After a time he grew more quiet, but whenever Gerard turned to leave
him, there were the same heart-breaking moans and roars.
Daily, Gerard spent hours in the same cage with his pet, and the two
were very happy together.
Several years ago a lion and a lioness were in the menagerie at Paris.
Their keeper, Mr. Felix, was taken ill one day, and could no longer
attend to them. The duty of feeding them and keeping the cage clean fell
upon a stranger to whom both lion and lioness took a strong dislike. The
lion would sit, for hours, at the end of his cage, with bristling mane
and flaming eyes. He refused all food from the hands of the new keeper
and roared at him so furiously that no one dared to go near the cage.
Days went on and it was evident that something must be done or the lion
would become seriously ill. Fortunately, Mr. Felix was getting well, and
one morning, intending to surprise the lions, he crept softly to the
cage and showed his face between the bars. In an instant the lion sprang
forward, patting the man's arm with his great paws and showing the
greatest delight. The lioness also ran to him, but the lion drove her
back and seemed unwilling that Felix should show her any favor. Fearing
that they might quarrel, the keeper entered the cage and caressed them
by turns.
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