The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1886-04-07
HEBE.

See, what a beauty Half-shut eyes
Hide all buff, and without a break
10 the tails brown tuft that mostly lies
So quiet one thinks her scarce awnke;
But pass too near, one step too Free
Hou find erslumber DEVILS tT1ice
Up comes that paw-all plush YOU SEE
Out four claws, fit for Satans use.
'Warel Just a sleeves breadth closer then,
And your last appearance on any stage
Loll, II you like, by Daniels Den,
But clear and away from Hebes cage-
That's Hebe listen to that purr.
-. kumbling as from the ground below;
strange when the ring begins to stir,
The tieshings always vex her So
You think 'twere rougher task by far
To tame her mate with the sooty manel
splendid bronze for a showman's car,
And quite enough for bit and rein
But Hebe is-iust like all her sex
Not good, then bad-be sure OF that;
In either case 'twould a sage perplex
To make them out. both woman and cat.
A curious record, Hebe's Reared
In Italy. age-thats hard to fix
Trained from a cub. until she feared
The lash, and learned her round Of tricks;
Always a traveer-one of two
A woman-tamer took in hand
Whipped them, coaxed them-and so they
grew
To fawn or cover at her command
None but Florina--that was her name
And this the story of Hebe here
Entered their cage; the brutes were tame
As kittens though their mistress near
A tall, proud wench as ever was seen,
Supple and handsome, full Of grace;
The world would bow TO a real queen
That had Florina's form and face.
Her lover-for one she had, Of course
Was Marco, acrobat, circus-star,
The llghtest foot on a running horse.
The surest leap from a swinging bar;
And she-so jealous he dared not touch
woman's hand; and, truth 70 say,
de had no humor to tease her much
Till girl in spangles crossed their way.
Twas at Marseilles, the final scene:
This pretty rider joined the ring,
Main selle Celeste or Victorine,
And captured him under Florinas wing.
They hid their meetings, but when. YOU see
Doubt holds the candle love will show
And in loves division the one of three.
Whose share Is lessened, needs must know.
One night, then, after the throng outpoured
From the show, and the lions my Lady's
power
Had been made to feel. with lash that scored
And eye that cowed them, a snarling
hour
(They were just in the mood for pleasantly
OF those holidays when saints were thrown
To beast, and the Romans, entrance-free,
Clapped hands)-that night, as she stood
alone.
Florina, Queen of the Lions, called
Sir Marco toward her, while her -
Still touched the spring of door that walled
Her subjects safe within Lion-land.
he came there painting, hot from the ring,
So brave figure that one might know
AmOnn all his TTihn ha h.,
If in some wild tract you met him so.
''Do you love me STILL she asked. "as when
You swore it frstm Have never a
doubtln
But have a fancy-men are men
And one whim drives another out"
w hat fancy Is this alli Have done;
You tire me- Look you, Marco oh,
l should die if another woman won
Your love-but would Kill you first you
known
Kill me, and how-with a jealous tongueF'
Thus !" quoth Florina, and slipped the
bolt
OF the cages door, and headlong flung
Sir Marco, ere he could breathe. the doltl
Plump on the lion he bounced, and fell
Beyond, and Hebe leapt for him there
No need for their lady's voice to tell
The work in hand for that ready pair
lucy sly ou1 Noultltl L nave caIeu
The group conmingled, man and beast
Or TO hear the shrieks and roars-all three
One red, the teasters and the feast!
Guns, pistols blaced, till the lion sprawled
Shot dead, but Hebe held to her prev
And drank his blood, while keepers bawled
And their hot irons made yon scars that
day
But the woman True, had forgot;
She never fiinched at the havoc made,
Nor gave one cry, but there ON the spot
Drove TO the heart her poniard-blade
Straight like man, and fell, nor stirred
Again; so that fine pair were dead:
One lied, and the other kept her word
And death pays debts, when all is said.
So they hustled Hebe out Of France,
To Spain, or maybe to England first.
Then hitheTward over seas, by chance,
She came as YOU see her, always athirst,
As H. like the tigreSses that stink
In the village canes of Hindostan,
Of one rare draught she loves to think,
And ever 10 get it must plan and plan
Edmund c. StedmGH, Ia the Century