HERMA, THE LION-TAMER.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 42, 22 March 1884, Page 3

HERMA, THE LI ON- TAMER.

t was in the beginning of the year 185£ when the famous Harsberg menagerie came to Bucharest for the first time. All the town was in a state of great excitement about the number and rarity of the animals, the beauty of the lions, and, above all, about the tamer, who performed some remark ■ able feats of strength. Henna Dalstren was her name ; she was a young Swede, beautiful, distinguished, bold, and unapproachable. She lived with the Plarsberg family at the first hotel in the town, went to the menagerie and returned from it in a carriage, like a lady of high degree ; received no visits, and was never seen alone, either in the streets or anywhere else. This vestal severity puzzled the gallants as well as the ordinary mortals, bo that the Swedish lion-tamer soon became as popular at .Bucharest as La Catalina and Lola Montez. One night Prince Maniasko, the spoilt child oi the ladies of Bucharest, who had just returned trom an excursion to P^ris, came to the menagerie. He reviewed the different animals in company with some friends, was highly amused by the explanations and by the feeding, and at la3t stopped before the lion's cage, awaiting the arrival ot the beautiful Swede with a sceptical smile on his lips. Suddenly a little door opened in the back wall of the cage, and Henna appeared in the midst of frantic applause. She threw off, with an indescribable movement ot pride, the large silk cloak that covered her. and advanced into the cage dressed in a costume of white satin bordered with ermine, a whip in her hand, tall, slender, with the noblest face in the world, to which her golden curls and her fresh colour imparted an irresistible grace. The prince was at once fascinated ; he followed each of her movements r with feverish agitation. His heart beat when she placed her pretty head in the terrible lion's mouth, and he trembled half for pleasure, half for fear, when she began to harangue tho disobedient animals, and kick and Hog them. Hardly had Henna left the cage when the Prince Maniasko was bowing down before her while s-hc put on her cloak with the aid ot Edgar, 1 larsberg's son, a young man of remarkable beauty. She fixed her blue eyes, astonished and almost frightened, upon that ideal of a beautiful, almost feminine figure ; she did not reply to his questions proudly and coldly, but with embarrassment and with a smile of indescribable sweetness. The prince came every night, and Henna received him not only with affability, but she even looked for him with a rapid glance as soon as she entered tho cage, and when she left it she stamped her foot if the prince was not there to help her on with her cloak. But that was all that the prince could obtain, and the more untractable she showed herself to his prayers, tho more he was urged on by a diabolical desire to possess her. An unexpected rival came to his aid. Edgar said to Henna one night with a trembling voice before she entered the cage : "Now I tell you I love you, and I will never consent to your lowering yourself with that Boyard who is already affianced to a princess, and who is only making sport of you." \Vhen tho prince came to see her after the performance she said to him in a whisper : " Is it true you have ajiancec ?" "It is true," he replied, " but as soon as you please I will put an end to that tiresome romance, and prostrate myself at your fe^t as your slave." " But you do not love me ?'' " How must I prove that I love you ?" She drew herself up before him. "Come an hour before midnight to the little door of the menagerie," she said in a low voice, and with courageous resolution. " I will come," was the reply. And he came : and when he left the menagerie in the midst of the shades of night, two straining arms were around his neck, and two burning lips wore pressed against his own. Soon the talk in the clubs was of nothing but of the liaho/i of Maniasko with the beautiful lion-tamer, and the young prince's father, anxious for the future of his son, hastened as much as possible his marriage with the Princess Agratine Slobuda, to whom ho had been affianced when he was a child. A violent scene took place between the father and the son ; at last the latter yielded, and one night he did not appear at the menagerie. Henna passed a night of anguish. Two evenings she again waited in vain for her lover ; then she wrote to him, and received no answer. The fourth night, as she was coming out of the cage and wrapping herself in her cloak, Edgar said to her ; " Henna, shall I tell you why the wretch comes no longer ?" " Tell me," she said in a smothered voice. " I am ready for everything." " He will be married in ihree da vs." "You lie." " Why should I lie ?" •* What is tho name of his bride?" " Princess Agrafine Slobuda." "Is she pretty?" "Beautiful, young, and rich." A hideous laugh broke from Henna's lips. " Will you shed a tear for me, one only, if I die for you ?" said Edgar. " And if I avenge you and kill him " "No, Edgar; you must not sacrifice yourself— not you." " Must that villain be left unpunished ?" " Certainly not," she replied, tranquilly and firmly. " Then let me kill him," said Edgar, with trembling lips. " No," said Henna, " leave him to me." The next day Prince Maniasko was sitting in the charming little boudoir of his biide and rolling a cigarette for her, when the princess, with a mocking smile, expressed her wish to see once the celebrated lion-tamer who was so much admired by everybody. "How can such an idea come into your head ?" asked the prince, and the yellow tobacco slipped from between his white fingers. I have heard so many marvels about this person that I have taken it into my head to be present at one of her performances, and that too this evening, and in your company, prince." When Henna entered the cago that evening she saw Maniasko, and at his side a ravishing creature, who fixed her operaglass upon her in a provoking manner. She felt it and started, but only for a single moment, and then began her feats with the lions with her accustomed haughty coolness. When after a successful feat she reclined on the back of one of the big lions, while, the others walked round her in procession, the princess cried loudly, "Bravo," and threw a parse of gold into the cage. A murmur of disapproval rose from among the spectators. Henna began to tremble, and tears flowed from her beautiful eyes ; she lost empire over herself and over the animals that surrounded her ; the big lion raised his head, looked at her with astonishment, and suddenly gripped her left arm. A ory of horror sprang from

