Holbrook argus., 1909-03-23
AN AM IA BILE
 LION IL Proved a Faithful let, But Not Much at Fighting.

cut of his pipe on the soda cracker box, that the state of Californy was so full of mount'in lions you couldn't go up an arroyo without stepping on the tail of at least one of them."
 "Aw, mo-" interrupted August, the c'erk (Owgust, he was invariably called), with an incredulous look at Uncle Billy.
 "Aw, yes!" was the fierce retort, in voice so loud that the windows rat tied in their frames. When say yes, it's yes, and when l say no. it's no. Do you understand that, Dutchy?"
 'No-er--yes," replied the clerk, eX- linguished as quickly as candle flame when the snuffer is clipped down on it.
 Hard times had hit the beasts as well as humans" the narrator went cn. Them mountin lions were plumb unery They were so hungry that Ter howls of distress were heart rcndirg, and after sundown, with your window open toward the mountains, u Nbuit HCQl Nltil Ndllo oldJ uC- a'ringiy against the cliffs.
 Ore night there came to the back 1cor Cf the shack where me and Iobe Smith were quartered the rang
 st, boniest mount'in lion ever
 apped eyes on. My partner was fry lg bacon and the lion smelled it. He sat upon his hauncEes in the yard, the on did. and sniffed once or twice. Then he walked forward and scratched cl the door, looking through the mos uito nettin' with the saddest eyes I ever see. Standing there, he slowly rubbed his left paw where his waist band would have been if he had one, telling us as plain as day that he would be mighty thanHful for little filling.
 Smith was about to pass it some bacon when I held his hand We didn't have overmuch bacon in the house; but we did have some cold oatmeal, and l set this out That lion went through that oatmeal like wa ter trough a mill wheel, after which it sat up and begged for more We hal TO mere oatmeal handy, but l threw 8 couple of slices of cantaloupe and 'ome Dutch black bread (what do you all it. Owgust, pumpernickel0 a7a t was pleased. When it had eaten al
 h2d to spare it began to purr and ub itself against the mosquito netting il the most friendly way,
 May l drop this pipe and break it if that lion left us for a minute after Ia. II curled riGht up by the back 70Cr and went to s,eep. When morn
 ot, With it's head on its paws. one ye open and wa ching the house as r to see that no harm came to us
 We beqan to tn nk of a name for i'm. Smith--his name was really chmidt, being of German descent biected when I surg rsted Gustare, md l certainly wou dn't stand for hs 7aline the animal Kelly, after me. We rearly had falling out over 1t, bat finally settled that when we were bo'h present it should be referred to ls Wax. When l was away Smith alled it Kelly, and when he was not a'Ound I addressed it as Gustave. It vas quick to answer all three names; hut when the Swed sh cook came he Eept continually addressing it as 'Du Yustave.' Gustave Max Kelly. Du Yus- ave sounded too complica ed; so we drally dropped everything but the Du which was short and simple.
 We taught Gustave how to meet the letter carrier and take the mail in, to take the milk pail out to the pasture in it's teeth and how to re- ;rieve rubber ball. It get to be quite handy around the house, but it was a long time before visitors grew used to it. Niobe and 1 at last gave up