THE TAME PANTHER. 
121 
a little alarm to the other inmates of the 
castle, and the old woman who swept the 
floors was made ill by her fright. She was 
one day sweeping the boards of the great 
hall, with a short broom, and in an attitude 
approaching to all-fours, when Lai, who 
was hidden under one of the sofas, suddenly 
leaped upon her back, where he stood in 
triumph. She screamed so violently as to 
summon the other servants; but they, seeing 
the panther, as they thought, in the act of 
devouring her, one and all scampered off as 
quickly as possible; nor was stie relieved till 
the governor, hearing the noise, came to her 
assistance. 
Strangers were naturally sin comfort¬ 
able when they saw so powerful a beast at 
perfect liberty, and many were the ridiculous 
scenes which took place, they not liking to 
own their alarm, yet perfectly unable to re¬ 
tain their composure in his presence. 
“ ‘ This interesting animal was well fed 
twice a day, but was never given any thing 
which had life in it. He stood about two 
feet high, and was of a dark-yellow colour, 
thickly spotted with black rosettes and, from 
his good feeding and the care taken to clean 
11 
