The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-10-28
CASTLE DANGEROUS. ("
ICOmfort marshall in CHICAGO Ledrerl

Besides these large, playful cub-pnl
pies, Col. Whitney was accompanied !
his Journey home by an addition;
} weight on his mind in the shape of b
bright, laughing ward, Eva Loudon, a
orphan left in his care by the dyin
wishes of her parents, who, far ava
from their sunny English home, had BIZ
queathed their darling to the gentle
kindly old man who attended them i
their last sickness among strangers.
Eva was of half Spanish origin, an
possessed the lovely dark eyes of tn
fascinating women of that country, wit
a singular combination of vivaeitY
spirit, and gentleness If, in time, oil,
Col. Whitney's pity for tho orphan be
came changed into something deepe
than mere fatherly affection, it was
secret that remained buried in his owl
heart-a heart that, ike an apple driet
and withered, was yet sound and swee
to the core.
If there was one thing more than an
other that endeared pretty Eva to his
heart, it was her fondness for his pets
the little cubs Gar and Khedive She
taught them many OF the little tricks
that are usually taught to dogs, and
the sensible creatures early displayed
an aptness for learning that delighted
their young mistress, and sent their
master into ecstacies of fond admira-
ton. The only pet that Eva herself
possessed was given her by sailor on
board ship, who died before the voyage
ended. his pet was a much-loved par
rot who had been taught to speak, and
| to Eva's horror-as she afterward dis
! covered-to curse most volubly in excel
lent English.
With his ward and his pets Col. Whit
ney set up an establishment Of modest
excellence, and Eva was given every adj
vantage of completing her much neg
lected education. A particular room
was furnished with view to the COM
fort of the young lions, which, when
discovered by the neighbors, raised a
thrill of horror through their bones at
this reckless tempting of Providence.
They all declared that he ought to he
indicted, but when, at the colonel's in
yitation, they came to inspect the terri
bic, ravenous beasts, and found, in
stead, two playful, cub-looking puppies,
they changed their tune and then closed
their lips when they discovered from
their surroundings that the colonel was
a wealthy man.
It is generally considered best not to
NEEDLE in any way with rich man, for
money by many is considered as a SYM
Dol of the lever with which Archimedes
would fain have lifted the world. The
poor man is generally showed to the
wall, but the rich man has all his own
way, and so in this instance Col. Whit
ney found the reputation of his wealth
to shut the mouth and close the eyes of
all persons predisposed against his be-
loved animals. His heart was so
wrapped up in the playful little fellows
that he indeed told Eva that rather than
be forced to give them up he would re-
turn to the land from whence he had
come, and there keep them in safety. 1t
was whispered among some of his So
called friends that one reason of
his strange infatuation was that
in the years agone his lady-love
been killed and eaten1by a lioness who
and reared, and SO on down to the pres
ent generation That the present cubs
were symbols, or all left to represent
the departed lady, and this was the
reason for the colonel's fondness for
them. This, however, we are safe in
saying is rather wild story, and highly
improbable and not worthy the being
argued for or against.
Among the visitors at Col. Whitney's
establishment was his nephew, young
man just entered manhood, but still
very boyish in his ways.
Tom Whitney was his name, and
great fayorite with his uncle, who had
a great liking for the young fellow.
Tom Whitney soon became as fond of
the cubs as their old master, and as
frequent and ardent a worshipper as
even he could have desired How much
his frequencysof visits may have been
owing to the presence of Eva Loudon
we can not tell, but certainly friendli-
ness rapid in its growth-of which the
key is possessed by the young-sprang
up between the young people,
Together they taught the young cubs
tricks, together they played with them
and quarreled with each other, the |
whole of which was watched by Col.
Whitney with smile and sigh.
Time passed swiftly by, and the cubs |
assumed larger proportions, growing |
more mighty and clumsy as Tom found |
in his weekly visits to the apartment !
consigned to their use. He still, how
ever, continued his frolics with them, |
and he and Gar would have frequent /
little contests with each other, and Col.
Whitney warned Tom repeatedly that he /
was running the animals temper, and
he would finally be forced to shut them
up entirely. Eva's parrot, who stayed
in the same room with the cubs, seemed
little battles and would flop his wings
with the greatest gravity and yell out:
so it, boysl" Hal hal haP'
fhOrOT.nbTu m I1ad tho bird |
with the spirit of mischief and desire
for wrangling that Tom took a great
dislike to it. much to Eva's chagrin.
One day the crisis came Tom went
to his uncle's residence, stopping Oh the
way; boy-like, he Whitfield at a stick,
and cutting his hand he staunched the
blood with his handkerchief, and thrust
ing it into his pocket he threw away
the stick and proceeded, gayly whistling,
to his uncle's house. Col. Whitney and
Eva were neither at home, and the door
being locked, Tom admitted himself
through the window and proceeded to
the lions room. Khedive, for some
cause unknown, had reiterated, sulkily
to a corner, and could not be induced
to come out. Gar and Tom, therefore,
had the floor to themselves, and they
had several particularly rough tussels.
Gar seemed to be trying mis- strength
by playfully springing against Tom
with all his might, which Tom resisted
by holding him off at arms length and
laughing a most exasperating laugh
that always seemed to have the effect
Of angering the creature. This con-
Iinued for some time, and as Ton
vas becoming tired ne endsavored to
top in his usual manner OF throwing
be animal down and placing his foot on
lis head Gar, however, resisted the
eing thrown, but, standing upright
nth his fore paws on Toms chest, the
after began TO back, laughingly, from
i'm, round the room. Unfortunately,
is foot tripped, and down he went with
Ear right on top of him.
The animal gave a sniff, aud then
DIV, peculiar call at which Khedive
Witty advanced from the corner, where
e had been sulkily watching the jost-
ng. With blaze of his small eyes,
nd g low growl. he raised his large
aw, preparatory to giving Tom stroke
n the head, when the latter struggled
D his feet with combined feeling of
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