109 



THE BABY LIONS. 



Girard, a great lion-hunter, once took 

 home with him two baby lions which 

 were a month old. The lioness was 

 about as large as a cat and the lion a 

 third larger. 



The little lioness was very timid. If 

 anyone tried to caress her she would 

 repay him with a few blows from her 

 little paws. Her brother, whom they 

 named Hubert, was quite different. He 

 would sit quiet, looking with some 

 astonishment at all that passed, but 

 was not cross. He was idolized by the 

 children, who were ever fond of petting 

 him. The lioness could not be induced 

 to take sufficient food, and she finally 

 died. Hubert got along nicely and was 

 as healthy and strong as it he had been 

 reared in the forest. 



He was taken to a camp of soldiers, 

 where he became the idol of the regi- 

 ment. He was always present at parade 

 and would play with the men during 

 leisure hours. 



As he grew older his capers became 

 somewhat serious. He showed a liking 

 for sheep and donkeys, which made 

 it necessary for him to be chained. 

 Finally, after he had killed a horse and 

 dangerously wounded two men he had 

 to be caged. 



Girard still continued to pet him, 

 however. Every night he would open 

 the cage, and Hubert would spring out 

 joyously, playing with him at hide-and- 

 seek, embracing him with an ardor that 

 was more affectionate than agreeable. 



One night as they played Hubert 



came very near strangling his master,. 

 and probably would have succeeded if 

 the soldiers had not beaten him away. 

 That was the last time they played 

 hideand-seck together. 



Hubert was afterward sent to Paris. 

 Some time later Girard went to see 

 him. Hubert was lying half asleep, not 

 taking much notice of the visitors. 

 Suddenly he raised his head, his eyes 

 enlarged and there was a nervous 

 twitching of the muscles of his face. 

 He swung his tail from side to side, 

 showing that the sight of the well- 

 known uni,form had aroused him. He 

 knew the uniform, but had not yet rec- 

 ognized his old master. Girard ap- 

 proached and thrust his hand into the 

 cage. It was a touching scene which 

 followed. The lion, without taking his 

 eyes from his master, put his nose to 

 the outstretched hand and began to 

 breathe deeply. With every breath his 

 eyes became more affectionate, and 

 when Girard said to him: 



"Well, Hubert, my old soldier!" he 

 made a terrible bound against the bars 

 of his cage, which trembled beneath 

 his weight. He stood up, pressed 

 against the bars and tried to break 

 through them. He licked his old 

 master's hand with joy. 



If anyone else came near the cage 

 he became very angry. At last Girard 

 went away, and when he was out of 

 sight Hubert made the cage tremble 

 with his cries and bounds. 



