The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-09-17
OLD AGE AMONG WILD BEASTS,
Animals Driven out by Their Kind and
Left 90 Perish Miscrably.

ct was an old story read I'm my boy
hood days of the valley IN India TO which
the wild elephants went to die said
the naturalist. when The elephant felt
that his end was near the story ran,
he left the herd and went To this valley
whore be waited for death to come.
That this Is true I would hardly ven-
ure TO assert though AS Kipling says.
mo man knows au the ways OF the wild
elephant. BUT the mention OF the story
has reminded me Of the pathos that at
tends the coming of old age to "a Wild
animal. bon the National Museum 1t the
Smithsonian Institution in Was llngtou
there is the stuffed figure OF a bunalo
bun attacked by wolves. one wolf he
has pierced with his horn and crushed
10 the ground another springing from
behind has seized him above the gam
bril- with the evident design OF ham-
stringing him.
"fu these figures is the story of the
old bull driven from the herd when
through age he has lost the power 10
hold his own in battle with the younger
bulls. His reign may have been long
as king Of the herd but a. last there
came the time when he found himself
cast forth. abandoned ny the others on
his kind. alone upon the prairie. When
the herd moved southwark al the COM
ing OF winter he remained solitary upon
the prairie, or took refuge from wind
and storms in some sheltered hollow
of the foothills. 10 was a question only
of time when the wolves should attack
him. and then, fight bravely as he would,
there could De but one ending. through
numbers and wollsh strategy with ever
recurring attacks. they would at last
pun the old buat0 down.
"In the same fashion the wild stallion
that has outived his power of beating
an rivals from the herd Is himself driven
forth by some younger stallion 90 wan
der as one until. with the weakness or
age. he perishes in the winter storm or
falls a prey TO the wolf or bear or cou-
gar 10 rs q cruel and memorable law
which pervadcs AN animal nature. eN-
cept I'm the communities of civilized man.
that the old and the stricken shall BE-
left unassisted to their fate.
Forty years ago. on the shores OF
Sebcc Lake in Maine q bulldog owned
by q man named MOuton pulled down
and killed a. bear A boat rowed 10y
MoultOn was approaching the shore at
the foot of Birch Mountain when the
bear was seen coming down the noun
tainside toward the water Instantly the
dog leaped from the boat and swan
90 the shore. and be had killed the bear
before his master could get 20 the spot
Ordinarily a bear would bee match for
half "a dozen bulldogs. but the mystery
| of the readiness with which this one was
killed was explained whom 30 was found
, 10 Doe a very old BEAR deCrcpil in iact
from age. Lean. weak. NANCY he was
picking his way toward the lake. per-
| hape 20 drink. when the COS. espylng him
cut short the few days that might other.
wise have been left tO him.
cone Of the old South African mis-
sionaries-Mr. Anderson. 4 think-told of
"a lion that i'm Kamrland walked into
church where "a religious service was be-
ing conducted. The congregation at FIRST
was terrOr-strlckcn. but Do soon appear
| ed that the lion was helpless from age
and incapable of harmins amy one Upon
this TWO of the natives seized him, one
by the name and the other by the tail,
and bundled him out of the church. once
outside be was knocked in the head.
eft is "a dismal fate that OF the lion
who survives the combats and accidents
of his youth and prime and passes into
old age. There is a likelihood that with
the weakening of his fighting powers he
will get killed by some younger rival In
one of the contests that lions so hercoly
| fight with each other over the favor OF
1 some liOucss. But IL DE survive, the
/ king of beasts. who once pulled down
the giraffe and buffalo. unable now %
| catch and Kill biz game finds himself
| reduced Co tramp existence and the
| indignity of lighting with hyenas and
| iackals for The leaviugs Of Re meals
of younger and luckier lions His hunt
ing Is c0nfined.to rats and mice and such
| small dear and SO he fingers miserably
on until, weakened TO the last degree
| through age and starvation. he crdwis
TO some sheltered spot and gives up the
| struggle.
Gordon Clyciife an engineer who lived
| m0ny years in india. told me or an eN-
| perience he bad with tiger IN one OF the
| northern provinces there. lie was doing
! some surveying in the jungle. and as he
! stood. with his bearer. by The INSTRUMENT,
! he saw a tiger emerge suddenly from the
| jungle and strike down one of the chains
| men, "A native. a hundred yards dhcdd.
! Every one who has lived in INDIA knows
| the terror and confusion that come upon
| a party of men in the jungle Wnen me
| cry Of Tiger. IS head. Clyclime TOOK his
| rifle from the bearer al his side, deter
| mined 10 fire upon the tiger az Whatever
| risk N killing the man. BUT 70 us as
! constituent. instead Of picking the native
| up ana dashing away into the jungle
| with him after the usual fashion or tigers
| IN such cases. the beast actualiF rum
| lied with the manfred seNtit NIl'S
| a. pick him up and failed. At that Cly-
| clifie ran toward him 20 get a nearer
| shot. The tiger did not seem % perceive
! him until he got quite near, then tacel
! him. growing and switching his tan Al
| twenty yards away Clycliffe gave him TWO
| shots in the head. and the tiger fell dead
| in his tracks The man got up from the
| ground and ran for il In way thar show
ed that ne was not seriously hurt. WIEN
! Clvcli1e examined the tiger he founf
| that he was a very old one with scatceiY
| vestige Of a tooth I'm his mouth. HIS
| this condition showed that he bad been
on short commons for a long time, ana
! the cOlOrs of his markings were dulL
| For lack OF teeth he had been unable TO
| carry away the man. although he had
| pinched him severely with his jaws m
| the efforts he had made 10 do so. Except
| for these pinches. which were painful
| enough. leaving the heshblack and blue.
! and some claw marks. the man he bad
seized was unhurt, and went on with rs
work as usual wnen the excitment OF
/ the affair was over."-New York sun.
TO CURE A COLD IN ONE DAY
| Take Laxative Bromo Quinine Tablets