Year: 1877

That lioness will be the death ef
you yet, Joe"


"Pshax !" said Joe Amberly. the
Lion Tanner OF large travelling cir
Gus, laughing at the predictions OF his
assistant.


"You may laugh as much as you
please; but some day you will ind
am right, and that to your sorrow,
though then il will be too late"


Il have performed with the ami
mails for some years, and never had
any difficulty"


You forget the one at Long
town"


THAT didn't amount to much.
soon brought them to subjection."


"But the trouble commenced with
this same lioness."


Yes, though it wouldn't have
been SO bad if those cats of hungry
leopards had not set up yell, and
drawn the black tiger into an af-
fray"


"She has devil of u temper when
it is up-is the most treacberous
beast | ever fed or had anything 10
do with. | have been watching her
closely for a couple of days" eontin-
ued the assistant, "and know she is
mighty cross-grained So, depend
upon it, you are going to have
trouble"


'I don't see why, more than at
any other time"


There are times-and you Know it,
if you will only rehect-and this is
one of them. If was il your place,
| wouldn't try to show off to-day
with any extras, but just give COM
mon performance, and get out of the
cage as quick as possible"


lyon know what we advertise,
and what crowd has gathered"


"Yes,"-with laugh; land l
know we never have or do one half
there is on the bills. Paper is cheap,
Joe, but human life is precious.
Think how poorly off you would
leave your wife and child if anything
would happen to you, and what
would become of your wife if any
thing should happen to the child 2"


Don't mention it."


The man who had handled and
tanned and toyed with the savage
beasts as il they had been harmless
kittens, heaved groan at the
thought A man of most ardent,
even passionate nature, he bowed |
down in worship to his wife and lit |
lie girl And that day it had been
advertised that be would take his |
child and a pail of blood into the !
cage with him.


1t was daring, foolhardy project
at The best but how much more 50
when the beasts were doubly savage
and cut of temper-when the slight
est thing might arouse them to all
their pristine fury, and the fierce
blood Uf the wilderness assert itself in |
all its tempestuous wrath.


But The hpsbandly and fatherly |
emotion was soon conquered The
habit of years and his natural strength |
gave him self reliance and it would |
take more than idle words to tprn
him out Of his purpose, no matter
how dangerous it might seem TO 9TH
ers. To this must be added the es-
prii de corps that would make him
take the most desperate chances be-
fore having even the shadow Of cow
ardice attached TO bis name


Still, he could not help thinking
more deeply. perhaps, than ever be-
fore. Was there in reality any dan
ger? He could not convince him
self of it, argue the matter as be
would.


The old lion in the cage, though
monster iE size, was inoifensively
tame and obedien,. In the language
of the keeper, be was good for moth
ing but to make show and sit back
in the corner and growl" Besides
be was his friend and upon more than
one occasion had acted the part Of 0
peacemaker. The leopards-a pair
of spotted cheethas-were scarcely
to be taken into consideration. The
black tiger, the most rare and strik-
ingly beautiful animal of any in the
collection, was ordinarily quiet,
though when fully aroused was not
to be trihed with.


But the lioness was the especial
one 10 be dreaded and watched.
She was a beast Of uncommon power,
with massive arms, loLg curved jaws.
tail long and nervous as o serpent. /
teeth sharp as needles, flexible,
smooth, tawny skin, yel-
low eyes that ever flashed hercely.
Never, even in her best moods, was !
she submissive, and her mildest play
was rough 10 the extreme.


The Lion Tanner turned from his
to go and dress for his {
attractive but dangerous perform l
ance; but before doing so be visited s
The double cage and made critical !
of the beasts, who at ,
any instant might be to him his fate.
There was nothing to especially |
awaken fear: and, half vexed with
himself for having been needlessly c
be passed from the canvas
INTO small department, and found c
bis wife and child waiting for him |
he one, young and beautiful wo- '
nan, and the other very fairy of a '
,hild, whose hair hung upon her i
back, as the brightest and finest Of t
;nnn eill