The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-10-08


Androclcs. They got pepper ana
salt and tried that. and then they
tried to serve Audrocles with pow
dcred sugar. No US. Lion wouldn't
eat AndrCcles.
Well. Oily read the story three
times. and then he tore out the prge
and carried it away with him and
studied il. 1t made Il big hit with
Kim. He would sit across the tent
from Leo and read that tale and
then look At Leo and wurdcr how II
would work. Finally he came TO me.
He gave me the tale to read and
read il.
What do you think Of It. Mack?"
he asked eagerly.
We'll. Oily" ! said II don't
me. Ynu don't remember BoHy
Harsrr-he was with us before your
time; he was tho man that pulled
the liberated tooth for the black
panther when We were In winter
quarters ut d. Soto. | never in my
life knew a beast 70 suffer as that
panther did with that tooth or TO
feel hotter than that panther did
after the tooth was out. That should
have been grateful panthe:-but
the first chance he got. he reached
out Of the cage and clawed all the
meat of Bony's face"
Leo Is n naturally good natured
animal" said Oily.
oh" said. getting the drift RI
his meaning. so that's it. is It?
! Well, Oily, to tell you the truth,
think this Androcles stuff Is pretty
steep. You can believe II. but can't
just see il. II that cottage cheese"
I'D rather you didn't call Leo
that. Mack" SAID Oily gently. Pink
don't like that. just thought that
! IT, maybe. Leo should get a thorn in
{ his foot and pulled it out"
We'll. 1t wouldn't hurt 70 try It..
Oily" said doubtfuily. Maybe II
would work"
So we tried It. We started with
'horns. Oily would so out into the
wood-lOt nearest the Ehow-grounds
and get thorns-any kind he could
| get-and scattered them In the
cage. Then Leo would walk around
on them and never know there were
any thorns In the world. I suppose
that treading the hard floor Of the
cage had toughened the old cottage
Chccse's pads until they were like
soie-lcather. So then We tried lacks
-carpet-tacks and SwcGiSh-.ron up
holsterytacks and any KIND Of tacks
that were guaranteed to have sharp
points and to he tough and business
like-and old Leo just ramped
around on them as IL they were the
flowers that bloom in the spring.
Oily was just worrying himself to
death over II. a girl like P.nky
isn't like nun in nunnery when
she Is with Il big show. and there
were plenty Of men around who
were willing and eager to take the
widow curse of her If she would
give them a CHARGE. Every time
Oily saw one Of those wou'dbe hus-
bands talking with Pink h would
simply writhe In Jealousy and rush
out and buy 4 fresh paper Of tacks.
ure-proof. But he wasn't. He
stepped on tack and got it between
his toes along about ten O'Clock one
night when We were showing at a
little place in Kansas we'll toward
the end of the season.
Oily was worn down 10 almost
nothing at all by that time, and he
hardly cared whether he was alive
or dead. Pink had put the big cats
through their tricks about nine
o'clock and had gone back 70 the
bunk-rar on the spur 10 get her
beauty sleep. and when ] heard Leo
yowl. guessed wha; had happened
The SIDES were up on his cage, and
the r1cnagcrin top was down ard the
cage out on tho lot. hut | hunted up
Oily and rushed him - the cage. We
took down the sides.
Leo was sitting on his launches
I holding up one forr-paw ard licking
t between yuwls. When he saw Oily,
ne began bouncing around the cage
IN three feet. ten times as mad at
| O!ly as 10 was at III" tack in his
/ paw. Oily was as white as a sheet.
Go 10 IT," | said.
LuTe or something gave the little
| n3rr"w-eycd man more nerve than
ever imagined he could Dig up. He
must have ict he was going to death
: or mutilatiun. but he walked right un
, 10 the cage.
! Come here. YOU brute" he said
and he reached between the bars and
! took Leo 10y his tack:nfes,ed paw.
! | had Il tent stake ready 10 jam into
/ tn" big cats face if ne tried any
ugly business, but the old cottage
! cheese was too cOwardly and pain
! frightened 10 make mean NOV.
! He just put up his mu2zle and
yowlcd, and Oily took the tack by
. the head and jerkCd t out Of the
paw. For a moment Leo yowled:
then he began licking tho paw: then
he went 10 the back Of the cage and
, spread out ready to sleep. We pat
up tho side Of the cage. Oily sort
Of tiptOed away.
Il guess that will be all right" he
said in whisper, Ike n person in
sick-room. IN he sleeps well. he'll
feel better in the morning"
said ! hoped he would and that
hoped the old grannie Of n beast
would have sense enough TO know
the kindness Oily had done him.
II hope So" Oily said, but he
hadn't any enthusiasm. Somehow
| don't feel the same way about that
Anirncles business. Mack. The more
| think about It. the llsnicr II looks"
Well. one Of the stunts Of our par
AIDE was 10 have old Leo on top u
his cage with Pink sitting II chair
with one foot on his back. OF course,
the old lion was chained To A ring
in the caee-top. but It vas good
stunt and made a lit with the