The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-02-25

foath a squawk, and seen two big hobo's a yankin a gyrl along between 'em. He lit down on them outcasts like a thou sand of brick, grabbed each of em by the neck and with them ox-leg muscles of hisn he knocked thur heads ergin each other, jess as a kid would play with two dolls, until they was sense- less, and then when he discovered it was Dolle he grinned like catamount. Dol lie talked a blue streak and gushed and twittered her thanks, but Bob, he. was plenty cool and polite, and after passin' a few remarks to her about the weather he tipped his wool hat, said good even ing Miss Goggins, and ambled off as naughty as roosters, leaving that high flown maiden lookin after him in won der.
 Distinguished men, congressman and high-tyers of every kind surged in courtin' of Dollie for a long time arter this, but she didn't take none of em, and Bob jess engaged hissef with agr- cultural toll. and went with gals who didn't crowd on so much style. When the circus hit the village Bob was blow in in the bottom field and didn't know nothin about 1t until long In the shank of the evenin' he lowed to hissef that heed take out and git his mail at the postoffice, so he crawled his Kit mule and rid down thar with the gear on the mule. and the trace chains clankin'. Rived thar he seed thar was onoosual commotion, folks stampedin, people can terin' off among the scenery like rab- bits, and everybody skeered into a blue funk. Some wimmen had tainted, men was climbin' trees, stores had closed up all hands shore was panic struck.
 Whatever Is the cause of this we're riot? asked Bob, settin' on his mule as cool as cucumbers, of citizen who's shinnin' up oak tree. Liun!' yells the climbin' person, gittn' out on a limb.
 The lion in the circus has got loose and is cavortfn' round plenty free. He's over thar in that cow-shed, and by this time I 'spect he's chawed up half the poperlashun.'
 Bob rode over to the shed. lit down off en Kit, took a trace chain and went to the shed whur the old roarer had backed up in a corner, skeered heep wuss than the people. That old African lion had never been loose before, and he was mighty near frightened into fits about 1t.
 Bob went up to him with the trace chain in his hand, kicked him in the stomach so as to make him back around handy, fastened the chain around his neck, and led him out as meek as Moses. Thar they went down the street towards the circus, whar Bob met the ringmaster with his crowd, armed with guns and crowbars and things handed him the chain and says: Mister here your critter.'
 "Dollie couldn't stand Bob putin it all over the lion hathaway, so when he got back to his mule thar she stood.
 blushin' and smiling with her eyes bright and swimmin'. Oh. Bob you did catch that lion, didn't you? she said sorter smuggling up to him. 'Yes'sum. grinned
 that eediotic Bob. Wasn't you afraid? Yes'sum, chuckled that malignant cit
 erzen, we was both sorter rattled spe- ctally the liun' What a great, splendid
 hero you are. Bob,' said that little Dollie
 gal. ketching holt of his Immense big
 paw and sorter twistin' around until she had got his arm over her pretty should CTS. You are going to protect me. and take care of me alters, aint you, Bob?' murmured the cute wheedling Dollie.