SANC FOR HER LIFE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81834, 29 August 1906, Page 4

SANC FOR HER LIFE.

A WOMAN'S AIH'F.NTUUF. WITH A LION NEW YORK, July i:. An extraordinary story of a wo man s adv< ntnrc with a lion comes from South Dak- ta. For two or three weeks pa.<t Mi John Underwood. of this city, has been engaged in a bit same shooting expedition on the Iron Creek River, near Harvey's Peal: His wife and family accompanied him, and they lived in a small house at the foot of the mountain. Mrs Un derwood walked towards the mountain on Friday evening, hoping to meet her husband on his return from visiting a mine in which he had an interest. She lost her way, and after darkness had falen she was suddenlyknocked down by a blow from behind Fortunately she was not injured by the blow, but she screamed in terror when, as she lay on the ground, she saw a mountain lion standing over her, and felt his paws upon her. The beast stood with his head raised, and she recal'ed stories of guides to the effect that mountain lions are sometimes subdued by the sound of a human voice.

Mrs Underwood put these stories to the test by screaming continuously until it semed better to economise her breath by singing. The lion purred with satsfaction, and lay down, but kept his pans upon her. The poor woman sang everything she could think of, and when her repertoire was exhausted she repeate J it. All through the night she sang while the lion purred and listened. A search party came upon the scene just after sunrise. Mr Underwood himself, knowing that a terrible tragedy would result if the first shot failed to kill the beast, took careful aim and fired. The bullet hit the mark, and Mrs Underwood scrambled to her feet as the lion roled in its death throes. BRIDE FROM LAUNDRY,

A somewhat singular trial, in which one of the m<.st aristocratic families of Germany is involved, has of late been engaging the attention of the Berlin courts. Hereditary Count Erasmus zu trbach-Erbach maried last year a pretty girl, named Dorothea Fischer, daughter of his washerwoman. They had a good time in England, but on their return to Germany Count Erasmus' father and other members of the family decided that, if they could not obtain the annulment of the marriage, the Count must be disinherited, and that the millions to which he was entitled must go to the next nearest of kin. With this purpose in view they procured medical opinion to the effect that Erasmus was of unsound mind. Evidently the Count was of the same opinion, for he permitted himself to be removed to a sanatorium in Oberursel, where he still remains. Countess Dorothea was cashiered with a monthly allowance of 200 marks IjCio). This sum she deemed altogether insufficient, espccial'-v as she and her husband had been living at the rate of 200,000 marks a year, on credit of course. She therefore brought an action against her father in law ro oblige him to rais? the allowance to 500 marks. This was resisted, and the court gave a verdict against her, pointing out that if the marriage were not annulled she would receive nothing at all. The next stage, says the "Telegraph," in these curious proceedings will bo an action for the dissolution of the marriage, on the ground that when it was contracted Count Erasmus was not of sound mind.