Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1892-10-06
THE LITTLE LION TAMER

sTWalk in, ladies and gentleman;
you're Just in time; we're going to
begin!" and the man with the pallid
face and green eyes cried out his pro-
gramme in a husky voice, as he
walked up and down the platform Of
one of the finest menagerie tents at
the Limoges Fair. The canvas at
the right of the entrance represented
a tribe of monkeys in more or less
grotesque attitudes; at the left,
panthers with yellow eyes and enor-
nous names. La the center the
artist had painted colossal woman
dressed in dancing costume.
Upon the platform. in the right
corner, four musicians-three comets
and a bass-drum-produced an in
fernal noise as soon as the crier ceased
talking.
1T was Sunday, and the peasants
had put on their newest caps and
ucleanest frocks to come to the fair.
The working girls and the peasant
girls, handsome brunettes with large
black eyes, wore the white muslin
caps, bordered with lace, which are
called affiquets in that country. The
uniforms of the soldiers added a gay
tone to this animated picture. Some
young cavalry officers were talking
with a group Of ladies living in the
neighbOrhOod, who had alighted from
their carriages to visit the fair, for
amusementS are rare in the provinces
and every occasion to meet ones
friends is gladly seized.
A handsomely dressed brunette.
whom frequent applications of golden
water had transformed into blonde,
was leaning upon the arm of a middle
aged gentleman, who had a military
air and gray mustache- This
coquettish Partisan had come to pass
a fortnight in the country and she
examined everything with childish
curiosity.
Colonel y she said, with a sweet
smile, pointing to the menagerie, Il
want to go in there"
lit must be terribly close in there,
madam" and a tall young man, in
dragon uniform, who was walking
at the pretty widows right.
iNOhl little more or less doesn't
matter" philosophically replied the
young woman, whose name was Nine.
Clery. "Win you Gomez" she asked,
turning toward a group Of friends
who followed her.
After a moments hesitation they
all entered the tent, which was al
ready well filled. A large man, who
seemed to be the owner of the men
agerie, was seated at the door and
took the money. Hurry up!" he
shouted; '1the performance has be
gun"
The animals were apparently less
numerous than the sign outside indi-
Gated: the principal cage contained
two female lions and an enormous male
lion, reclining idly on the floor and
looking disdainfully at the crowd
through half-closed eyes.
Suddenly a door in the rear of the
cage slid back and a young girl en-
tered. Her beauty astOnished the
men, who were unable to conceal
their admiration. while the women
bridled out at sight of her. She was
a blonde, with dark blue eyes and
fresh complexion, and wore beauti-
full blue and white costume.
s'What a beautiful child" the Col.
onel exclaimed as he stepped forth.
The lion had heard the cage door
shut and he got up, stretching himself
like a huge dog, and gave a long
look at the little lion tanner. She ap-
preached him, holding a circle in one
hand and a whip in the other. The
lion jumped through the circle and
the crowd applauded. Henri. Maurel,
the tall young man who had followed
Nine Clery into the menagerie, clap
pee his hands even more loudly than
the others
The performance continued; the
tanner made the animals go through
the ordinary exercises. Once one of
the female lions refused to obey; then
the young girl knit her pretty broWs,
darted glance from her sapphire eyes
and struck the beast with her whip.
Fresh applause followed, and the
young man, standing close by the
stage, criedout, 'sBravo for the pretty
girl!''
The lion-tamer raised her blue eyes
upon Henri, who devoured her with a
glance. She became confused and
blushed. In another minute, recov-
ering her self-possession, she cast her
eyes upon the animals 1t was time,
for the female lion had Strengthened
herself up and was looking at the
young girl ferociously The lion
tanner drew a revolver from her belt
fired four shots rapidly, and before the
smoke had died away, disappeared
from the cage.
The crowd filed out noiselessly, meet
ing another lot OF spectators who were