Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-12-03
ForYounger Readers.
SHORT STORIES FOR LITTLE Folks

O'Clock, We trudged ana logged
pleasantly along. bat Charley did not
Kill even a squirrel and took pains 10
tease him about his bad luck
We spent The day with our young
friends and started ON our return ut
about 4 O'Clock in the afternoon.
After We had LEFT the main road aud
taken the trail toward home. Charley
turned OIL into the woods 10 try to re.
deem his reputation rs hunter. |
might have followed him, but | was in
haste TO get home. So touched up old
Bob with my whip. and logged along
down the lonely bride path.
lust as | was following bend In the
road, a mile and a half 6cyond the place
where Charley aud ! had parted, some.
thing att.acted my attention IN what
appeared TO be pile Of leaves bcddcd
IN the hollow roots OF great oak. The
object appeared to SHINE.
! turned my horse toward II TO get
closer view and then discovered that The
shining came from tic bright eyes Of
several beautiful little creatures, which
| ut first took 10 be large Kittens but
when | dismountcd ! found that they
were the cubs of q mountain lioni
was delighted. had always had a
iondness for kittens and these little
animals were much prettier than any
kitten. They were plump and most
beautifully marked. They got up and
began 10 gambol aud play with each
other In the most innocent and vngng.
/ Ing manner.
What ideal pctsl instantly the thought
came to me, why not capture them and
take them homer Here would be
glory for me, to be sure. How ! would
triumph over Charley
stopped owe. aud picked up two OF
them, there were four IN all.
| had much difficulty IN mounting my
horse with the baby lions in my aims iof
the wriggled and scratched and did
everything in their power to prevent
me from carrying them of: but 10 last |
was in the saddle and started oil.
Fortunately my horse knew the road
and was perfectly safe. SIS merely threw
the bride over my arm and held "a cry.
ing kitten In each hand
How they did meow and squall
l,ifst one and thendhe other, and then a
duet
All at once In the midst OF all this
yelling oi the cubs the thought flashed
across my mind that the mother would
probably come home, aud finding two
OF her babies gone 90 ia quest of them.
ana here ! was, creeping along on q
slow old horse, three miles from nome,
with two Young lions. Il was about
time TO wake up old Bob
looked for my whip. IL was gone.
Probably ! had dropped II IN my
attempts 10 mount.
Here was new difficulty. II was
impossible for ME To get oil aud on again
tFtT
old horse would trot along for only y
few steps, aud then subside into his
usual slow walk. IL was only by dnt of
hard kicking and fierce Jerking ol the
bride that conlrivcd to get him into an
occasional fair trot
We had gone about a mile farther.
and WAS cutting one Of my kittens into
submission, when heard what iancied
was a growl behind me-
| turned. but could sec nothing.
Nevertheless felt a little nervous, aud
kicked nv feet against the horses sides
more vigorously than ever.
We went ON about two rods when !
heard the same noise Ggain. This time
| thought could not be mistaken, and
was not. Turning. ! saw to my horror
that a large California lioness was COM
ing at dead run not a LOO yards be.
hind me.
Every few steps she uttered a horrid
ggowl, and she looked really fendish.
My heart stood still, bu, did not give
w, Old Bob, too, heard the noise and
increased his speed to the hes, pace he
had.
Oi course the little lions had caught
the sound. They meowed and cried
louder than ever This excited the
mother the more, and she redoubled
her growls
dared not look around, but very soon
II was not necessary for me to turn In
order TO see her. She was right by my
side, and glazing at me in the most
lrightiul manner.
There was nothing else to do took
one Of the kittens and threw Il at the
mother lion. and threw It very hard,
hitting her full in the face.
! fully believed tina, the old lioness
would keep on and compel me to give
up the other young one also. and | was
as'onishcd to see her seize this one in
her mouth and make OF as fast
as possible toward her lair.
This was very pleasing, but was
perfectly certain that the old lioness
would come back after the remaining
one. And unless ! could get home,
which was not probable, or should meet
some one who had gun, which was not
probable, either she would get 1t away
from me.
shouted louder still at old Bob, and
almost stood up in the saddle In my ex-
element, but the poor old horse was
already going about rs fast az he could
20. lie seemed to appreciate the
nuqrpanrv but he ,paa vst,tur b,JI,,