The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1903-02-26
Battle With a Lion.
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Pee 0n= days ago. eas b z
f-ou Lezi1s-n1- = e:
t s-a1a O. G see hanE. teGs
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s--ee f.o- AID vlthcE .Ap9a u
znT ~. w.lS <EIci 30 asst Ec1E
con.N5o. EG-.b.s o=Ec-d cc-eeFE
.ion. ard re. sch AS -sceatlv he ex-
pe-ie-o= Ct NJ Ed. CIicsr1. ct Viz
s.oo. xho Eeat Iz.s night e tie Mach
Hotet, and who rsizled - 4 circle cf
iatscs.y interested HeEe-s bis thrill
iag experience .iEh tie Ions that
~o115sd NJ. John a Spar1s, the nil
IIooz.-e SNOWMAN and ozner & the
tez=z, at VIDE Mecun Springs ) fes
weeks ago. But fo- the assistance rer-
dered finally by NJ. CIinzr5 and NJ.
Cicero Tie. z.=o Of Winston. the beasts
nu=. have torn tie unfortunate Sparks
bdy limb from limb On the spot. It's
a tale thrilIingiy Interesting but pitt
fal. ard o: con=unmase eoolneH and
bravery on the part ct the Snowman
that il seldom eauaIled-
Mess Sparks, CIinard ard Use we're
:. he Wade Nacom hotel ard Sparks
proposed tha. they visit his Pet lion=.
which he had DO: seen In four months,
having been absen. On e tip % Texas
sr tie cage Of the animals
". Sparks reached through the bar:
q Re lad o..en done and patsed one
O The liens o. tie head, when quick
= fash his hand was seized, the bezs'
crushing IL EghtfuIly in its hcgs
mouth. Mr.. Sparks eode2vored to with
drz< bis hard. when the ion bEough'
is terrible clause into action and tool
large. bod On tie mans arm, tear
ing MS clothing and .eizinz the aezh
g bis forearm IN its massive jaws, &C
eonpanT,ng the action with Z NOS
s.izhttul Eoarlirg and rearing. NJ
Sez-k=' con- panions were almost par
ztyzed with horror They could hea
IA c,unching Of his tesh and bone
4 tie mouth 0. the beast, which va
II. wild With rsge and the tes;e 9
olood. NJ. Clinard says once o- tvic
re sho.D@ grozued with agony. bu
svi1scced 70 escstsmsat aor fright, 5u
czInI: directed his companions ho7
- maze tie lion lose bis hold. Jr
Tie ran :o- help. sad NJ. Clinard look
Il everywhere fo- a weaPJn. bat nath
ing gave q small stick couId &c found
sod his punching the beast in the fac
~lsh that o1iv ser-ed to increase it
:a-ocity. while i: suddenly renewed i.
hold further toward the shoulder. Fl
naIiT NJ. Use returned With a heaT
piece Of scantling, and, uniting thei
strength, the Two Zen punched al
Dea. the ION in the face till the show
mans arm eonld be pulled from i.
mouth. During their efforts the othe
ion, incensed by the smell Ct th
biood that was streaming from th
Izcera.ed arm, made the moet ternbI
e1o.ts TO reach them through the bar
Of ne cage. and once isz claws tore IA
lapel Of Hr. Ciinzrd's coat When u,
Sparks arm was finally iooed. ne .e
oack weak with tie agony he had go1
through, and io@ CT 5Icod.
Then said Mr.. CIInard, do 70
KNOW what hell is? 1t was there u he
re finally broke that lions hold. Bot
Il the beasts rozred and plunged AZ
=orang with terrible ferocity aza1ns. tt
bars of that cage In their efforts to q
at Us. I never shall forget till my q,
| iag day the look OF the lion az Y
finally forced its jaws apart and Il
leased Mr.. Sparks arm. Its eyes seen
Cd TO diiate to twice their usual 81
| and spa1kled like fire. 1 bope sha
never experience another such sens
ton"
NJ. CIina-d used silk handkerchi,
70 bind the arm Of the Snowman tigh
y, close to his shoulder, until the a
rival Of physician.
It is well known that Mr.. Spari
died in the Winston hospital, to whic
he was removed 4 lew days LATER.
The scratch Of q pin may cause Il
Ioes Of a limb or even death whe