ntenced to be torn in pieces by a furious
lion, kept many days without food, to inspire him with additional rage.

"When the destined moment arrived, the unhappy man was exposed, unarmed,
in the middle of a spacious arena, inclosed on every side, round which
many thousand people were assembled to view the mournful spectacle.
Presently a dreadful yell was heard, which struck the spectators with
horror, and a monstrous lion rushed out of a den, which was purposely
set open, with erected mane and flaming eyes, and jaws that gaped like
an open sepulchre. A mournful silence instantly prevailed. All eyes
were turned upon the destined victim, whose destruction seemed
inevitable. But the pity of the multitude was soon converted into
astonishment, when they beheld the lion, instead of destroying its
defenceless enemy, crouch submissively at his feet, fawn upon him as a
faithful dog would do upon his master, and rejoice over him as a mother
that unexpectedly recovers her offspring. The governor of the town, who
was present, then called out with a loud voice, and ordered Androcles to
explain to them this unintelligible mystery, and how a savage of the
fiercest and most unpitying nature should thus in a moment have
forgotten his innate disposition, and be converted into a harmless and
inoffensive animal. Androcles then related to the assembly every
circumstance of his adventures, and concluded by saying, that the very
lion which now stood before them, had been his friend and entertainer in
the woods. All present were astonished and delighted with the story, to
find that even the fiercest beasts are capable of being softened by
gratitude; and, being moved by humanity, they unanimously joined to
entreat for the pardon of the unhappy man, from the governor of the
place. This was immediately granted to him, and he was also presented
with the lion, which had twice saved the life of Androcles."

"Oh, what a delightful story, Uncle Thomas! What a pity it is that it is
not true."

"I can tell you one which is true, John which is hardly, if at all,
inferior in interest:--

"Sir George Davis, who was English consul at Naples about the middle of
the seventeenth century, happening on one ocassion to be in Florence,
visited the Menagerie of the Grand Duke. At the farther end of one of
the dens he saw a lion which lay in sullen majesty, and which the
keepers informed him they had been unable to tame, although every effort
had been used for u