My Friend the Elephant 105 



there was a disturbance. I paid little heed to it, but 

 the screams of a few women and children soon com- 

 pelled my attention. Then I saw the attendants 

 rushing excitedly about, while a wild break in the 

 ranks of the visitors convinced me that something out 

 of the ordinary had occurred. It was not long before 

 I fully understood the cause of the excitement. Nero, 

 the largest of the lions, had in some manner escaped 

 from his cage. Ordinarily his recapture would have 

 been a simple matter ; but his keeper was not on the 

 spot, and the frenzied condition of the other guards, 

 as well as of the people, excited him, and caused the 

 kingly power in his blood, which had slumbered so 

 long, to become thoroughly aroused. Suddenly he 

 appeared just in front of us, his ears set closely to his 

 head, his eyes flashing, and his tail lashing furiously. 

 I was so fascinated by the sight that I failed, at first, 

 to see the object upon which his glaring eyes were 

 fixed. It was a small child. Deserted by his nurse, 

 paralyzed by fear, the little creature stood transfixed, 

 unable even to cry. His eyes were staring, as in a 

 vision, into the glaring orbs of the huge creature 

 before him. His little hands clutched convulsively 



