The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-02-18

Wave after wave of applause rolled
around the auditorium, children screamed
delightedly, women waited. pale ana eN-
pectant, while men smiled with the
consciousness of superiority OF nerves.
Then suddenly all was hushed in a
pause of horror.
Seeming for the first time the ami
mails discovered Ebers. Whether 1t
was the memory of some wrong he
had done them months before, or be-
cause they resented the presence OF a
man with whip and prod, Will never De
known. But in second they were on
him.
/ caught a glimpse of his CHASTITY
face and staring eyes as Dan, with one
stroke of his huge paw. crushed him
down. In an instant the intense ex-
element of the spectators gave way
to panic. The sea Of paliid faces
The uproar was deafening. Women
shrieked and tainted and men swore.
Above the tumut came the agonlzeo
cry of Ebers-then silence.
Norma stood with clasped hands, her
face fun of wonder.
Persons shouted warnings 10 her and
the keepers waved frantically they.
rushed forward. AS for me. 1 was hela
hand and foot with agonizing terror
Slowly She lifted her head and gazed
about her. Her glance drifted indffer-
emily over the multitude, from left to.
right. Then something in my gaze must
Nav, drawn hers. Her glance met mine
and fingered there an instant she
of good-by and faced the blood-mad
brutes.
The animals paused in their furious
pacing back and forth as she stepped
farther in their midst. There was as
constituent and :ulIen resentment In
their glaring eyes The taste of blood
had brought blck the freedom Of the
jun@le. slowly, slowly, with one accord.
fsy-
ure--so quietly it seemed almost
breathlessly. in their eagerness for their
prey. Their eyes flashed as they paused
aga.n and crouched lower
The girl stood motinoniess. soft
light giorified her face, as IL even then
the mystery of the new life EMBODIED and
left It's impress on her soul. She folded
her arms across her breast and waited.
And then. in flash, all the resentment.
and anger fell from me. I desired moth
ing 50 much in my life as that she should
Hve--1 who had sent her to her death.
The audience rose as IL impeIled by one
supreme desire. Now was her time to
speak, Noy-
The end was near: a moment more!
How ! prayed that she would speak. /
tried To tear my gaze from the erouching
brutes- Oh, God, would she never speak !?
Would she make no move to save her
life?
Then some way I found my voice. /
letL my chest heaFe with the great cry
which rent the narrowing silence.
For Gods sake speak TO them"
light flashed across her face she
heard my call There was a little hutter
Of blue, her bright head bodied above
the taVny beasts. a white hand was up
raised Her clear voice rang gu, in Its
welcoming: Pete. Dan, King, my beau
ties, greeting"
moment, GREATNESS. intense-then a
great sigh broke whisperingly around
the arena. The lions paused, rose ma
iesticaily. and gazed on her with eyes
of affection.
Wild cheers and deafening applause
Numbered through the tent her little
hand hutterei from one tawny head to
another.
By this time / was AT the door OF the
cage and had flung /, open Norma held
HE back as / about to rush in. She
kept pushing me gently down the short
steps OF the cage. until the door shut be-
hind her.
The cage was wheeled quickly from