The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-12-26

not reciting the authors prose. chattering
with her friends flock of magpies
buzzing in the foliage.
One evening the cur tain rose as usual on
the vast and magnificent scene representing
the palace Of Queen Nab, a gallery as far
as the eye could reach, sustained by iutsd
columns in malachite and lapitlazuli, with
bronze capitals, alabaster statues and man.
moth chandeliers. carved from solid crystals
One OF those sumptuous caverns paved
with precious stones that Sinbsd the sailor,
or the Count of Monte Cristo saw, perhaps,
in their distant wanderings They could
not other wise have lodged fairy.
The hall of the Porte Montmartre was
gorged with spectators; not a seat was
vacsnt save oaair No. 80, which Loredan
MUntagnac had only Just quilted to take up
his stad on in the coulisses And there it
was that he presently found himself. lean
ing against a section of unused scenery, re-
ceiving on bis barred head the fiery glow
from triangle of hariug gas-jets. He
had even dispensed an amende of some
twenty-odd francs to the rnachinists and
shutters, his prosecutors, for having mad
vertently called ropes that which these ex-
cellent people, better advised, designated
ENDS"
The orchestra executed with fury and
fracas a grand triumphal march; the vio-
Inns shrieked, the haut boys groaned, the
contre troInbones roared, the drums and
cymbals Numbered, the hsSeolst whiStled,
and all in fashion to tickle the ear of a
Chinese bOnze.
The animated flowers" defiled across the
stage, the purple dahlia, the white camellia,
the anenone, minosa, pink, peony and all
the way down through the lexicon Of bios
SONS to the royal belladonna, with its scars
let bells.
Then began the ballet before the gentle
Queen NAB, stretched upon the cushions of
her throne relating to her chamberlains
how she had run all the day long the wood
OF Mendon in company with young lord,
by the name Ct Raoul.
Behind the canvas at the becl, tLey were
maneuveriug the iron cage where bounded,
maddened by the crashing of the instru-
ments, the lions end pauthers Of the Eng
lishman, which Englishman, by the way,
having put drop too much in his grog,
and drunk drop too much of the self-same
grog, was enjoying q somnolent beatitude
while awaiting the call to visit the beasts
under the safeguard Of a white-heated
iron.
All at once a hideous roaring made itself
heard above the blare Of tho trumpets
Then cry of anguish and despairing
clamor rising from a thousand throats.
Coryphees and danseuses, wild with terror,
| precipitated themselves from stage to cor
| ridor; women swooned with lamentable
means, strident laughter and hysterical
sobs; men ran away.
The lioness, a sleek. vicious devil, had
made her escape from the cage, leaped to
| the front, felled with blow Of her power.
ful paw poor little maroher; thea, terri
fed by the calcium glare, the fame of the
| footlights, scraping v.olins and sonorous
vibrations OF the big bass drum had sud
| denly stopped saort in her bound, and stood
immovsble. But only for second. With
tail lashing her TANKS like an nngered cat.
the cruel fangs cleaning white between the
snarltng laws, she simply waited to select
| the victim.
| The red eyes blazad ferociously. the for
midable claws scratched and raked the
planks. tearing to tstters the tulls scraps,
the fiowery garlands and banners of the
poor little figurantss left behind in their
mad flight for safety.
What should be doue7 Seek arms Brain
her where she stands Send shot to her
heart hundred voices commanded; no
body obeyed. Howlings, calls, the decks
cleared for combat, but an insensate dis
| order; bodies barring all the Issues, a tor
rent OF struggling beings pouring from the
exits; doors and ratings cracking like straw
| under the pressure of the maddened crowd
Never more terrifying scene had dis
| tractsd Paris
Meanwhile little Queen Nab, poor Lucie
Bell, fascinated by the basilisk gaze of the
beast, groaued inert aud painting on hel
! heap of cushions. A livid paIlor had sud-
denly changed that radiant visage to mask
| of wax, and her blue eyes, drowned IL
tears, were closed In a resigned stupor.
The lioness watched her. One second
more and the child would be the beasts
helpless prey
| Loredan Montagnac did not stop to reflect.
In his hand he held his cane, light, supple
stick, flexible wand, rather, topped with a
gold ball. He flung himself forward, blind
to every thing but the fact Of Lucie Bells
peril; the cane descended once, twice,
thrice, rage aad fury In the rain OF blows
and the muscle Of good right arm.
At the sight OF that man in the dress-coat
of Partisan society. fighting for life, and
! literally Offering himself as a substitute &c
| the teeth and claws of the terrible animal,
the clalnor redoubled, but only to still al
| quickly to O solemn silence, as If TO do hon.
age to him WAC was going to del
| But Loredan Montagpac did not die. The
| force of his will was such that the uncon-
scious will of,tae beast gave away to mans
mind dominated matter. Loredau willed
to save Luoie Bell he felt In him an un-
I known strength, for tie mon1en: super
human. ineKhausuible and scornful Of all
other strength.
Fast and furious the 1.-the wand leaped
and played about the lioness' muzgle, the
twitching ears, the narrow skull, the loag,
crooked fangs. Loredan's gaze, charged
with hate, plunged deep into the fereoious
eyes of his enemy. And--how was it done
that enemy was vanauished. In a minute
In century, No one could tell which!
Then the Englishmsn, Weakened by the up
roar from his doltish sleep, arrived with his
net and his white-heated iron, aud sooner
than 1 can give you details the beast was
fast in the cage again. and Lucie Belle,
| Queen Nab no longer. but resuscitated
and loving woman, clinging to the neck OF
her preserver and murmuring in voice
warm with tenderness:
sit was you, then. that loved mew
For that evening, at least. the spectators
received more than their moneys worth,
and Loredan the promise, later on, Of a Pc
lite and charming wife, whom he still calls
| in moments of affectionate intimacy hi!
Little Queen NAB"
|