at my poor little
dog like that was more than l could
stand. Cooking my pistol, shouted,
and as he looked up fired at his blood
shot eye. He shook his head, and I
gave him the other barrel.
with scream of rage he bounded
back.
"Coguac Immediately shot forth his
head, and insulted him with jeering
barks.
But he was not to be drawn again,
and after bit he lay down further of
and pretended to go to sleep. Cognac
barked at him till he was tired and then
retired into his castle.
"Reloading l found l had only three
bullets left, and concluded to reserve
them for crisis.
1T was now past noon. To beguile
the time | smoked pipe or two sang a
song, and cut my name, Cognac's, and
Marengo's on the tree, leaving a space
for the lions, which determined should
be Wellington.
II wished he would go away.
Having some milk in my bottle l
took drink, and should have liked to
have given some to Cognac.
"The lion began to pant, with his red
fiery tongue hanging foot out of his
mouth. lie was n NANCY and disrepu-
table-iooking brute as l 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 grouud l caught up
Cognac, who had crept out directly, and,
after looking carefully round for the
lion, was smothering me with caresses.
The lion was turning toward bushy
clump in hollow about two hundred
yards off. That light green foliage-wil-
lows water Had the cunning brute
shifted it out2
"Anyhow, it was relief to stretch
ones legs after sitting six mortal hours
on branch. The lion disappeared
over the plain, but could see nothing
moving. Then gave Cognac drink Of
milk AMI few bits of bread-cake, for
which he was very grateful. OF course
1T was no use beginning race against
lion with only 200 yards start in any
number of miles. The tree was better
than that
"All the same, .he was gone long time;
perhaps he was really gone for good.
BAIL there came his ugly head around
the corner again, making straight for us.
when he was pretty near | kissed
COgnac and threw a bit more cake into
the hole. Then climbed again to my
perch, Cognac retired growing into his
fortress, and the blast of lion mounted
guard over US as before.
Gle looked quite cool and comforta-
Bile, and had evidently had a good
drink.
''Another hour and he was still there.
"While | was wondering how long he
really meant to stay, and if | was des-
tined to spend all night on a bough like
y monkey, and on very short commons,
he got up, and walking quietly to the
foot of the tree, and without uttering a
sound, sprang at me with all his might,
he was quite yard short, but I was
SO startled that nearly lost my balance.
"His coup having failed, he lay down
right under the branch was 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 back? ] dismissed it as ridicu-
lous but it came again. AS we have all
including our English friend here, been
boys, you know what mean-nota fall
en- angel, but the gunpowder devil
Good. Well, it seemed feasible-I
would try it.
81 had plenty Of powder in my little
flask, so pouring some into my hand,
moistened it well with spittle kneaded
away until it came out tiny Vesuvius
of black paste Then l formed the lit
tie crater, which l filed with a few
grains of dry powder, and set it careful
ly on the branch.
"My hands shook with eXcitement; |
could hardly hold the flint and steel, but
struck and struck-the tinder ignited-
now Nesuvius.
"Whif, whizz! The lion looked up di-
rectly, but dropped it plumb 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
on his back, which sent shower of
sparks into his mouth and nose.
Again and again he tried, and then
raved wildly about, using the most hor.
rlble leonlne language, and no wonder,
for the devil had worked well down
among his greasy hair and must have
| x.A l..