Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 September 1905 — An Astute Lion. [ARTICLE]

An Astute Lion.

A young lieutenant during an African campaign came one day upon a badly crippled lion. The great brute limped over the tawny sand on three paws, holding its fourth paw in the air. And every now and then, with a kind of groan, it would pause and lick the injured paw. When the lion saw the young lieutenant it came slowly toward him. He stood h|s ground, rifle in hand. But the beast meant no barm. It drew close to him. It rubbed against him with soft feline purs. It extended its hurt paw. The lieutenant examined the paw and found that there was a large thorn in it. He extracted the thorn, the lion roaring with pain, and he bound up the wound with his handkerchief. Then, with every manifestation of relief and gratitude, the animal withdrew. But it remembered its benefactor. It was grateful. And in a practical way it rewarded the young man. The lion ran over the regiment’s list of officers and ate ail who were the lieutenant’s superiors in rank. Thus, in a few weeks, the young man, thanks to the astute animal, became a colonel.