The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1910-06-22
ARoaring Lion
By M. QUAD
Copyright, 1910. by Associated Lit
erary Press,
BY M. QUAD


barns all along the highways. and on
certain date the affair was to open
at Dyersville for an afternoon aud
evening performance On The evening
of the day that Xeb Scott first saw the
pictures he laid out his program he
was farmers hired man. He was In
love With and engaged TO Nancy Smith.
the daughter of another farmer. He
called to tell her the news and invited
her to so to the circus.
He expected Nancy to cnthuse, but
she didn't On the contrary. she look.
ed very sober. II SO happened that
this was the first circus to come along
since they had been engaged, Zeb
knew her for rather serious minded
girl. but just how serious he was about
to find out When he had stopped for
breath he was amazed to hear her say:
Il can't go to the circus With yon.
Zeb. 1t would be encouraging wick
edness to do It,"
They argued the matter for two
hours. and then 2eb went home In the
sulks Nanny utterly refused to 90 to
the circus All ether people for FIVE
miles around might go, but it was
home for her. The father and mother
stood neutral The mother said
"Mebbe some folks can see a woman
| In spangles and not want to come home
txrl,l ~, hs,u h.,t
what's the use In gittin' in the way of
| temptations"
In two days Zeb was back TO talk
matters over again, but be had no bet
| ter luck. He even came the third time,
and he was armed with a long list of
good people who were going to at
| tend the show. but he met with the
same objections. Then he lost his tenn
| per and reached for his hat with the
| remark that any girl who was too all
| fired good to so to circus was too
| good for him.
! The circus was a great success. In
addition to the regular performance q
lion escaped from his cage and got out
| into the country. and as he was not
| recaptured the excitement was great.
I Zeb had good time. but he was con-
science stricken. He had been mean,
and he realized it and wanted TO make
| up. How was he to do it? This ques-
tlon bothered him for the next fort
night He could not 20 over aud beg
| forgiveness and trail his pride In the
| dust. and as far as he could ascertain
cline on his account lie was lying on
| his back In bed one night when the
| thought suddenly came to him that
| lion. AS 4 matter of fact, the beast
had been recaptured, but the farmers
hadn't heard of it and were anxious
by day and sitting tight after sun
doWu
Before morning came Deb had his
plan. Before noon ne hnd shared II
| with a SOD Of his employer. There
was a bit Of Il lake on Farmer Smiths
land. and mt one poiut he had built &
summer house. 1t was Nanny's favor
lite spot TO sit and watch the sun a
| down and the cleaning come on. The
roaming. roaring lion had kept her
away for q few evenings. but as he
had not appeared and devoured her
her courage gradually returned. Hel
had builded Oh that summer house
He had his eagle eye that way MS he
MIXED the cows on this particular
evening He saw the pink dress as II
| crossed the meadow. The gloamina
came, the robin sang his last notes be
fore going to bed, and then Ieb anc
his fellow conspirator moved
In pensive silence Miss Nanny Smltl
sat In the summer house lighting mos
quitoes and wondering how wicked the
circus had made Zeb when there came
a sudden alarm. From lot Of bushes
not far away came blOodcurdllnl
growls and mans shouts. and sht
was hardly on her feet before Het
dashed up. club III hand, and calet
out:
Back into the house, IT'S the lion
Back. and L will die here to save YOU"
"Oh. Zeb--Zeb'-
"Rack. cirl--he Is coming.
And the lion came. That is. he seem
ed to come His growlings aud roar
ings were something dreadful 70 bear
He moved this way and that: be al
vanced and retreated; he rolled oyel
and over on the grass. But the brave
Xeb could not be blilffed. He stood
In front of the house and sw'lng hi'
club and cried to that lion to come OF
IL he dared. Finally. NJ the end Q
about ten minutes. he suddenly rnSbet
into the darkness, pounded win NE
club and returned to Nanny TO say
lie has fed, and You are saved
Good night, Miss Smith"
.'Oh. Zeb. you can't 20" she appcaled
oBut must. | ask no thanks 70
the trihe l have been able to rendr
you"
But can't let you go. You mus
come TO the house Say, dear. reall'
wish / had gone to the circus Will
you"
But you wouldn't go. You kept tax
1 l. t III