Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-19
WORLD FAMOUS STORIES
BY HONORE DE BALZAC.
A STRANGE DESERT LOVE.

(Honore de Balzac, French writer. 1899
1850. is Internationally famous in the
worlds literature for his collection of long
and short tales known as Human Comedy. !"
= The present story is a study in. what the
author offers an example of passionate
emotion in beast.l
A French soldier during an expe-
dition in Upper Egypt was once taken
prisoner by the Arabs, and escaping
under cover of night he drove his
stolen horse to death and took refuge
on the top of a small hill--a kind of
oasis. 1t was night, and he fell asleep
on a rock. Next morning the hot
rays of the sun awoke him, and all
he could see around him was an ocean
of sand extending for miles in every
direction. He was alone with a few
tall palm trees.
The silence was awful in its wild
and terrible majesty. Not cloud in
the sky, not breath in the air, not
a flaw in the wide eXpanse of sand.
The soldier was lost in solitude. He
sat down, and in despair loaded his
rifle. Then he set it aside-there was
time enough for the only method of
deliverance he had.
When he explored his little hill or
island in the vast desert he discovered
! faint signs of previous habitation:
He was encouraged and hoped that
he might live until some Arabs passed
that way. He shook some trees, which
had apparently been cultivated by
some one who had stayed there. He
managed to secure some palm leaves
for a bed, and fatigued by his weary
solitude fell asleep.
In the middle of the night his sleep
was interrupted by a strange noise.
He sat UP. The deep silence gripped
his heart. He could almost feel his
hair stand on end. Then by straining
his ewes to their utmost he saw
through the shadows two faint yellow
I lights. And when his eyes became
more accustomed to the darkness of
the small cave in which he had taken
shelter. he beheld a huge animal
living but two steps from him. Was ii
a lion, a tiger or crocodile?
THE soldier endured the torture of
uncertainty until daylight. The moon
light had once lit up the animal and
ne saw that it was a spotted panther,
This lion of Egypt slept curled up
1ike a. giant cat. Its eyes opened for
moment and closed again, and its
face was toward the man. A thousand
thoughts passed through the soldier s
.1oind-he~ wished to kill the beast, but
. feared lest a shot would miss the
mark. And if the panther ~vere to
wake! The thought made him rigid
with fright.
Twice he placed his hand on his
sword, thinking to cut off the animals
head. but he knew Of the difficulty of
cutting through the short stiff hairs
of the fur. To miss would be certain
, death. il only in the animals death
' commissions. He saw that the panther
L.
good meal-and decided to wait for !;
better chance to kill her.
She was a beautiful female, sleek
with many small marks forming furry
bracelets about her feet. Her sinuous
tail was white, like the fur on her
tanks. Above she was yellow like
,1nburnished gold, very lissom and
soft.
This terrible panther snored like /:
huge cat asleep on a cushion. If she
had been in a cage the soldier woult
undoubtedly have admired her beauty
hut he was troubled by other thoughts
I now. Yet there was fascination there
as in the magnetic eyes of snake
THE soldier, alone as he was, and
Sacing death sooner or later, found
bis fear leaving him. He would play
his mart with honor to the last.
when the panther awoke she rolled
and lazily performed her morning
toilet. The soldier held his dagger
readv and waited. Finally she looked
81 the man and stared fixedly
frightened though he was. the soldier
returned the panther's gaze and ler
her come quite close to him. Then
&c she brushed against him. he tool
his courage between his teeth ant
,1assed his hand over her body a!
though he were gently Sar res ne, tn tn
family cat. He scratched the heNlol
backbone of the animal.
The panther liked this petting. Sh
even began TO purr loudly. much a
&dinary cats do when pleased. Tn
man realizing that he must keep tn
eniroal uleased, redoubled his patting
and scratchings. When he undertook
10 leave the cave the panther followe'
IN short leaps.
lie was then bold enough to pla,
vim her ears. He would smooth he
FUR and scratch her head as hare
as he could. He even tickled hel