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Show BETZVIECE TALES Cousin Orone and Cleopatra ISy EUis Parker BuilerlSk Sesfc) Author ofPigs is Pi$s" Etc- (123 ILLUSTRATED x PETER. NEWELL It Was an Exciting Moment, With the Italian Gentleman Shouting Encour-1 Encour-1 ' agement to the Bear, and Cousin Orone Urging Cleopatra on. Cousin Orone McDooble is one of most patient men in Betzvllle and, he-cften says, you can never tell it will turn up if you only wait 5 enough. He is willing .to .wait l ost any length of "time for some-I some-I ig to turn up, and it is this marvel- patience that makes him so suc-sful suc-sful as a trainer of wild animals. eighteen or twenty years he has n waiting for some one to give him ouple of lions or tigers, and as a as someone does give them to , he will undoubtedly train them 1 wonderful maner. Cousin Orone says he is willing to wait consid-)le consid-)le time for someone to give him other animal to train, and that he then show us something, but up he present no one has given him ' animal whatever. So Cousin ne has been lavishing his wonder-talent wonder-talent on Cleopatra, ast Wednesday a gentleman of ian parentage arrived in Betzville h a large, rough-cast bear and a nf ul, squeaky flute, and after waning wan-ing through the streets of our g, put up for the night at the zville Ixotel, and while sitting on front porch after, supper boasted t his bear was ready and willing .vrestle, catch-as-catch-can, with any ng being in Betzville, two shoul-s shoul-s to the ground to be a "down." awhile no one in the vicinity oied willing to take the challenge, 1 it looked as if the bear would r away the championship of Betz-. Betz-. But just then Orone McDooble tened along and, hearing the chal-la, chal-la, said he was willing to enter a Itler, on the terms given, and that Vould put Cleopatra against the 1 in any kind of wrestle. I once all became excitement on Siain street, and the crowd gath-land gath-land there was a great deal of ; rsatlon, for none of us had 1 that Cousin Orone had a er by name of Cleopatra. But immediately took off his coat est, and then he took off his and asked Uncle Ashdod Cloota Jly grab the little b'ack thing estled between Orone's shoul-ft shoul-ft seems that Cousin Orone, for months, has been training u nd when not In use the fleiu right there between Orone's rs. A flea Is a splendid oon as Uncle Ashdod had d Cleopatra. Orone took her 1 hand, holdhig her firmly be-his be-his thumb and forefinger, and to her as one man to another, plained what she was to under-and under-and we all expected Cleopatra k upon the huge bear with awe ar, but she merely turned hee o Orone, as if to say, "Whatever :ommand, it is my pleasure ll1101"- Betzville is in your 5, Cleopatra,".- said Orone. "Re-.?r "Re-.?r tne rules:' first down wins; 'tj."iTJcrs to the ground consti-tv consti-tv dewn. Go, my darling, and nil b'we;li with you!" Then he " kopatra on the ground, and she diately became lost to sight. Italian at first seemed Inclined ;ent the appearance of a chain-that chain-that he could not see without a microscope, but upon being duly spoken to, he had nothing to do but allow his bear to wrestle with Cleopatra. Cleo-patra. He therefore spoke to the bear in these words: "Jacka, you fights da flea! You wrestle da flea! Maka da good fight. Gitta da move on!" At this the bear stood on his hind legs and prepared to catch-as-catch-can for all he was worth, but Cousin Orone McDooble merely leaned against one of the hotel porch pillars and waited. He said that Cleopatra was probably maneuvering for an opening. The bear seemed surprised, too, for he had nothing to do but stand with his paws out, awaiting the attack. It must be said for the bear that he was willing to wrestle, but he looked as if he would like to know what he was to wrestle with. Suddenly Sudden-ly Uncle Ashdod began scratching himself on the leg, and we knew that Cleopatra was Indeed maneuvering for an opening. In a minute the Italian Ital-ian gentleman also scratched himself and we were doubly sure that Cleopatra Cleo-patra was on her way. An instant later the battle became fast and furious. Cleopatra closed with the bear and secured a strangle hold on his ear. She bit him three times, and as he turned to grasp her, she jumped to his nose, bit twice, and slid quickly to the ground. The bear stood on his head, wiped his face with his left paw, and whirled about just as Cleopatra attacked him in the right flank. The bear whirled again, struck himself wildly in the. right flank with his left paw, just as Cleopatra Cleo-patra took a bite or two out of his right hind foot. The bear danced, and Cleopatra saw her chance and Jumped to the middle of his back, bit three times and moved up between his shoulders. It was an exciting moment, with the Italian gentleman shotting encouragements en-couragements to the bear, and Jousin Orone urging Cleopatra on. .The bear stood up and tremulous waves wiggled up and down bis back, while Cleopatra Cleo-patra hung on and bit eagerly. Cleopatra Cleo-patra bit again, and tears stood in the bear's eyes, but he was still game. Cleopatra bit once more and the bear tried to reach her with both fore-paws, fore-paws, and failed. Cleopatra bit again, and the bear tried to crawl under the hotel porch, but was headed off by the Italian gentleman. Cleopatra bit four times in quick succession and gftisped the bear with all her legs, shaking him to and fro, and with a growl the bear threw himself on his back, and wiggled. Cleopatra had won! The entire audience crowded up to congratulate Orone, and he received their kind words with becoming meekness. meek-ness. He said the credit all belonged to Cleopatra, and he called to her to come forward and receive her reward of praise, but she remained modestly in the background. Consternation reigned, for it was feared that Cleopatra Cleo-patra might have ben lost, but half an hour later Cousin Orone backed up against one of the hotel pillars and began rubbing his back against it vigorously. He then said, for publication, publica-tion, that be was able to announce that Cleopatra was not lost. (CoDvriidit. 1909. by "ty. G. Chapty.wi. |