The Columbus commercial., 1908-05-17

and background of all their toss
dreams, and If it hadn't been for Mr..
Scraws they'd have made us a present
of all Africa. You see, we'd done it
SO quiet No noise, no rudeness, just
an inclination on our part, and their
biggest champions were put TO bed.
We were little tin gods in their eyes,
and their yelping now took on more
of awe than venom. But Feeney
didn't appreciate our growing popu-
larity and foamed at the mouth.
Then he barked an order.
I'VE were still scraping a modest
hoof in mild depreciation of the en-
core when the squaws began bobbing
| their heads violently and l was in
| quisitive enough to shyly turn and
look over my shoulder.
Attention 1 cried, and Tib
| wheeled just in time to see our hosts
orders had resulted in another rude
cage being unloaded through an open
| ing in the paling, and two more
| beasts entered.
| These started toward us on can
| ter. and to my horror / observed Tib
| was frittering away the precious Sec
| onds in gallantly kissing his moist
| digits to a bevy of frenzied valen-
tines. presumably the wives of the
| chief
| For my sake,' l had just time to
| invoke, when the lion in the lead
| turned at an acute angle and got very
close before 1 could pull the trigger.
1 overshot But Tib, ignoring his an
noyer and after foolishly chanting
some lines about Lions to right of
| 'em, lions to left of 'em,' pivoted and
raked my villain by a neat snapshot.
| And the next thing l knew / was sail
! ing high enough through space to
| peep over the top of the inclosure. 1t
| seems / was just one jump too slow
in lodging, and the brute managed
to collect the back of my shirt in
passing.
My return to earth iolted the
breath from my lungs, and 1 had to re-
| cline and watch Tib face his fate
alone. l knew he must have ducked
when enfilading my footpad, and by
| the way the survivor was performing
1 realized his second shot had not
been wasted. The snuff coIored dream
vaguely brushed his ample paws
against his muzzle and gave one the
| impression of being intoxicated. Yet
| true to his original design, he gravely
sauntered towards Tib and made a
clumsy leap. But two quick shots full
in the yellow eyes announced his exit,
and after I'd gained my feet we both
sank down wearily on his muscular
| flank
We'll, sir, / reckon Central Africa
never saw such a perfectly astounded
set of natives as in Feeney Scraws
and his little ones. There were four
of their king pins quiescent and we
lolling lazily back on the biggest
We had laid them to rest as easily as
| laughter-loving chauffeur runs
down a crippled beggar with a 60
horse power smoke-wagon. Naturally
it made the crowd nervous, and the
yowls they let out would have fright
ened pumping station into Mysteries.
"'WilI the lions show fight when
they revive?' painted.
Will Feeney ring in actors until
we've used up all the dope?' Tib
asked thoughtfully, in return, me-
chanically giving our cushion another
desuetude drop. This anger-killer
won't last forever he added, moodily.
Then the swamp-light stole into his
eyes again, and l knew some quaint
conceit was adding his brain.
"'All down, Feerey,' he cried,
| chcerily. dancing towards the paling.
Set EN- up in the other alley
81 pulled him back and tried to
quiet him, while the aborigines yelped
as if afraid Of the round, laughing
man who hushed lions to sleep. The
black hands no longer were shaken at
US in derision, but instead were
pointed in hesitation, and by the ges-
ticulations and rolling eyes l knew
the people were petitioning the chief
to hold up his thumb.
I'D like o. nice, cool drink from
old Champlain,' rambled Tib, playing
carelessly with his lions whiskers
| old Vermont! Recall those lines-I
remember, 1 remember the house
where / was born? 1 can't, but
could if there had been lions in it.
Hes about to play another
card warned, giving the nearest
lion another shot.
We've four lions now,' ruminated
| Tib. proudly. Say, Billy, did you
ever try to do sum in lions? Now,
in adding three columns of lions,
| when you have two to carry
They are opening the barrier
again. / groaned, giving my patron up
as a hopeless slave to purple pipe
| dreams.
lib reeled to his feet and tore
open his shirt and peered under a
shAky hand down the line.
More lions he said, simply.
White leopards! Two of 'em' l
| corrected.
'Hurrahl' he shouted, and I be-
| lieved him thoroughly crazy again.