Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-05-18

my saddle My only weapon, besides my
hanger, was a pocket.pistol, double barreled,
and what in those days we called a breech-
loader, that Is, the barrels unscrewed TO load,
and then screwed on again.
'It would have been handy weapon
against a man at close quarters, for it threw
good ball-but for a lion! Besides, the
beast was too far off.
Then the thought flashed into my mind
where was Cognac?
81 supposed he had run away and hidden
somewhere. II the lion got sight Of him 1t
would | knew, be soon all over with the poor
little fellow.
Gan at once there arose, close at hand, an
awful aud familiar yell. 1t had strange,
muflled Tone but there was no mistaking
Cognacs voice.
again it came, resonant, long drawn aud
sepulchral. II seemed to come from inside
the tree. Where the deuce was he 7
"Ihe lion appeared utterly astonished and
turned his ears 30 far back to listen that they
were almost inside out, when from some hole
among the roots of the tree there popped a
small yellow head with long ears.
Down, down, Cognac = l cried in my
agony; go back, Sir'
"A cry Of delight, cut short 10y piteous
whine was his reply as he spied me- and
then, dashing fully yard toward the lion, be
barked defanty
"With low growl and rufiling name the
beast charged at the little dog.
Back went Cognac into his cave as quick
as rabbit and stormed at him from inside
'Thrusting his great paw right down the
hole, the lion tried TO claw him out. Oh,
how trembed for Cognac
But he kept up such a ceaseless 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.
IAN the same, to see the great cowardly
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 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 20 be drawn again, and
after bit he lay down further of and pre-
tended to 90 to sleep. Cognac barked at
him till he was tired and then retired into
his castle
'Reloading found had only three bull
lets left, and concluded to reserve them for
crisis.
1T was now past noon. To beguile the
time l smoked pipe or two, sang a song,
cut my name, Cognac's, and Marengos on
the tree, leaving a space for the lions, which
l determined should be Wellington
Il wished he would go away.
Having some milk in my bottle l took a
drink, aud should have liked to give some to
Cognac.
The lion began to pant, with his red
thorny tongue hanging a foot out Of his
mouth. He was a NANCY and disreputabe
looking brute as ever l saw.
by and by he got up and snufIed the air
all round him, and then, without as much as
looking at me, walked of and went delber-
ately down the road.
Slipping to the ground | caught up Cog
uac, who had crept out directly, and, after
looking carefully round for the lion, was
smotherng me with caresses. The lion was
turning toward bushy clump in hollow
about two hundred yards of That light
green foage-willows, water Had the
cunning brute snufTed it outg
Anyhow, it was relief to stretch ones
legs after sitting six mortal hours on a branch.
The lion disappeared round the bushes
strained my eyes over tue plain but could
see nothing moving Then gave Cognac a
drink of milk and few bits Of bread cake,
for which lie was very grateful. OF course,
1t was no use beginning race against lion
with only two hundred yards start in any
number of miles. The tree was better than
that
IAN the same, he was gone long time
perhaps he was really gone for good. Ban
there came his ugly head round the corner
again, making straight for US.
when he was pretty near l kissed Cog
nae and threw a bit more cake into the hole
Then | climbed again to my perch, Cognac
retired growing into his fortress, and the
beast Of a lion mounted guard over US as be-
fore.
"He looked quite cool and comfortable and
hal aviIavt1p haI n =,
Another hour, and he was still there
"While | was wondering how long he re-
ally meant to stay, and il was destined to
spend all night on a bough like a monkey,
aud on very short commons, he got up, and
walking quietly to the foot of the tree with.
out uttering a sound, sprang up at me with
all his might.
He was quite yard short, but l was 80
startled that nearly lost my balance
His coup having failed he lay down right
under the branch | was on, COUGHING his
head en- his paws as if to hide his mortifca-
tion.
Suddenly the thought came into my mind
Why not make devil and drop it on his
back l dismissed it as ridiculous, but it
came again. As We have all, including our
English friend here, been boys, you know
what l moan-not fallen angel, but the
gunpowder devil.
Good Well it seemed feasible-I would
try it.
Il had plenty of powder in my little flask,
SO pouring some into my hand, | moistened
it well with spittle and kneaded away until
it came out tiny Yesuvus OF black paste.
Then l formed the little crater, which filled
with few grains of dry powder, aud set it
carefully on the branch.
my hands shook with excitement; could
hardly hold the flint and steel but l struck
and struck-the tinder ignited-now Vesu-
vius
Whit whizz! The lion looked up direct
ly, 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 he sprang up and tore at the big fiery
flea 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 horrible leonine
language-and no wonder, for the fire had
worked well down into his greasy hair, and
must have stung him like a hundred hornets.
His back hair aud name burst into a flame,
and he shrieked in 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 20 miles an
hour, disappearing 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 off along the road as
fast as could, Cognac following at my heels.
BY and by had to pull up, for the sun was
still very hot but walked as fast az 1 could,
looking out all the time for Marengo, who
would not, knew, go very far from his mas
ter. Presently spied him in a hollow, and
at a whistle he trotted up to me whinnying
with delight and laid his head on my shoul-
der
I'm my hurry l had forgotten the bride,
but with my belt and handkerchief l extern
porized halter, tied one end around his nose,
and, catching up Cognao, mounted and gal
loped of, defying all the lions in Africa to
catch me.
There were still two hours before sunset
to reach the village and by hard riding did
it. That we all three of us enjoyed our sup
pers goes without saying. And that, gentle
men, is my story"
We all agreed that it was wonderful. l.-AH
the Year Round.
A colored preacher in North Carolina made
an appeal the other day for little money for
the stovepipe. The white people presentcon
tributed the offerings were counted, and the
| preacher exclaimed; Five dollars and forty
cents-a leetle mo- would have got new