AN AFFECTIONATE LION.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 1585, 15 April 1887, Page 4

AN AFFECTIONATE LION.

Gerard, the great lion hunter, captured a whelp in the mountains of Jebel Mezeours, Algiers, named it Hubert and brought it up as be would bring up a dog from puppy-hood. After a time, his huge pet becoming too dangerous to go at large, Gerard made a present of the animal to his friend, the Due d'Aumale, and Hubert travelled to Paris in a big cage bemoaning his separation from his old master. The next year Geraid himself visited Paris on leave of absence from the army, and went at once to the Jardin des Plantes to see his exiled favourite. He described the interview as follows: —Hubert was lying down, half asleep, regarding at intervals with half-shut eyes the persons who were passing and repassing before him. .AH of a sudden he raided his head, his tail moved, his eyes dilated, a nervous motion contracted the muscles of his face. He had seen the uniform of the Spahis, but had not yet recognized his friend. I drew nearer and nearer, and, no longer able to refrain my emotion, I stretched my hand out to him through the bars. Without ceasir g his earnest gaze he applied his nose to my hand and drew in knowledge with a long breath. At each inhalation his attitude became more noble, his look more satisfied and affectionate. Under the uniform that had been so dear to him he began to recognize the friend of hit heart. I felt that it onlyneeded a single word to dissipate the doubt.

"Hubert!" I said, as I laid my hand on him—my old soldier !" Not another word. With a furious hound and a noise of welcome he sprang against th 6 iron bars tbat trembled with the blow. My friend fled in terror, calling on me to do the same. Noble animal! You made the world tremble even in your ecstasies of pleasure. Hubert was standing witb his cheek against the grating, attempting to break down tbe obstacles that sepsrted us, maenificent to behold as be shook the walls of tbe building with his roars of joy and anger. His enormous tongue licked the hand that I had abandoned to caress, which with his paws he gently tried to draw me to him. If anyone tried to come near he fell into frenzies of rage, and when the visitors fell back to a distance he became calm and caressing as before, handling me with his big paw?, rubbing against the bars and licking my hand, while every gesture and moan and look told of his joy and his love. When I turned to leave him he shook the gallery with his heartrending roars, and it was not till I had gone back to him twenty times and tried to make him understand that I would come again that I succeeded in quitting the place. After tbat I came to see my friend daily, sometimes spending several hours with him in his cage. But after a while I noticed that he became sad and.diipirited, and when the keeper jdloded to bis furious agitation and

excitement every time I left him, and attributed his worn-out and chanced appearance to this cause, I took their advice and made my visit* as seldom aa possible. One day, some four months from the time of my first meeting with him in Paris, I entered the garden, and one of the keepers came forward, saluting, and said; " Don't come any more, sir. Hubert ia dead."