The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1909-04-16
In theArena,
BIZ Rev. Bradley Gilman.

In the second century of the Chris
tian era, Hadrian, the proud emperor
of Rome, was constructing his famous
baths; their huge ruins are to be seen
today by the visitor to the Eternal
City. The bricks Of which they are
partly built were moulded and burned
at a small town ten miles outside the
wall, and one of the workmen VINO
helped make these bricks was Malcnus,
who had little son, Optimus, lad OF
twelve years. The father was away
in the brickfeld through the day, ana
his mother had died several years be-
fore, so that Optimus was much alone
at the little hut on the hillside; and his
father made for him many toys, many
little brick animals, moulded out OF
clay, and burnt hard in the fire. with
these he played hour after hour. And
there was Caper, the pet goat, trlsKlng
and frolicking, leading Optimus
merry chase over the fields, or draw
ing his young master in a rough carr
with straw harness.
One day the father, Malchus, brought
home new strange pet for the boy.
1t was little lion cub, brown, clumsy,
long-haired, and as full of fun as
puppy. Some Numidian traders, con-
Quoting a caravan to Rome, had
brought lions, panthers, and jackals for
the amphitheatre. On the way lion
ess, mother of this one cub, had died,
and Malchus had begged the little,
clumsy creature as pet for Optimus.
So the two, boy and cub, became de-
voted friends, and ate and slept to-
gether. Caper, the goat, was at first
much alarmed by the stranger, but
soon grew familiar with him, and the
three played like three children.
The name which naturally suggest
ed itself for the cub was LEO" and
Leo he was called. He soon learned
too, at just what hours to expect, at
the hand of his young master, a bowl
full of warmed goats milk. Optlmus
also taught him several tricks, as he
would have taught young dog. He
taught him to fetch and carry, and to
walk little on his hind legs, though
Leo did not much like that.
Thus Optimus and Leo became firm
friends. When the boy gave a certain
peculiar whistle, Leo, wherever he
might be, came leaping to find him;
and his brown face, with its red lolling
tongue, seemed actually to be expand
ing into smile of joyful greeting.
But young lions grow faster than do
boys When Optimus was twelve, Leo
was only shapeless little furry mass.
But, when Optimus had reached the
age Of fourteen, Leo had grown into a
powerful young lion, of equal weight
with the boy, and Of far greater
strength; yet he still obeyed his young
masters every command, and he loved
especially to have the child sleep with
his head on his neck, where the tufts
Of his great tawny name were begin
ming to appear.
Another year went by; Optimus was
fifteen years old, and his playmate
Leo had reached almost his full size.
His name had grown into great shay
gy collar, his nostrils had broadened,
his eyes had deep saffron tint He
cared very little for Malchus, but OPP
timus he fondly loved; and he often
rubbed against him, purring like a
great house cat and nearly throwing
the laughing lad down, and sometimes,
in his affection, he licked the boys face
until, as he grew older, his tongue be-
came rough, and the boy babe him de-
sist; and then, instead, he rubbed his
cold velvety nose on his young mas
ter's hand
Leo was strange pet, and most peo-
people considered. him dangerous Up to
this time the carnivorous creature had
never, to his young masters knowl-
edge, tasted raw flesh; he had eaten
only milk and the grains, and occa-
sionally piece of we'll cooked mutton
had been given him.
People, however, predicted all man
ner of disaster if the great animal were
allowed to remain at large; they even
threatened to come in crowd and kill
him. So Optimus one night fastened
Leo by leather strap and rope. The
huge fellow seemed at first hardly to
understand such an act. The next
morning, when Optimus at dawn has
tened to set the captive free, he found
only the broken pieces Of the strap
and rope. Leo had snapped them like
thread The mighty strength which