The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-12-18

tens; but when 1 d1smouuted rouno
that they were the cubs of noun tain
| ionl
was delighted. 1 had always had q
| fondness for kittens, and these little
! animals were much prettier than any
kitten. They were plump and most
beautifully marked. They got up and
/ began to gambol and play with each
| other IN the most innocent and en-
! gaging manner.
What ideal pets. Instantly the
thought came TO me: why not capture
them and take them homer" Here
would te glory for me, to be sure. How
l would triumph over Charley!
stopped over and picked up two of
them; there were four In all
had much difficulty in mounting my
! horse with the baby lions in my arms, for
they wriggled and scratched and did
everything in their power to prevent
me from carrying them OFF; but At last
was in the saddle, aud started of.
Fortunately my horse knew the road
and was perfectly safe; SO 1 merely
threw the bride over my arm, and
held crying kitten in each hand
How they did meow and squalI,
First one and then the other, and then
duet
All at once, in the midst of all this
yelling of the cubs, the thought flashed
across my mind that the mother would
probably come home, and finding two
of her babies gone, go in quest of them;
and here ! was, creeping along on a
slow old horse, three miles from home.
with two young lions It was about
time to wake up old Bobl
looked for my whip. II was gone.
Probably l had dropped il in my at
tempts to mount
Here was new difficulty It was
impossible for me to get off and on
again with the big kittens in nv arms,
and the old horse would trot along for
only a few steps, and then subside in
70 bis usual slow walk. 1t was only
by dint of hard kicking and fierce jerk
ing OF the bride that contrived 70 get
him into an occasion fair trot-
We had gone about mile farther,
and was cutting one OF my kittens in
~ oADALAoS4DAAr A1tAA 4lEdEAA WHAT 4
fancied was 4 growl behind me.
I turned, but could see nothing.
Nevertheless, | felt = little nervous,
and kicked my feet against the horses
sides more vigorously than ever
We went on about two rods, when
heard the same noise again This time
thought that could not be mistaken.
and ! was not. Turning. / saw, 20 nv
horror, that large California lioness
was coming at dead run not one hun
dred Yards behind ne.
Every few steps she uttered a ho-rid
growl. and she looked really fendish
Ny heart stood still. but did not give
up Old Bob. too heard the noise. and
increased MS speed 20 the best pace he
had
Of course the little lions had caught
the sound They meowea and cried
louder than ever This excited the
mother the more and sAe redoubled her
g-owls-
dared not look around, but very /.
soon = was not necessary for ne %
turn il order 70 see her She was right i
D. nv side, aud g.arlng a. me IN The !
most frightful manner
There was nothing else 20 do; took 4
one u the kittens and threw . a. the .
mother lloa- and threw &: very hard, .
hitting he- fall n th= fac
frlsy bei.evcd tina: the old Iioness +
would keep on ard compel ne 10 give .
up me other Young one also. and wac
a>touished 9 see her ssize THIS one u i
her month and make OF Is fazt as pos
sib.e toward her lair
This was VeJ pleasing. bit ! Wa