Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-01-14

the echoes In the mountain gorgcs far
above his defiant head The yellow
smoothness Of his 81 dc was broken by
a jagged wound outlined in dark clot-
ted blood, but his courage was un.
dauntcd 10y the Y 'lping pack Of dogs
that surrounded him. making false
starts at HIM, yet AFRAID to attack him.
Oh hi mate nothing was to be seen.
The hunters, each anxious to claim the
lion as his trophy, pressed forward
ant, aiming over the surg,ng mass Of
hounds, 6rod upon the majestic crea-
turc facing death so resolutely.
Wounded in half n dozen plac es, the
lion sprung into the air with a scream
OF agony and rage, then fell, TO DO in.
%antly covered by the dogs, barking
in triumph over defeated foe But
they had battered themselves too soon
that the prey was theirs, for with n
desperate courage the lion struck out
right and left, sending his enemies
heels over head with blows OF his pow.
crful paws and ripping and tearing
with his unshcnthcd claws and giant
molars Their rcd blood mingl cd with
his own and dyed the sand crimson,
aud they gave back for an instant, un.
I'll, seeing that tho mountain king
was dying even as he fought, they re-
turned to the battle
hut as they fell upon him n roar
from the frowning heights OF the
mountains proclaimed that another foe
was Mt hand The mate was returning
and had scented tho battle from
nfar In another moment sho lcaped
into view, pausing on the pinnacle OF
tall spirc OF rocl, and surveying tho
scene below with an angry caat OF her
sleek, catliltc head. Outlined against
the ten Ter blu1 OF the morning slry sho
seemed yellow carving of yellow
marble, but only for q brief moment,
for as her topaz eyes caught sight Of
her dead mate and the frantic dogs,
she sprung down to the crag next DC.
meath her, just as volley Of shots
shattered the extreme end OF the
one she had that instant left
She descended with magnificent bounds
that sent her 1.-the body from peak TO
peak with incredible rapidity, paying
not the slightest apparent attention to
the dogs or the hunters and seeming
only to see the fallen monarch below
She reached the little gorge where he
lay A second volley had failed TO stay
her as she came bounding down. but
now third greeted her as she sprung
from the last spur OF rock, and gush
OF crimson blood marked where some
bullet had found home In her quiv-
ering flank.
Then for the first time she seemed 10
notice her human foes, AMI leap ny to
the side OF her dead mate faced them
with roar Of defiance, even rs she
bent her head and licked the blood
carcass ut her fcet Tho dogs taking
this for sign Of timidity, flew ut her
ferociously, but tho lioucss, rendered
furious and reckless by her mut''a
death, met this attack with savage
determination that sent sever al away
yelping, wounded severely, and
strctc he'd others dead, while all hcsi
tatcd 10 continue the eight
Turning once moro to her dead com
panion She bestowed one loving care 4,
on his stiifcned form and then face
the mountain, and would have sprunI
feared 10 fire upon her before lest they
wound the dogs instead, here succeeded
In breaking one Of her shoulders by a
single shot out of n score She fell ior.
ward with cry an rolled over IN The
yellow sands that drank her biupl
Once moro the dogs attacked her aad
though she fought like fury with
tooth and nail they mastered her
Again and agail she cndcavorc 10
right herself only u fall forward Oh
the broken bone, while her determined
foes tore at her limbs and sought her
slender throat The hunt,rs rndcay.
ored 10 call OF the frantic hounds, but
they could not be induced to leave their
prey, TO which they chung until the
beautiful wild creature lay dead and
beside her mate. -Gaicna
Mex Cor Of Philadelphia Tlmca