The Opelousas courier., 1897-04-10

crawled suddenly to his feet, rose an6
laid her great claws upon his shoulder.
making him swerve with her weight,
and raising her terrible head upon {
level with his own. Slowly and slow
ly they turned round as if waltzing,
the low mutterings Of the beast be-
coming more plainly audible every
moment, and her yellow, feline eyes
swapping with hidden fires.
With an amazing exhibition OF
strength he wrestled with tripped and
threw her from him, and the canvas
tent rang again. But instantly she was
upon her feet, flashing her sides with
her prehensile tail, drawing back her
lips so as to show teeth, and uttering
the deepest and t~iercest growls.
For the love OF mercy, hand out
your child, Joe," said his attendant.
"Wait a moment. I shall be done
quickly"
The growing feat was yet to come.
1t was one npon which he had BIZ
slowed much time and upon which he
had prided himself-a tableau OF wild
beasts, with manhood aud childish
beauty for the central attraction.
He stepped to the corner, led the
monster hon forth into the center of
the cage, made him lie down, placed
the little girl upon him, and stood
astride. Then a shrill whistle brought
the cleetah leopards bounding upon
his shoulders and standing up with
paws crossed above his head and the
black tiger erect upon his left, aud
throttled with his hand. But the
lioness failed to do his bidding and
take her place upon his right. She
lay in the act OF %springing, and at but
a little distance.
Come"
There was no movement, and the
whip was raised and fell heavily upon
her head. That was all that WAS
needed to awaken her latent ire, and
with a roar like that given in her
native forest, she sprang with almost
resistless force toward him. A sharp,
singing blow on the bridge of the
nose for o moment cowed her, and she
have been conquered, had she
not partially fell upon and upset the
pail and deluged the floor of the cage
in blood!
Then all became the widest COM
motion. Every beast sprung down,
the blood. and them turned
upon him. Zen the veterantiqn APP
peared to forgeH the long yearsassf
training, and somHhing of his young
life blazed fsaAa.;
Amberly comprehende1 al in an in
slant, and the father triumphed over
The actor. He snatched up the now
terrified and screaming child, sprang
with her to the door, thrust her Unto
he hands of the watchful attend, ant,
md would have followed, had not the
ioness grappled and drawn him
pack, rending his shoulders with her
sharp claws, and causing the blood to
stream over his rich dress.
He was fighting against most des-
3erate odds, knew it, backed into a
and called for his irons. One,
ed hot at the end was handed to
but at the first stroke the
ioness sent it whirling, and her
harp teeth almost met for a moment
u his thigh.
''Hand me something sharp with
Which I a brain the brute |"
Everything upon which hands could
laid was thrust to him, but he
ailed to reach them, and the danger
Tas becoming more and more immi-
ent. The blood had been Tapped up
lean-all were mad with desire, the
and the leopards crouching
pom him. Then the majesty of COM
hand asserted itself.
"Come, Samson"
The old lion came forward at the
'ords, seemed to comprehend that
omething was wrong, thrust himself
etween his master and his raging
late, and when she turned upon him
ent her rolling with a blow of his
reat paw.
The lion tanner might have escaped;
Mt bleeding, wounded as he was, he
1ould not retreat, and turned his at
to separating the now tangled
ASS of fighting animals. Picking up
ne leopard after. another, he drew
lem into q further corner of the cage,
Raging the tigerwith the lioness cling
g to it and tearing its glossy hide,
lither, tore open its paws by main
rength, hurled it back and shut the
turned, reeled to the door,
upon it, and was dragged through
safety, even with the lion ess rattl-
g behind him as it was closing.
A few steps taken, and the lion