Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-04-17

One of our three Hottentot boys had
just brought the news to us. The sun
had barely topped the undulating hor-
izon, and the cleur-cut outline was
fast emerging into the haze and SHIN
mer which betokened a scorching day.
We had finished our early coffee, and
We're now preparing to revenge the
loss of our OK. As it was Bob's sec
ond lion and my first, he, by virtue of
his experience, directed the process
OF vengeance. "Come on, he said.
'Don't talk as if we were going to
catch train" remarked. "Aren't
you going to take more cartridges?"
'I've got three, and there's only
one lion" answered Bob.
| felt that Maxim gun would have
been a comfort; however, sitting this
vain wish. L loaded myself with dozen
cartridges and the heaviest rife we
had, and announced myself ready.
We had not far to go. The Hottentot
had marked down the lion and its
prey, and we hoped to be in time to
spoil the enemy's breakfast, or at
least to case some interruption there
to. We soon entered the elephant
bush, and cautiously followed our
guide. There was a strained intensity
about this walk, which zny seem unac.
countable to a good many, and ridicu.
lous to the rest; it may have been O
unique case and worth going into by
scientists, or it may have simply been
a case of fright disguised in a cloak OF
absorbing earnestness and sinking de
termination. However, we presently
came to grassy open space. on the
edge Of which the boy stopped aud
told us the lion was close.
"Shake him up" said Bob.
I thought this extremely silly. W,
were not driving partridges. [ fer
vently hoped the boy would not up
set or irritate the lion by shaking him
up. 1t was not my idea of lion hunt
ing at all, and said in low, impres
sive voice, "Don't spoil sport, Bob
to which he replied, "Rotw (Ht
often used that rude word to me. He
had been six weeks longer in thu
country than 1 had.) "Look here,
continued he, ''you shall have frs
shot"
"We've got to find him first"
, murmured.
Just then the Hottentot crept back
and told us he had located the liol
about thirty yards off; that it was feed
ing on our OK, and refused to b
shaken up. thought it quite prope
| OF the beast to object to this rat-and
terrier style of amusement; it seemed
to me so undignifed in lion hunting
But Bob was not inclined to treat th,
king of the forest with much courtesy
"Lazy pig" he muttered, anc
straightway made for the spot indi
Gated by the boy. The grass wa
knee deep, and formed a patch o
about half an acre in extent. w
went on for couple of minutes, auC
I began to hear ominous rustlings al
round. Then the boy stopped ant
pointed to spot in advance of us
We looked in that direction, auC
whilst we stood listening, gratin,
kind of noise with twang in it wa
distinctly audible. Going on fey
steps we distinguished amid the grast
the hind legs of an OK, hoofs upper
; most, waving in the air, and half-a
dozen PAGES farther disclosed the stu
alton entirely. There was our dea,
beast extended on its back, and be
tween its hind legs lay the lion feed
ing on the rital parts of the poor al
imal.
At first we only saw the lion
shoulders, on account of its head be
ing low down; but Bob shouted
"Get up, you thieving villain"
thought Bob was mad. Slowly tn
brute raised its head and looked at us
II was rot taking face, nor was
exactly handsome one. 1t was reel
ing with blood, and from its jaws hun
tnnrtinna of torn flash whinh IL 1ru