The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1901-09-03

. FAST FRIENDS. !
BY Alvan f. Sanborn.

beautiful, full-grown Abyssinian lion
ess named Imperatrice and small
shepherd dog named Coco. The init
macy between Coco and Imperatrlce
began far back, when the one was a
roiy-poly puppy and a other tumb-
ling whelp on the after-deck of a Nile
River steamer. They have never
from that time to this. been separated,
except as Coco has been sent out for
an occasional promenade beyond the
cages limits, and their friendship has
never for an instant faltered.
Every day, and several times day.
they give voluntary performance
which compares favorably with the
performances given by regularly or
ganized troupcs of trained animals.
and which invariably draws to the
cage Il number of eager, tiptoeing
spectators.
The dog begins by circling with pro-
volIing barks about the lioness. exact
ly as he or any other dog might circle
about cow in pasture. The lion
ess receives the affront cow-fashion,
with lowered head, creeps toward her
'
and crouches as if to sprlng-but does
not. Then the two beasts, eye to eye.
Agzag comlcally around each other
like a pair of pugilists watching and
working for an opening; the lioness
self-poised and supple. but ungainly
from lack of space; the dog nervous,
nimble and alert.
This capering is kept up for several
minutes, mt the end of which the dog,
tired of futile manoeuvring, attains
the lioness with a single flying leap
the program at this point never varies
and grips her by the skin of the
back, side or chest, or by the ear
wherever, in fact. his teeth happen to
close - and tries with all his little
might to throw her. The lioness. with
the adorable restraint and infinite gen
tleness of cons!derate father making
show of wrestling with his small
boy, or of a great loving st. Bernard
dog playing with baby or puppy,
allows herself to be topplcd over on
her back
AS she lies thus PROSTATE, in feigned
defeat and helplessness, the victor
plants his fOrefeet solidly on her silk
en- white stomach and with nose well
In air. proudly awaits the applause
that is sure to be accorded by the peO-
pie beyond the bars; after which-is
1T that, for the moment. he believes
the monster is really lain?-he seizes
the lioness's tail in. his teeth and tugs
Justify thereat just for all the world
as If he were dragging a carcass off
the field.
This sham fight is now and again
supplemented by a sort of hide-the-
thimble game ia which Il hunk of the
lioness's dinner meat serves for the
thimb!p, ana such holes as muzZlcs
can poke in the straw with which the
cage floor is strewn serve for the hid
ing places
When they are not engaged in either
of these ways. the pair may be seen
softly foollng and toying. licking each
others coats and faces. or sleeping
cuddled together with their fore paws
around each others understandable
models of gcntleness, self forgetful-
ness and good fellowship. and above
all, past masters in the difficult art of
taking joke.
Imperauice is always docile and
contained, except when some one of
the crowd of gazers does something
to annoy her little comrade Under
the slightest injury or insult to Coco
che become another creature: grOwls
Ominously, switches her tanks with
her tail, and assaults the cage bars in
way TO make one tremble for their
flrmness, while her chops drip foam
and her soft, velvet eyes fash flame
She loves Michel her keeper. who is
kind to her, although firm and master
full and would defend him doughtily,
i'm all likelihood, if she beheld him ii
distress, but she loves Coco more OF
this. her preference for the sog over
the man, she gave n striking. almost
tragic, proof n year or 80 ago when an
occasion arose which forced her-at
least to her limited animal intelli-
gence II seemed to force her-to choose
between them
The three Michel. Coco and Impera-
trice, were In the cage together Coco
in a sudden ft OF perversity. did a
thing he knew very well he should not
do. Michel. with never n thought Of
the possible effect upon Imperatrice.
gave him a richly deserved whip-cut
which sent him into a corner yelpiBg
and ashamed ThereupOn. with "a
spring there would have been no such
thing as eluding. even if it had. been
foreseen, Imperatrice set her teeth in
Michers right shoulder and bore him
Go the floor
Had he grappled unarmed rs he
was. with the infatuated beast tried
90 appe1se her with soft words. or
swooned from fright Michel might
never have left the cage alive. An or
binary man would have done one or
the other of these things and per
lshcd But Michel was not an ordi-
nary man Sure and swift as was the
spring OF the lioncss. his though was
scarcely less swift and sure IL was
Gs if the cause for the creatures rage
was flashed through his brain by light
ming He understood instinctivcly. as
well as me could have understood by
reasoning for hours about it that I'm
pcratrico was rebellIng for COcos
sake. not for her own. and that the
sole way to save himself. if way in-
deed Their were. was t0 display in-
sionuy auo Enthusiastically bis aGec
ton for Coco Aud SO Doe forced him