Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1897-08-21
FROsTBURG Md, SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 1897.

hear him, think, answering my chal-
lenge," as loud roar burst from be-
hind the curtains and caused few of
the more timid to move uneasily in
their seats.
With one magnificent bound the no
bic beast was through the curtains and
in the middle of the ring. There he lay
crouching in the odorous tan, as though
scarce realizing his unwonted freedom
and struck by the strangeness of his
surroundings, his bluodshot eyes rolling
uneasily and his quick, gasping breath
disturbing tine dust beneath his dilated
nostrils
Paolo had braced his limbs to give
himself strong position in expectation
of Scipio's onrush, his weapon conceal
ed in the hollow of his hand, and as he
stood in all the grace and strength of
his magnificent manhood, every symp-
tom of fear vanished, he felt within
himself that he almost welcomed the
moment that would bring to him vic
tory OF death,
Little ti@lc tur thought, however, had
Paolo. With oue fol- spring the mighty
beast was at b G his open jaws drip
ping froth, lis L4uodshot eyes blazing
with flry.
But not this time did he grasp = in
tended prey, for quick as thought the
practiced e.e of the acrobat detected
the movement, and bending forward,
head and knees almost touching the
ground, he made rapid shift in the op-
posite direction and avoided by almost a
hairbreadth being crushed breathless
beneath the lion S bulk
Quick as lightning's flash the lion
turned once more, crouching low i'll the
dust, his eye warily seeking some weak
spot in the armor of this strange an
tagonist, whose 1.-THE limbs and sinuous
movements puzzled him, and who show
ed less signs of fear facing him here in
open fight than the crowds of irail hu-
manity who had Knocked and jeered at
him so often from the safe side of his
prison bars, but who shrank back af-
frighted when in his wrath he gave his
awful battle roar.
This time, with catlike tread, he
slowly advanced upon his adversary,
striving, as though conscious of his
power and strength, to drive him back
and pen him helplessly and without
chance of escape against the side Of the
ring, and then to seize him at his
leisure.
Paolo was also thinking. When would
the soldiers come? Could he survive to
carry ON the unequal struggle till they
arrived? But while thinking not mus
Gle relaxed
Seeing the lions tactics, he gradually
managed to skirmlsh toward the ring,
though by 80 doing he passed within a
few feet of his nose
Come on, Scipio," he said aloud,
with gay bravado he little felt, "this
is not how lions fight" And he made a
slight feint, as though playfully to touch
his adversary on the head.
With a deep, hollow roar of anger
Scipio reared aloft Oh his hind legs, and,
throwing all prudence to the winds and
realizing that the momentous struggle
had come at last, Paolo rushed madly
at him, man and beast closing in ter
rible death grapple, the lion continuing
erect. as though wishful to wrestle on
equal terms with the brave biped
In the swift onrush Paolo dropped his
dagger, and now, weaponless but fren-
zied with rage and despair, he exerted
every atom of his marvellous strength
and with one giant upheaval overthrow
the wild beast.
But Scipio's mighty claws were busy,
and the blood lust was on him too
Crimson streaks through Paolo's tunic
made it apparent to the fascinated
beholders that this little wrestling bout
was not all that it seemed, and many a
timid heart, sickened by the sight of
est outlet.
But what sound is this that breaks
the spell and causes the low whispers
of inquiry to swell into a babel of
tongues? In another moment the semi
solitude of the arena is broken by the
appearance of body Of soldiers from
the neighboriDg barracks, all converg-
doughty combatants.
The young officer in command, has
tily disengaging a revolver from his
belt, fires one, two, three shots into the
PROSTATE brute's ear, and with one
mighty groan the spirit of the erring
Scipio returns to haunt the solitudes of
the African deserts.
Tender hands lift Paolo, unconscious,
bleeding and nigh to death. He is borne
from the arena as the audience slowly
files out of the building under the mas
terful direction of some of the soldiers
told off for the purpose-silent, awe
stricken, sobbing, praying, walking as
in trance.
In peaceful little Gods acre just
outside the walls of Paris sleeps Paolo.
His grave all the year round blooms
with lovely flowers, and it's fond tend
ing shows that, though his body has
passed away, his memory still flourishes
as brightly as the blossoms that wave
over him. Answers.
A Strange Nursery.
On the SloDps of the Himalavas the