Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1900-04-19

ing into the reservoir was opened, and
the hook and ladder men brought from
their truck long board. to which lad
ders had been firmly dashed on either
side and joined Mt the top so as to
make a triangular runway or Gagged
gangplank. One end was connected
with the reservoir of the old hand
pumping machine. and the other led to
the door of the cage.
"Open her up" ordered the sheriff.
Catterfeld demIrred. and the circus
men gathered around and looked ugly.
But the fire department was out in
force, and popular sympathy was with
John Malby and tho sheriff. Cater
sAd saw that resistance was useless
and opened the door of the cage.
''Now, get 'em out yourself" ne said,
with a sheer.
Look outw shouted the sheriff, and
Cattertield jumped to dodge stream
of water from the hose which the fire
men had been attaching to a hydrant
fed by a pond up in the hills The col.
umn of water struck the cage and play
ed among the lions. They spied the
partly open door and made a dive to
escape. When the first lion saw the
dark and narrow quarters he was
heading for, he stopped and tried to
turn back, but he was only one to
three. The other lions, pursued by the
relentless stream Of water, pushed him
on, and one by one they disappeared
into the reservoir. 1t was a tight
squeeze. but they all got in. The trap
was closed and fastened. and with a
ringing cheer the firemen started on
run fer the Jail. BY similar tactics the
animals were transferred to the main
corridor Malby had placed hunks Of
raw meat in four cells. Each lion as
soon as it was released made bee line
for the nearest cell, which was prompt
ly shut and locked by means of a pat
ent mechanism worked from the iail-
er's Office.
AS soon as the word was passed
around that the lions were safely lock-
ed up the crowd, which had TEMPORARY
ly withdrawn, reassembled, and cheers
were given for the fire department, for
the sheriff. for John Malby and for the
lions
Malby looked at the throng that filled
the street in front of the Jail, and. lean
ing toward Dixon. he whispered:
Sheriff. it's going to cost you heap
of money to feed those lions.'
Me? Yer said the sheriff laconical-
ly I've attached them lions, and
there they be. Soon as kin advytise
'em, I'll sell 'em But jest as soon
sell 'em defunct as Twin ruther, l reck-
on"
"Well. me. then" assented Malby,
with groan. 81 put dollars worth
of meat in those four cells, and those
four lions swallowed it at gulp. See
that crowd. Every one of 'em would
give 10 cents to see the lions in Jail.
Let me show 'em off. and I'll 90 snacks
with YOU
That's another great idee of yers,
john" said Dixon. go over ter the
town clerks office and git show H.
cense. It'll only cost We So, and I'll 90
ye. Here. I'll lend We the money"
For three or four days the lions in
jail proved potent attraction, but by
the time Malby had paid for the IL
cense, divided with the sheriff and fed
the animals his dividends were meager
enough. When the attendance began
to fall off, he could not make both ends
meet. He had been obliged to give up
his job in order to look after the lions,
and, though he bunked in the Jail with
them, he had to have something TO eat
as well as they. He began to fear that
they would all five starve to death be-
fore the sheriff could realize on the ami
mails. To add to his distress, the lions
showed unmistakable signs Of illness.
He tried dog medicine on them, but
they appeared to grow worse.
III tell ye," suggested Dixon when
Malby came to him with his tale of
woe. We'll call in DR.. Irving He's
the county physician, and he's bound
ter dose 'em fer nothin."
The medical man expressed consider
able doubt as to whether his contract
could be construed to cover the cases
OF lions in duress; but at last he con-
sented to look at them when he had
made it understood that he did so as a ,
favor
"Mr. Malby." he said when ne nau
made his visit, I've never made a
speciality of diseases of lions, but if
any of my patients should show sim
liar symptoms should say they need
ed exercise"
There! You heard that!" Malby
turned to Dixon when DR.. Irving had
gone. Those lions have got to be ex-
ercised. You haven't accorded them the
privileges that would be given to the
meanest pickpocket.
"All right, all right" assented the
sheriff. Exercise 'em. don't keer as
long as | don't have ter do it. Yer still
a special deputy. Exercise 'em all We
want"
1t was large contract, but the case
was desperate. If Malby could not
afford to buy them food, still less could
he afford to let them die The wall of
the jailyard was high, and, going into
the jailer's office. he turned the levers
t1,,t ~ Ill.