The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-02-14

an allers carried a roll. an there was a time-'fore I got religion-that I'd "a lifted it off him, if I'd had to use jack screws. But he'd used me white an so I learned him poker-not much-jest enough fer necessaries; luxuries paid fer out O my own money, an when Nuttree learned what I'd done to him, an what I could a done, he was natchally grate- full He was a directer in the town me- Imagery. an one mornin' he come in early ! an says:
 To-day the lion comes!' What lion?" says I.
 ''The lion to mate with the great lion , ess, vich you have sawed-seed-in the ] cage. The lion vich Is already there, she likes not. She has him on the face scratched, and one eye has outputted. No man can go in, but take you. Will you go?"
 Well" says I, 'I dunno; Berta an me was goin'-''
 2 You need not be afraidt, says Nut tree, breakin' in. There is no danger" That settled 1t. Sure I'll go," says ''I haint never ben feared O lions" ."Never?" says he. Have you, then, lions in American"
 "The woods are full of 'em," I says.
 ''So?" says he. q haf 1t not knowed. Perhaps you haf him hunted"
 Not lately" I says, but used to hunt 'em frequent"
 Nuttree >elapped his hands, and looked at me- an Berta-shes come In while we was talkin-looked at me a mite different from what I'd noticed before.
 'sTell me-" says Nuttree. q haf great interest in wild beast How haf you the courage to hunt him-so strong-so big so-so vide? Have they you never catch ed?"
 Twice I says, putin my hand under my coat tails. Twice they ketched me-"
 "Ach. Vot haf they dooed-did-to you?"
 "Collared me- an kicked me, an drug me to the main entrance an made me buy a ticket-ef I had the price. Elf didn't they kicked me some more, an told me to chase myself" Strange lions," says Nuttree. Come. We go."
 Berta put her hand on my arm. Do not make such foolishness. Do not by the lion go. Maybe he gets out" "Berta,' says I, T haint~goin' to butt into no danger. but eff yell look at me like that agin I'll get into the cage with
 
 : We'll ne an Nuttree went to the Zoo, where they was goin' to bring the lion. It was a long, low buidin' with a alley down the middle. an cages on each side, with beasts in lem. At one end there was monkeys and disgustin' apes, an parrots, an as ye went down the alley the critters kep gittin' bigger, an uglier, till ye ended up with the lions, an Rile Bengas. There was a bunch O fellers at the lions section, an Nuttree an me went there. There was a lot O regler hands in uniform. They was a dried-up- lookin' outfit-looked like lot O pemmi- can dusted over frames The rest was directors. like Nuttree. an looked like him-same f1utterin clothes, an specs. He made us acquainted an gimme good send-off. "He is great hunter of lions,' says Nuttree, fin the night. Often they kick him, an by the collar catch him. He is of many lions not afraidt."
 They took off their hats, an shook hands with me, an l gathered they was glad to have me. One of em could speak English as bad as Nuttree. an he says they might gladly advice have if was in such way slanted," an I says I was, an would give it to 'em If see good openin. The lioness was in 8 cage, jest In front of us an they'd parttioned off one end of 1t with iron bars fer the groom. She didn't act like no joyful
 
 roarin' an bitin' at the bars, an I begun to feel sorry fer the ion
 "This match looks to me like a mees-a- lions," says I to Nuttree., an if he's ben fggerin' on any connubial bliss in hisn' he's goin' to be a dlsappinted lion." While he was talkin the door at the fur end O the alley opened an I see gang O fellers hauln' on a rope. The other end was hitched to wooden box, boarded up tight, an on solid. wooden wheels I 1edged that the lion was in the box, an when they some closter, there want no doubt of 1t, from the racket that was goin' on on the inside. They kep' haulin till they got the box opposite the partition The lioness took on scandalous, an the he one want slow. He was doin' his best to git out, roarin' an kavortin' round an shalxin' the box every jump. "Nuttree" says I, If them two meet up. the lions goin'to git divorced so thorough that they'll have to git him out with ral.es. If he flies to her willin' arms. his name'll be Ichabod Fuit, sure" We'll first off. they opened the door of the partition, where they planned to put