The Saint Paul globe., 1900-06-10
& Romance OF a Ejom' S DEN.
KS Brave Girl Was Rescued by
~ They

lightly into the den and took her seat
between two lions. The cage was drawn
by four white stations of great beauty,
and apparently docile. The first little
tremor OF nervous emotion had passed as
the caravan began to move through the
crowded streets to the music of the cir
Gus band, and the amateur lion tanner
more interested in the novelty of her po-
sition than the applause of the multi
tude was about to try the effect of a
kindly menace upon one of her pets, when
she heard unusual shouting, and the car
gave a great lurch. The next instant
she saw two white horses turning in a
furious gallOp across the street, and she
realized that the span Of leaders attach
ed to the car had become frightened Be
fore she had time to move the whole team
turned away from the procession ana
started on a run down a cross street,
closely followed by the van behind. The
lions set up terrible roaring as the pom
derous car bounded over the rough pave
ment, throwing the animals against the
bars with great violence. The girl held
her whip threateningIy towards the ter
rorlzed beasts, managing to keep on her
Ieet by holding fast with one hand TO
an Ron rod. She had hoped that the
driver would regain control of the fright
ened horses, but jolt more violent than
those she had already experienced threw
the man from his seat, and she saw him
faII under the wheels. One OF the horses
fell, and the other maddened brutes drag
ged the car over him, stripping the har-
ness from his body.
The lions were now furious with rage.
Their eyes were glaring balls of fire and
foam was flying from their cleaning
white teeth. Miss Dore realized that the
car was passing down steep hill, and,
giancing ahead as best she could, she
caught sight Of a. bridge. Another instant
OF horror passed, and the roaring waters
Of the Colorado river, seemingly hundreds
Of feet below the iron banisters Of the
bridge, swirled in the shadoWy depth be-
tween great walls of rock One Of the
lions fell against the despairing girl,
throwing her across the cage, and as
she struggled to her feet she saw a man
on black horse fairly Whiz by the car
She heard the hOofs Of the horses strike
the floor of the bridge
II lost all hope" says Miss Dore, "and
L anticipated a horrible death in the wa
ter with the maddened lions struggling
over my body" There was a sudden
crash, which threw both animals sprawl
ing against the forward end of the cage,
and the frightened girl fell across them.
Quickly regaining her feet, she was in
the act Of grasping the iron bars when a
collection of reptiles crashed against the
side of the car Of lions This cage was
made Of glass, protected by iron rods.
The wheels Of both cages interlocked, and
the glass was shivered to atoms. The
lions sprang to their feet, roaring and
gnashing their teeth. Miss Dore stood in
front of them with her whip, but she ex-
pected them to spring upon her and tear
her flesh to fragments.
The ages were mOtiOnleSs She moved
backwards slowly towards the door, not
daring to take her eyes from the lions.
A monster semi-nude negro, who coupled
the den with the reptiles, howled in little
less stricken tones than the lions The
terror-stricken girl heard hiss and then
she saw the head and red, forked tongue
of the African anaconda swaying between
her and the lions. They were mad enough
before; now they were insane with rage.
The snake was seventeen feet long, and at
least half Of the repulsive monster was
already inside the cage, seemingly Justin
the act of striking. MY heart beat and
thumped" says Miss Dore, "as IL it were
about to burst. A minute had not passed
since the cage stopped, but it seemed like
year. l prayed out loud for help, and
was surprised when I heard voice say
ing: The door is nearly open. can
wrench it loose I heard the noise of
creaking iron and felt something take
hold of my dress behind. Step right
back, young lady said the voice. it will
open enough for you to squeeze through
1 kept my eyes on the lions and Slid back
through the door. I heard the awful roar
Of the lions and the kissing of the ana
conda as they all rolled upon the floor of
the den, struggling in battle NY ewes
were closed, but my ears were open to
catch the words Of the multitude.
"One foot more and we would have
crashed over the bridge. He caught the
horses with his lariat, and the cage kill
ed his pony as it fell against the rail
'Bravest cowboy ever lived'-'And he with
one arm broke I heard all Of that and.
more says Miss Dore, "and I realized
that some brave man had rfsked his life
to save me from a horrible death.
opened by eyes and looked into the face
of the brave young man whom married
IN the lions den a few months ago"