Evening star., 1928-11-27

In the afternoon our company went
to the Tower, to see, as we'll as to hear.
the recent story OF the great lion and
the little dog.
They found the place thronged, and
all were obliged to pay treble prices on
account of the unprecedented novelty
of the show; so that the keeper, in a
short space, acquired a little fortune.
The great cage In the front was oc-
cupied by a beast. who, by the way of
prominence, was called the kings lion;
and. while he traversed the limits of his
narrow dominions, he was attended by
small and very beautiful black
spaniel, who frisked and gambled
about him, and at times would pretent
to snarl and bite at him; and again the
noble animal, with an air of fond COM
plaisance, would hold down his head,
while the little creature licked his for
midable chaps. Their history, as the
keeper related. was this:
It was customary for all who were
unable or unwilling to pay their six
pence to bring a dog or cat as an
offering to the beast. in lieu of money,
to the keeper. Among others. fellow
had caught up this pretty black spaniel
in the streets, and he was accordingly
thrown into the cage of the great lion.
Immediately the little animal trembled,
and shivered, and crouched. and threw
itself on its back, and put forth its
tongue, and held up its paws, in sup
plicatory attitudes, as an acknowledge
ment of superior power. and praying
for mercy. In the meantime. the lordly
brute, instead of devouriug it. beheld
it with an eye of philosophic inspection
He turned it over with one paw, and
then turned it with the other; and
smelled of it, and seemed desirous OF
courting a further acquaintance.
The keeper, on seeing this. brought
a large mess of his own family dinner:
but the lion kept aloof, and refused tc
eat, keeping his eye on the dog, and
inviting him, as it were, to be his faster
At length, the little animals fears being
somewhat abated, and his appetite
quickened by the smell Of the victtuals
he approached slowly, and with trem-
bling ventured to eat. The lion then ad-
vanced gently and began to partake
and they finished their meal very low
ingly together
From this day the strictest friend
ship commenced between them, friend
ship consisting of all possible affection
and tenderness on the part OF the
lion, and of the utmost confidence and
boldnesS on the part of the dog; In 50
much that he would lay himself down
to sleep. within the fangs and under
the jaws of his terrible patron.
A gentleman who had lost the spaniel
and had advertised reward of $40 to
| the finder, at length heard of the ad-
venture, and went to reclaim his dog
"You see, SIR" said the keeper, "it
would be great pity to part ,such lov-
ing friends; however, If you insist upon
your property, you must even be pleas
ed to take him yourself, for 1t is q task
I would not undertake for $500"
The gentleman rose into great wrath
but finally chose to acquiesce rather
than have personal dispute with the
lion.
If any one had curiosity to see the
| two friends eat together, he sent for
| 20 pounds or so of beef, which was ac-
| cordingly cut in pieces and given into
| the cage; when Immediately the little
brute, whose appetite happened to be
sharp at the time, was desirouS OF
making a monopoly of the whole, and
putting his paws upon the meat and
growing and barking, he audaciously
| flew in the face of the lion. But the
generous creature, instead of being Of
Tended with his powerless companion
started back. and seemed terrified al
the fury of his attack, neither attempt
ed to eat a bit till his favorite had
tacitly given permission.
When they were both gorged, the
lion stretched and turned himself, and
lay down in an evident posture for re-
pose, but this his sportive companion
would not admit. He frisked and gam
boiled about him, barked at him, would
now escape and tear at his head with
his claws, and again seize him by the
ear and bite and pull away: while the
noble beast appeared affected by no