The Saint Paul globe., 1900-06-10

who has recently developed into g pros
porous and popular cattleman of South
ern Texas. Looking little nervous, the
man sprang lightly through the door that
was barely swung ajar, while the ami
mails showed their white teeth, and quick
" entered a growing protest against the
intrusion.
A minister, who was standing on the
ground at a safe distance, made assurance
doubly sure by stepping back a little fur
ther from the cage.
Are you not coming inside?" said the
smiling bride.
1T is not at all necessary" replied the
preacher, as he opened his Bible. You
see, my dear young lady" he added,
manifesting a surprising disposition to be
faceuous, Hons don't seem to take kind
Iy to me. Can't you see that old king
Lof the desert ncking his lips every time
he looks over this way? Thank you. l
am well off out here. The iron bars Of
the den will in nOwise affect the legality
of the ceremony. Please join your hands"
The bride laughed and the old lion roar
ed. The liOness looked knowing and sat
up in her corner-a model of proprtety-
as If she had witnessed hundreds Of we'd
dings and was fully impressed with the
/ Importance Of the occasion and the honor
conferred upon her and her companion as
witnesses of the ceremony.
The minister did not detain them long,
and when he had finished the lions set
up a roar. The bridegroom walked slowly
backwards over the floor of the den to
the door, which was quickly opened by
an attendant.
Somehow" said he 'the air is rather
oppressive in there. I should not mind
being in a corral with those brutes if
We're mounted on a good mustang and
had my irons and a rope, but I did not
feel as comfortable as you might sup
pose with the door locked and my guns
as good as forty miles away
The little bride played and romped with
the two old monsters for several mo-
ments, smacldng their jaws and pulling
their tails after the manner of child en-
gagged in teasing kittens. When she re-
tired from the den and Joined her happy
husband and friends the romance which
led to the strange wedding was told.
Four years ago this same menagerie
made a tour of Western Texas. An at
tractive feature of the street parade
consisted of an open den of lions drawn
by four white horses. Old Joe Crawford
an accomplished animal trainer, always
occupied the den with the saw
age kings Of the desert during
the grand march through the
streets Of a town. When the show
reached the little city Of Marble Falls
Mr.. Crawford found himself full Of
Southern malaria, which incapacitated
him from service. In this emergency
Miss NADIA Dore, a Texas girl, who was
eager to master some profession to make
living, offered to take his place. The
position was not entirely new to the
young lady, for she had formed the ac-
quatntance of the lions on a previous
occasion and they regarded her with
manifestations Of friendliness. Miss Dore
was raised on a ranch in the western
part of the state, and she is a devoted
lover of animals. In her girlhood she
had collected a little menagere of her
own, composed Of pet coons, wildcats,
squirrels prairie dogs and deer. It was
her ambition to become an animal train
er, and she never lost an opportunity
to pet and caress the animals in the me-
nagerie. The young lady was a great
1avorite with the show people, as Well as
the general public.
Mr.. Crawford thought the daring girl
would incur little danger from the lions,
for they were OLD denizens of the me-
nagerie and docile, but he rather re-
1uctantly granted her permission to take
his place, prOpheticalIy remarking: TT
is always the unexpected that happens
in affairs of this kind" No one would
have ever guessed what really did hap
pen.
Miss DOre had no fears. Dressed in the
brilliant costume of a Spanish shepherd
ess, with whip in her hand, she sprang