The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-02-21
EATEN BY A LION.

Eyes, gentlemen, assure you again
that |, Jean Barbarous, now sitting
here, was once devoured by lion; and
if you will not believe me here is my
friend with the gold spectacles, DR..
Holbeck, who can tell you whether |
am telling the truth--the pure, unadul-
terated truth.
At these words all eyes were turned
to the man with the gold spectacles.
He contented himself, however, with
one of those modest smiles which leave
it impossible to divine whether the
smiler actually refuses to sustain the
assertion referred to him for authenti-
iication, or whether he simply declines
the honor of being regarded as the
hero of so extraordinary an adventure.
The audience, so boisterous but lit
tie while before, had suddenly become
perfectly quiet All awaited with Wis
ible curiosity the recital of the wonder
full story suggested by the declaration
of the Marseillais.
Barbarous, quite satisfied with the
result of his words, sat down again,
and without further preliminaries be-
gan as follows:
1T was about ten years ago-either
in 1872 or 1878; but the date doesn't
matter. had served my full time on
board the junior; and, thanks to the
recommendations of my captain | cas-
lily procured a situation as travelling
agent for the Mennevals. / suppose
you have all heard of that firm-the
largest Partisan house in the commerce
of feathers and stuffed birds for the
millinery business-in the Rue ST.
Denis, at the sign of the Casoar (cas-
sowary), The Mennevals send their
travelling agents to all parts of the
world to buy up ostrich plumes, mar
about feathers, and rare birds. They
sent me out, for the first time, in com
pany with Holbeck. who you see before
you. We were ordered to the African
coast in search of a certain kind of lit.
tie bird, like black bird, which has It's
breast covered with feathers that look
like gold-very pretty, indeed. Gun
employers wanted to place these on the
market as a new ornamental design
for ladies hats; and we were ordered
to procure all that we could find OF
buy.
"Holbeck had already travelled O
great deal, both in North and South
America and in Africa, while ! was
merely new apprentice in the bust
ness-that was why they sent me GU
with him. Since then we have Away
been travelling together. Holbeck anC
! are now inseparable as the cloth of
coat is from the lining.
''But to come to my story:
1--WE both started from Bordeaux OF
vessel which took US to Gabon. A
soon as we got there we hunted u
hing Denis, the best-natured niger OF
tne whole coast, and he said to us
my children, if you want gold bird
you IL nave to work pretty hard to fin,
them; there are none left here. You'll
nave to go up the river into the inte
rlor just as far as YOU cam sThonk
for the information we ronliod. On,
We started up the great river of Gabon
"All along our route we stoned a
the villages; and at every VILLAGE W
had to hold long parleys with the chief
-parleys which sometimes lasted So,
eral hours-all TO obtain a few dozo
bird-skins.
FINALLY we decided that in order
complete our stock we should have
leave the river altogether. and tray
into the unknown country.
"Ahl-let me tell you about tn
country! 1t isn't the sort of count
one would like TO retire upon ones
come in. The first part of it is all o
Shiny marsh, full of snakes and croc
diles; then, further back, the ground
covered with forests SO thick that y