River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-01-30


the children had been left il was very
dark, and the Zulus had gone. The
pOof little things were tied 10 a tree,
which stood apart from the clump
about 25 feet. They were boy and
girl. The boy was gagged. and the
poor little girl was in a dead faint from
| fright. ] was about to cut them loose,
when a laundering roar, so near that
the ground trembled, made me clutch
my spear in Mortified surprise dared
not fire my heavy rife, except as a last
resort. for the report would surely
bring the Zulus. i looked toward the
brush and saw two eyes, which glowed
ominOusly in the darkness. / placed
my spear against the tree. and hold
ing the point in the direction from
which the lion must spring,I awaited
the attack.
He evidently saw the point of the
spear, for he moved uneasily from side
10 side, as il seeking a chance to Jump
by it. followed his motions, till, with
an angry snarl, he sat upon his
launches, thus showing his intention
to jump over il. For a moment he was
motionless, and then, good heaven he
came. AS he went into the air, moved
the spear quickly under him. He came
down upon IL. breaking IL in an instant.
His great paw struck me'-he put his
finger on the queer scar on his cheek
and fell with awful force against the
little girl. The lion lay motiOnless, for
the spear had entered his heart.
al, with some difficulty, extricated
myself from under his heavy body,
which lay across my legs. 1 found the
girl stone dead, but the boy was I'M
hurt, and could see by his staring eyes,
which showed white even in that dark
ness, that he appreciated his terrible
position.
81 cut him loose, but left the gag in
his mouth, for fear he might cry out. /
placed the little fellow on my back and
set out for the boats. When / reached
the edge of the mud hole, heard the
bushes cracking and knew at once I
must face a new danger, and a second
growl told me il was the other lion. '
hastened on, and had just reached a
narrow strip of dry clay between the
bushes and the mud hole, when / saw
Il the tNtS. Il EOl Us DtdT llic
edge of the Shiny swamp as possible,
and began TO have some hopes of es-
cape, when she sprang at me with ter
rife force. / sprang down and towards
her, hoping she would jump over me.
She did, and not striking me as she ex-
pected, she hit her nose on the hard
clay. and turning a completed somer-
sault fell upon her back into the mud
hole. In an instant dealt her a blow
with my cutlass, which added to her
confusion. / struck her again, but she
dashed the weapon from my hand, and
turning over. began 20 struggle through
the soft mud. / knew she would be out
and upon me in an instant. | had no
recourse but to use my rifle. / took a
quick I'M, fired, and she fell dead, but
wheth, from the shot or the tremen-
dous blow had dealt her with the cut
lass, could not say
~ picked up the boy, who had
fallen in the struggle. and fairly ran
toward the boats. l Juld. however.
make but slow progress in the dark
ness. and besides my wounded face
caused me great agony. l had almost
reached them, when n tall Zulu loomed
up in my path, and the moment he
saw the boy he sprang before me.
There was no time for hesitation now.
! raised my rifle and fired. He gave
| frightful yell, and in moment | found
] was pursued. / rushed on and down
the bank, just as the foremost Zulu
reached the top. 1 sprang into the
boat, which was pushed off at once,
and amid a shower of spears we mad,
our escape. l left the boy at villag-
er's where I knew he would be well
treated, and soon returned to America
Having finished his remarkable sto-
rs, my friend excused himself and went
upstairs.
II went to the hotel clerk and asked:
"'What is that gentleman's name?'
Smith, he replied.
"'Who is hep
"'He is the steward OF the house.
was the answer.
"'But he has been a great traveller,
has he not?' j asked.
"'Oh. no. he came here a green coun-
try boy 25 years ago and has not been
away a week since
allow did he get that scar? i
queried.
Had 'scrapping match" with a
cook. and the fellow up with a three
tined meat fork and hit him a clip. He
is queer genius the clerk continued;
people always try to size him up, and
no matter what they guess he is, he
gives them some yarn to fit the occa-
SION
Give me the KEY to &C and send
up two pitchers of ice water at once,
please
"'LOok here Sid the clerk, what
do you want with two pitchers of ice
water at four o'clock in the afternoon? %
~ am going upstairs TO soak my
head l growled; and up went, mad
der than a hornet, with the clerks mer-
W laugh jangling in my ears."-N. Y.
Ledger.