a hundred mouths, but Henna had already recovered^ herself ; a look and a command, and the lion loosened her arm ; she sprang up, seized the beast by the mane, placed her foot on him, and lashed him until he was completely subjected, and lay docile at her feet. Enthusiastic applause and shouts of approbation rewarded her courage, "When will the wedding take place?" she asked of Edgar when she had left the cage. " The day after to-morrow." " Will you undertake to give him a letter yourself, and to him in person ?" "If you command me." "I beg you to do so." Henna pressed Edgar's hand, but he seized hers and covered it with kisses. | The next morning the lion-tamer wrote to the prince. She wished to see him only once more, and begged him to come to the menagerie at the usual hour, promising in return to leave Bucharest on the day of his wedding. Edgar gave the letter to the prince himself, who read ifc, smiled, and said : "I will come." fingers. " 1 have heard so many marvels about this person that 1 have taken it into my head to be present at one of her performances, and that, too, this evening, and in your company, prince." An hour before midnight the prince appeared at the door of the menagerie ; it opened noiselessly as usual. Henna appeared, dressed in a short fur jacket, in the pale light of the stars and the snow. She took him by the hand and led him cautiously along the dark passage. As usual, a second door grated on its hinges, and Henna, leading the prince into that completely dark space, put her arms around his neck and kissed him with bavage tenderness. Then she suddenly disappeared ; the door was shut violently, and the prince's foot touched something living which moved. What was it ? Had she not as usual led him into her little &alon ? A moment afterwaid a bright red light appeared. Henna h'xeel a torch in a ring in front of the lion's cage, and in the midst of the prison, in the midst of the lions, was the prince. Hernia stood "with her arms folded before the bars, and fixed the prince coldly -\\ ith her large blue eyes ; a diabolical smile played on her lips.} The prince with a rapid movement tried to open the door, but in vain. " In heaven's name, Henna, what is your intention ?" " I am celebrating my marriage with you, and my lions are to be my wedding guests." "Are you mad?" "I am in full possession of my senses. You have betrayed me. 1 have condemned you to death. Now to wake my friends !" And she woke up the sleeping lions and excited them with her whip, while the prince cried for help. But his cries were drowned by the wintry storms. The lions, irritated and encouraged by Henna's cries, sprang upon him His blood was already flowing. He supplicated and defended himself desperately, while she, her face leaning against the cold bars, feasted her eyes on his mortal anguish. Some time passed before the lions finished their horrible work. When the prince lay dead on the floor of the den, the lions slunk away frightened and began to lick their paws. That very night the beautiful lion-tamer disappeared from Bucharest, and she has never been heard of since.