Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-03-27

JUNIOR STORIES.
I. 81
A VISIT I'M LONDON.

Dear Editor: am a little girl II
years old. AS this is my first letter tc
the Junior I will write something
about my May Day Among Curious
Birds and Beasts" Being alone in
London, yet wishing to: celebrate the
day I decided to pay my respects to
the lions at the geological gardens. A
self immensely. for May day in Eng
land is Just what 1t should be, mild.
sunny, f1owery and springlike. AS
walked along the we'll kept paths be-
tween white and rosy hawthorn
hedges ! kept coming upon new and
curious sights for the birds and beasts
are so skillfully arranged that it is
more like travelling. through strange
and pleasant country than visiting a
a great American bison and I was so
glad to meet with any one from home
that I'd have patted him with pleas
IRE If he had shown any cordially to-
ward me- He didn't, however, SO I
threw him some fresh clover and wen,
on to the pelicans. 1 never knew be-
fore what handsome birds they were,
plumage, tinged with pale pink and
faint yellow. They had just had their
bath and stood arranging their. feath-
ers with their great bills, uttering a
queer cry now and then and nodding
to one another socially. When fed
they gobbled up the fish, never stop
ping to swallow it, till the pouches
under their bills, were full; then they
leisurely emptted them.
Being in hurry to see the lions,
went on to the long row Of cages and
there found a splendid sight Six
lions and lionesses in three or four
different cages, sitting or standing in
dignified attitudes, cycling the spec
tators with a mild expression in their
fine eyes. One lioness was i'll and lay
on her bed looking very. pensive,, while
her mate moved restlessly about her.
evidently anxious to do something for
ings. / liked this lion very much, for
though til, bieeest he was Very gentle
and had a noble face.
The tigers were rushing about as
tigers usually are, some Creeping
noiselessly to and fro, some leaping
up and down and some washing their
faces with their velvet paws. All
looked and acted so like cats that I
wasn't at all surprised to hear one OF
her head. 1t was very loud and
large purr, but no .freside pussy. could
have done it better and every one
laughed at the sound.
Suddenly the lions began to roar,
the tigers to snarl and all to get very
much excited about something. l
couldn't imagine what the trouble
was, until far down the line saw a
man with barrow full Of Jumps of
raw meat. This was their dinner and
as they We're fed but once day they
were ravenous. The lions behaved
best, for they only paced up and down
with an occasional cry, but the tigers
were quite frantic for they tumbled
one over the other, shook the cages
and tried to reach the bystanders Just
out of reach. behind the bars that
kept us at safe distance. When the
Jumps of meat were thrown in, it was
curious to see how differently the
animals behaved. The tigers snarled
and fought and tore and got SO saw
age was very grateful that they were
safely shut up. The lions ate in dig
nified silence all but my favorite, who
carried his share to his sick mate. and
by every gentle means in. his power.
tried to make her eat. She was too Ill.
however, and turned away with q
plaintive moan, which seemed to
grieve him sadly. He wouldn't touch
bis dinner, but lay down near her
with the lump between his paws. as