The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1916-01-21

the lion-tameress, who opened the
door with a click that was terribly
sudden.
Come in and meet the lions, boys"
said the manager, dragging the half
swooning professor after him.
Three hours later barrett sat be-
side Mademoiselle Viviane, waiting
for the opening OF the show The
three lions. looking very much bored
crouched at her feet Mademoiselle
Viviane, who had taken a liking to
barrett, chatted vivaciously.
"of course it's only a game" she
said. "One does a lot of things when
one needs the money even II one
doesn't like doing them. But often
wish 1t was real" Here she sighed
and looked sidewise at barrett.
81 beg your pardon?" stammered
the young man.
Getting married." said Made,
moiselle Viviane "Since my fourth
husband died have been so lonely.
If l could find real nice-Iooking
young man I'd like to make him happy
for the rest of his days"
barrett was searching his brains for
brains for a noncommittal answer
when the bugles sounded, and four
prancing steeds, which had been at
tached to the front of the cage, dashed
forward and carried them into the
center of the arena.
The amphitheater was lined with
faces. barrett, experiencing the
meaning of stage fright for the first
time, saw them, row above row, like
cabbages. or turnip-heads in which
Halloween gashes had been cut for
mouths. The mouths were set in
vapid grins, and as the cage drew up
in the center of the arena a single
shout rang out.
The manager stepped forward. He
was clad in tights and spangles. and
be held the professor rather firmly
by the arm. The professor was clad
in clerical clothes and looked sad
Ladies and gents" the manager
roared Il now introduce to you Doctor
Salerno, the guy in the cage, what has
come from the Japanee islands to
marry the beautiful Mademoiselle
Viviane. Doctor Salerno, who caught
and tanned these famous man-eating
monsters at a terrible expense. has
wooed Mademoiselle Viviane, this
here capricious beauty, for years in
vain. At last she agreed to become
hfc honVHy rrvffn hY,f
that the ceremony should tai place
in the lions den. Professor, will you
kindly begin the ceremony which shall
make them man and wife?"
Mademoiselle Viviane rose with a
smile and opened the cage. There
was something sinister about her
glance. barrett thought. The profes- |
sor stepped in gingerly and took his
station as far as possible from the
lions
do you accept this woman for your
welded wife?" he asked.
YES" said barrett. gulping.
do you accept this man for your
welded husband?" inquired the pro.
fessor of the fair tameress.
'I do" said Mademoiselle Viviane.
Then put this ring upon her
finger" said the professor. handing a
two-carat gold wedding ring to Oar.
rett.
While the young man held 1t unde-
in his hand something hap.
pened which always gave him a ten.
der feeling toward lions thereafter.
Nero, the toothless old monster who
had been doing in the corner,
strolled forward, laid his head upon
Vivianes arm and
grinned up into the professors face
The professor, with a wild Shrek
leaped back against the bars.
Help! Help!' he shrieked
Mademoiselle Viviane turned to
barrett with a gesture of surprising
decision.
Put on the ring!" she hissed You
boob, hurry, or the professor will lose
what little head he's got left"
The professor had already lost it.
He was clinging to the bars and emit
ing a series Of howls which profound
y interested the lions, for the three
If them, surrounding him, gazed up
nto his face with friendly smiles.
Help! Help!" shrieked the profes-
jor. I'm an alderman, l appeal to
he law Save mel"
The look on Madelnoiselle Viviane's
ace was terrible In a flash barrett
Understood. He knew the meaning of
he glances that had passed between
he professor and mademoiselle.
An alderman! An alderman was
licensed to perform a wedding cere-
nony. A certain similarity of appear
nee between the two showed him
he point of the trick. In another mo.
nent Mademoiselle Viviane's dreams |
f a fifth husband would have come
rue.
He sprang for the cage, found the ,
atch and opened it. Just as Made
1oiselle Vivaine's two hundred and
fly pounds moved ponderously to-
yard the entrance barrett sprang out.
n another moment he was running
t full speed out of the tent and down
he road. Behind him he heard the
oar of the lions mingled with the =
cry of Mademoiselle Wv
lne. He heard the managers shouts r
ehind him. But in the distance, very
i'm and hazy but like radiant star. ,
-as Lorna's face.
Copyright 1915, by w G. ChapmanJ