THE STORY OF A FOUNDLING.

I WAS summoned in February, 1846, to rid a tribe of Arabs, near Guelma, Algiers, from a lioness and her cubs that had settled among them.

It might be eight o'clock in the evening when I heard in the distance some apparently heavy steps, accompanied by a great noise among the bushes. As the sounds approached I judged that the steps must be those of an animal of large size; and I soon felt convinced it must be the lioness. At a distance of six paces the beast stopped short. Fearing then lest she might have seen or scented me, and that she would clear at one bound the distance between us, I rose quickly, hoping to see her eyes at least.

I stood thus leaning against the trunk of the tree, my gun ready, my finger on the trigger, but I saw nothing, heard nothing. My imagination, aided by the remembrances of the past, dived irresistibly through the darkness and all the obstacles which hindered my sight, and seemed to show me the lioness with her neck stretched out, her ears bent backwards, her whole body convulsed with rage, - ready to spring.

Judge of my surprise when, instead of the tremendous roar of a lioness charging me with all the fury of a mother defending her young ones, I heard only the plaintive, hungry cry of a cub looking out for its nurse.

To this very day I cannot help laughing, as I did then, on thinking of the feeling of terror with which this little rogue made my heart beat.

For want of anything better, I took hold of the cub, and after placing it in the skirts of my cloak, I sought the road, in order to go and deposit him in a village a few miles off.

After three or four hours' marching through woods, after many a halt occasioned by sounds which seemed to me

sometimes the distant roar, sometimes the furious gallop, of the lioness in chase, I at last reached the village.

My prize was a handsome male cub. I gave him the name of Hubert, out of respect for the great patron * of hunters. Hubert was as tame as a lamb; he would sit or lie down before the fire, looking rather astonished, but not

in the least savage. The women could not sufficiently caress him, and, as a reward for his amiability, they brought him a fine goat, full of milk.

The poor goat being laid on her side, and kept down by two Arabs, who prevented her making any movement, they presented one of her teats to Hubert, who at first did not appear to understand what he was to do. The first drops of milk, however, no sooner moistened his lips, than he adopted his new nurse with amazing readiness.

Hubert grew and throve beautifully, and very soon the milk of several goats was found insufficient to satisfy his voracious appetite.

Among his friends

many

- and he very soon numbered a good Hubert counted three intimate ones: they were, Lehman the trumpeter, Bibart the farrier, and Rostain, who, a year after, was killed before my eyes by a lion.

HUBERT IS ENLISTED AS A SOLDIER.

Hubert had a certificate book upon which he was at first inscribed as a second-class trooper, waiting for advancement, and every remarkable deed was faithfully written down.

On the 10th of January, 1847, a Bedouin having crept in, to rove about among the troop-horses, Hubert, who smells the robber, snaps his chain, hurls him to the ground, and carries him into his sentry-box. He awaited the arrival

* Patron, person of distinction who gives his countenance, protection, or support (patronage).

of the officer of the round to make his report, and to give up his prisoner, "in extremely bad condition." This feat advanced Hubert to the grade of sergeant, and procured him

a chain of honor.

At last Hubert, after strangling a horse, and tearing two soldiers to shreds, is named officer, and locked up in a cage. Poor Hubert! And it was I, his best friend, who had the charge of this painful task.

The authorities, kind and indulgent for his first misdemeanour, had forgiven many a misdeed by reason of his general amiability; but they could no longer shut their eyes to his dangerous character; and he had therefore nothing to expect but death or perpetual confinement.

My first thought was to set him free; but I was afraid that, accustomed to the contact of men, he would return to the camp, or to the neighbourhood, and come to grief.

At first, to soften his captivity, I used to come during the night near his cage, which I opened; he would then bound out full of joy, and embrace me with every mark of affection, and we would play for a while at hide-and-seek.

HUBERT IS TRANSPORTED FOR LIFE.

In October, 1847, Hubert left Guelma, to the immense regret of all, and especially of the ladies, towards whom he had ever proved particularly polite. On arriving at Algiers, he was found too large and too handsome to remain at the Zoological Gardens there; so I was asked to take charge of him to France.

Poor animal! he was indeed too large, since a horse's collar was too small for his neck; he was far too handsome, moreover, for the wretched life to which he was henceforth condemned.

The commander of the ship, in which Hubert was embarked, allowed me to keep his cage open during a few

hours, at the time he took his meals. Strong cables, placed at a certain distance from the cage, prevented the curious from going too near.

As soon as his door was opened, Hubert would come out, and after thanking me in his own way, walk about the deck as far as the length of his chain permitted. Then they brought him a slice of beef, about ten pounds in weight, which he disposed of very cleanly; and afterwards laid himself down in the sun, at his ease.

When the time for recreation was past, he returned to his cell rather unwillingly; and, after this, he waited pretty patiently for the dinner hour. It was thus that his last happy days were spent.

On reaching Toulon, we were obliged to part, as he was going to Marseilles, and I to pay a visit to my family in the country.

Amidst the happiness I felt in seeing my relations again, I nevertheless found a sort of blank; there was something missing. I went to Marseilles also; only a very few weeks had elapsed since I had seen my nursling: alas! he was no longer the same.

After the first flush of joy which for one instant gleamed over his beautiful head, he seemed to say, "Why did you leave me? where, where are they taking me? You have returned now, but will you stay with me?" I felt so much to see the poor animal so miserable, that I had not the courage to lengthen my visit, and I left him abruptly. As I was going away I heard him bound in his cage and roar with fury; presently I came back, and no sooner did he see me again than he became calm, and laid himself close to the bars, to enable me to pet him with my hand. A few minutes after he was asleep, and I retired on tiptoe for fear of disturbing his repose. Sleep is often oblivion for animals as well as for men !

HUBERT DIES IN PRISON.

Three months after this last meeting I was in Paris. The next day I proceeded to the Zoological Gardens, in company with a lady and her daughter, who wished to be present at my first interview with Hubert.

Now, I was slowly progressing towards my lion's cage. He was lying down, half asleep, staring vacantly on the persons who had preceded me. All of a sudden he raises his head; his eyes are widened; a nervous movement contracts every muscle of his face; the tip of his tail trembles; he has seen our uniform*, but he has not yet recognised his old master. In the meantime, his anxious glance was surveying me from head to foot, as if striving to recall some remembrance. I came close to him, and, unable longer to contain my emotion, I stretched out my hand through the bars of his cage.

eye became more Under the uniform he

This was indeed a truly touching moment for me and for all those present. Without ceasing to devour me with his eyes, Hubert applied his nose to my hand and began to inhale deeply, while at each breath his clear, more soft, more affectionate. was now beginning to recognise the friend; and I saw that one word would suffice to remove every remaining doubt. "Hubert! my old soldier!" I said, fondly.

It was enough. With one furious bound he sprang against the iron bars of his prison, which creaked and shook again under the powerful shock.

My friends, frightened at the moment, drew back hastily, entreating me to do the same. Noble animal! who spreads terror and awe even in the rapturous bursts of his affection! Hubert was standing up, clinging to the bars, and

*Uniform, the dress or costume of a soldier; here, that of a Spahi-Algerian cavalry-soldier.