National Republican., 1883-07-24
A Lion story.
"You see that corn moving?"

"You see that corn moving?"
"Of course do"
"Well, that is the tail of the lion beating
the ears"
We wisely halted to learn the eremys in
tentions, when, with incomprehensible stu
pidity, one of tho Arabs shouldered his rifle
and shot it Off in the direction of the lion.
Even if that rifle had been q Devismes or q
Lepage; unless the Arab had hit the lion be-
tween the eyes, the only result was the
wounding and exciting the lion. The conse-
quenees had not long to be waited for. The
lion instantly began bounding forward in
fearful strides, and our courage being equal
to the occasion, we climbed up the nearest
trees as quickly as we could, considering dis
erection the better part Of valor. But the
lion had seen u.s. and he approached like q
steam engine. As fate would have ii, he
looked around and chose the tree on which
sat with two zouaves, roaring tremendously
and wildly beating the air with his tail.
He then went few steps back, never for
one moment losing sight of us, and with a
sudden bound jumped at tho tree and tore a
big bit CT bark and wood out and shook us in
the branches like grapes. 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 very
solid one, or to mako us fall down, he began,
first in q large circle, then gradually in mar
rover ones, to pass round the tree his tail
always in the air ready to strike. He never
for n moment tnrned his eye away from
the inhabitants of the lsafy roof. l con-
fess here that / did not feel comfortable,
and if any one tells you he met lion and he
was perfectly calm and composed take his
narration cum grdnO sails. | know that Jules
Gerard, who killed eight and twenty lions,
and who made that sort Of thing his profess
sion, once, only once in his life, after having
waited u whole night for lion, suddenly
heard some wood cracking behind him, and
turning round beheld the head of the beast.
Then he sad 81 looked ut him and he looked
ut me for what l fancy was a full minute,
but may have been u half minute or less and
when l thought the comedy had lasted quite
long enough, bringing my rifle into position,
/ let the whole courtesy" (ths was his express
sion) "into the lions eye, and l have 10
doubt that one second later il would have
been-too late"
Anyhow, we felt q curious sensation with
this monster so near and seemingly so deter
mined to wait any length of time, for he
looked up at us with the clearest possible ex-
preston, as much as to say You just come
down, you cowards and let us have n fair
fight; we.will soon see who will get tho best
of it. And he continued slowly walking
around the tree, Watching us as If to espy
so slowly aud so near, always holding up his
proud, majestic head, that | said to my COM
rades 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-one OF us must kill
him."
When he neared me took aim slowly and
cautiously, knowing the danger if failed.
One second more-l pressed the trigger, the
ball went straight in ut the orner of his eye,
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 Zouaves said, Isl, monsieur,
me donne cent francs (44), je descends ct je
lui donne son rcste." | said, II will give
you the amount with pleasure, but | do not
wish you to risk your life for paltry sum,
because if he is not quite dead, you are dead
the moment you come near him." Well,
tho man thought he would risk it, being of
opinion tho beast was dead. lie descended, his
rifle under his arm, his finger on the trigger,
but as he with the utmost caution neared the
lion, violent, spasmodc stroke with the tail
made us fear that it was all over with the
whole charge in at the lions ear and FORUM
ately killed IL. Then of course we all came
down, and now the Arabs began insulting
him You rObber, you thief, you stole my
sheep; you dshOnorable brigand, you MUIR
dered my lamb" &C., &c. / don't know
whether tho lion despised calumny, but he re-
piled nothing, which seems the most practica-
bic means of silencing gos5ping tongues and
after cutting his head off, which was borne in
triumph into the village this exciting
event was over,