St. Landry democrat., 1891-10-17

take some means to prevent him fror
leaping out of the ring into the crowd
1t his friends, the spectators, had n
better way to suggest he would orde
that the lion be tied to a stake in tn
centre of the bull ring. This propos
ition had the entire approval of the spec
tators, and especially of those who sat il
the rows nearest the ring. The lion wa
tied with rope enough to allow him t.
jump hardly more than twice his owl
length.
Tie the bull, tool" called out voice
Fair play for the lion!' and the cry wa.
taken up.
The manager protested that he wanted
the fight to be as good as possible, ant
he doubted the wisdom of tying the bull
1T is not fair the crowd shouted
The bull will kill the lion without {
| fight"
What would you have?" said the
manager "Shall | let loose the lion
among you all?"
mo, no. Tie tho bull in front of the
lion. Give them an equal chance"
SO the bull was tied to stake with a
short rope. Apparently the lion would
have fair chance. At length the com
batants were left face to face The lion
was free of muzzle and tho two extra
ropes.
The animals watched each other for q
few moments, each one moving restlessly
| as though uncertain what to do. Neither
seemed to be afraid. The bull slowly
paved the ground and waved his long
tail, at the same time shaking his head
and expelling from his nostrils such
quick blasts of air that the dust flew up
in his face. The lion now and then
crouched nervously, with snarling jaw
and jerking TAIL but he did not spring
The crowd held its breath again and
again as the crisis seemed to be at hand
AT length the lion crouched. His
muscles moved under his soft skin like
steel springs. The bull stiffened his
thick neck and lowered still further his
wicked head
Then there was a sudden flash of vel
low in the last rays of the setting sun.
The lion had sprung at his foe. The
bulls great head went up into the air so
quickly that the human eye could not fol-
low the motion, but the bull was too late
The lion landed full upon the bulls
broad back and dug in his cruel claws
The bull reared His roar was answered
by a greater, louder roar from the
thousand human Threats in the circle out
side the ring. The human animal was in
sympathy with his dumb fellow.
The bull jumped about and tried VIC
I1y+ 10, ct ~, l. ~
beast stuck fast. In moment the blood
began to trickle down the bulls black
sides. Probably surprised by the noise
OF the bowling crowd, the lion made no
further hostile demonstration Even the
smell OF blood did not rouse him from bis
quiet. The rope which fas-
tened the bull to the stake was too short
to allow him much freedom of movement,
and so the lion remained calmly on his
back.
"Giye the bull chance the crowd
began to yell. Don't you see that he
can't move his head: Give the bull more
rope. The lion will kill him like tame
cow" Sympathy for the bull was ris-
ng.
"knock the lion off y howled the
'rowd again. LET the fight go on. 1t
will be dark before it's over. Knock the
ion off or we will cut the ropes. Give
he bull more rope" The bulls life
blood was trickling down into the dust
n steadily increasing streams.
The subdued manager yielded to the
will of the people. The lion was induced
o get down from the bulls back, where
lpon he was dragged along to his stake.
lie was getting ugly, and the men who
lad hold OF his rope were careful to keep
veil out Of his reach. Only the bull was
eft to face his rising wrath. ;
The bulls rope was heightened so that
was nearl y the same length as the
ope which held the lion and when he
cit his head once more free the black
elbow turned to lick his wounds. 1t
as only for moment, however, as he {
GEMS to know instinctively that the lion 5
lust be watched.
The crowd began to yell again. "Go
Of him, lion! take him by the neckn' S
heered groups of spectators here and t
1ere. Take him under the foreegs, I
ull!' shouted hundreds of voices; "toss /
i'm once for all! He deserves it. He /
ills all the calves and frightens the @
ows. Kill the thief and get even" h
The lion began to growl and to walk 0
ack and forth quickly, as though seek
e for chance to spring in and finish d
le work already begun. His wonder il
Id surprise had passed away, and he was Il
ady for more serious attack. The Il
Ill was smarting with pain where the p
on's claws had sunk into his flesh, and z
) shook his head viciously These de-
onstrations went on for few moments
ithout result, and the crowd yelled
uder and louder In their excitement
en- leaped into the bull ying to get n
tier view. ..
Then the attitude of the two raging ?,
FINALS changed. The lion crouched for "
other spring, and in that same instant ~
e bull lowered his head and stiffened' {,
5 thick neck. The lions quivering h,
lscles contracted with nervous strain sl
r the leap, but just on the exact instant II
. huge black beast rushed upon him l.,
tn lowered head and shining horns and II
ssed him high in air. The horns had ~
ught the lion under the forelegs as the 81
How animal rose for his spring, and n
d thrown him like a feather. As no -,
mt upward the lion turned over on his s1
ok, with his feet waving helplessly to ea
q fro. He went the length Of his rope, 10
d then stopped short with sudden Nv
'ck that was heard distinctly by all the s,
ectators. Then he came down in a NJ NJ
lp and helpless mass, quivering in a f;
18th spasm. The battle was over. The 10
MS neck was broken New York Re- II,
der. ~
Then the Nun1hers Go "