The Virginia enterprise., 1908-05-01

and background .of d an their Joss
dreams. and If itThadn't been for Mr.
scraws they'd have made us 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-
lartty and loaned at. the, mouth.
Then he barkedg an order. -
We were still scraping q 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 I 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!' had just time to
invoke, when the lion in the lead
turned at an acute angle and got very
close before I could pull the trigger.
l overshot. But Tib, ignoring his an
noyers and :: after foolishly chanting
some lines about Lions to right of
'em, lions to left of 'em,' pivoted and
raked my villain by neat snapshot.
And the next thing knew I was sail
ing high enough through space to
peep over the top of the inclosure. 1t
seems I was just one Jump too slow
In dodging, and the brute managed
to collect the back of my shirt in
passing.
my return to earth jolted the
breath from my lungs, and / had to re-
cline and watch Tib face his fate
alone. I knew he must have ducked
when enf1lading my footpad, and by
the way the survivor was performing
l realized his second shot had not
been wasted. The snuff-colored 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, I reckon Central Africa
never saw such 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
a laughter-loving chauffeur runs
down crippled beggar with a Co.
horse power smoke-wagon. Naturally
it made the crowd nervous, and the
yowls they let out would have fright
ened a pumping station into Mysteries.
"'Will the lions show fight when
they revive?' l 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, Feeney,' he cried,
cheerily, dancing towards the paling.
Set 'em up in the other alley
Il pulled him back and tried to
quiet him, while the aborsgines 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 I knew
the people were petitioning the chief
to hold up his thumb.
"Fd like nice, cool drink from
old Champlain,' rambled Tib, playing
carelessly with his lions whiskers.
old Vermont! Recall those lines-I
remember, I remember the house
where l was born? l can't, but l
could if there had been lions in it,
"'He's about to play another
card l warned, giving the nearest
lion another shot.
"'We've four lions now ruminated
Tib, proudly. Say, Billy, did you
ever try to Go 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 hopeless slave to purple pipe
dreams.
"Tib reeled to his feet and tore
open his shirt and peered under 4
shaky hand down the line
More Hons,' he said, simply.
"'White leopards! Two Of 'em!' l
corrected. .,
'Hurrah!: he shouted, and I be-
lieved him thoroughly crazy again.
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