Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-04-30

Sdlu IeTHlyi you re my WlIe uOW,
and you don't go back to training
tigers-no, not even a near-sighted
one"
David lived firm in this decision.
Krantz grunted disdainfully and went
about moping. Milly thought she
should be allowed to decide the mat
ter, and in the light of her pride,
David's position was the first unpleas-
ant exhibition of mans vanity of own
ership.
Then Green-eye arrived. He was in
no agreeable mood. Gaunt, fierce from
a wound which had partially crippled
one of his hind legs, the brute slouched
about his box, and occasionally tore
at its heavy timbers.
Then the pride of Milly Krantz grew
beyond restraint. Without consulting
the obdurate David, she limited to old
Krantz that she was ready. There
was no reason to fear Green-eye and
she was not afraid.
Old Krantz prepared the properties
and selected a morning. Green-eye's
cage was wheeled to the larger den.
The animal was sluggish and did not
relish the transfer. Now Krantz stood
by the door, ready to pass her up in
to the cage. He had cautioned her to
take a heavy chair, an aid that might
be required, and she carried one of
those tough whips to bring back to
Green-eye a lapsing memory of anoth-
er masterful woman whose temPera-
ment had been so like his own.
David would not have suspected
this little drama-would eve have
understood why Milly entered the
t-ger's den against his wishes-had it
mo- been for Firefy, the jumping horse.
On the previous day Firefy had given
evidences of being off feed, and David
arose early to see that a soft mash
was given the animal. Not finding a
stableman close at hand, he had mixed
the feed himself and was going in with
it to the horse tent when the clank
of a bar against the steel of the big
cage caught his cal. Wondering who
was in that quarter so early, David
slipped into the big tent-at that very,
moment old Krantz swung Milly into
the tigers den.
David stood completely paralyzed
with a fearing dread in those first few
moments. Silent, unable to cry out,
he stood with the bucket Of bran in his
hand, staring at the slip of a woman,
his wife, in the great cage. Green-eye
did not at once move from his posi-
ton on the floor, and as her entrance
had been without noise, it was the
first rustic of her silken skirt that
told the beast of her presence.
David moved nearer, now afraid to
speak for fear of disconcerting her.
She must act for herself. At the first
hiss of the whip, swiftly Green-eeye
lifted to his feet in a movement of
sluggish grace. Then, slowly, he
turned his head, and the big green
eyes stared in all that intensity which
is cruel, bestial. David saw there
was menace in the beasts pose, and
his face went white; Krantz saw, too;
worst of all, Milly saw. Her eyes were
lined with the tigers. She seemed un,
able to move OF to speak. Her face
was drawn and set and pale. Her
eyes stared fiXedly into those CLEAN
ing orbs.
Green-eye uttered a snarl-this
broke the spell. His bound across the
den's center was not quicker than hel
pitiful cry. She threw forward the
chair, lost her grip of it, and stag
gered aside to the door, screaming:
HE can see-He can SECT"
There had been no waver, no hesita
ton in the spring. The limping les
handicapped him, and he fell en-
tangled by the four p~rodding legs o.
the chair. Then instantly he was
blind again with Firef1y's bucket O
mash in his eyes. David's toss was &C
curate and vicious. The brute rolled
frantically r. the floor of the den
wrecking the chair with frenzieC
strokes, biting, snarling, wiping at his
eyes. Then he sprang at the bars, 6
hideous, glazing thing. There was 6
wick of hatred burning in each of the
green eyes.
Milly, white and quivering, fluns
herself into David's arms.
ooh, David! David" she cried
clutching him, "he can see!"
1t was old Krantz who grunted, ant
phoofed, and snorted in German irasci
bility at the wild idea of her fear.
Life in the open will do it, Krantz,
said David.
See! ach Colt! what couldt make
him see when he aindt no eyes? Yol
kept still aboudt this seeing, Milly
You loose the nerve, yes. See! could
he see these last two, three years
No-Haaa! Well blind is blind, alndt
it?"
And Krantz, stolid, u~nreasoning
puttered about the stake wagon unit
he found an ash club. He tested it
earnestly grunting.
They found Krantz at the bottom o.
Green-eye's cage several mornings
later. 1t had been a good club; but
there vas no bandage.