The Express.
London, England, 1863-09-01 00:00:00

THE WHITE BEAMS CAGE.

"Mrs. Schmitt," we read in the Gazetk des Tri-
bunaux, "is not obliged to go into the white bear's cage." This
announcement, which must afford great satisfactioe to Mrs.
fichmitt's friends, commences the report of • suit that has
lust been heard before the Tribunal of Commerce of the
S.One, and which is headed with the words, "The Ferocious
Asinsels of the Hippodrome—The White Bear and
Mrs. Schmitt." It appoint from the prooesdiep
that the success of Crockett the lion-tamer had tired
&molt, the director of the Paris Hippodrome,
with • noble emulation, and be resolved to asr•Lita
live
li wild beasts to his intelligent audiences. He had
of • meoagene at Ghent, kept by Mr. Schmitt, and
compelling four boas, two black bean, two hyenas,
and a white bear, all warranted ferocious. He succeeded in
bring this savage collection to Pans, together with one
Hermann, the &inter of boasts, whom all Paris has seen
Oboe then paying friendly vista to the animals in their dens
and taking the White bear's supper into the cage where be
lived in solitude. People began to get used to thin, and it
occurred to the enterprising Arnault that it would be a re-
ductive novelty if • woman could be got to venture upon
the name familiarities with the captive monsters. An agree-
ment was signed with Mrs. Schmitt, who, not lees valiant than
graceful, accepted a sum of 4,000 fr. to appear at the Hip-
podrome fora fortnight and to enter the cage of the oombined
animals--that is to my, of the lima, hymns, and black
bears, who all lived together. Kra. Schmitt stoutly per-
formed her part of the agreement, but the manager wished
her also to visit the Polar bear, which she refused on the
grounds that be was ant at down in the hood. Howe •
double lawsuit, in which the lady mune off with Byiog
colours. In the course of the trial nom* indiscreet revels.-
Sons were made by the mainger's advocate, calculated much
to discourage that eccentric John Bull who, moordieg to •
current tradition in France, continually attends exhibitions
I of this class in hopes of seeing come exasperated lion or
irritable bear make • meal of the tamer. The white
beer, it was declared, is gentle as a lamb, and
only formidable in the bills of the performance,
consequently Aram& did not seek to expose Ira.
Schmitt to the least danger It was known to all
the people employed at the Hippodrome that when Mr.
into Hermann went the cage with the sapper, grooms, with
rods which were concealed from the Wait, pushed the
pieces of meat away from the bear, so as to excite the
animal to signs of hapatiesce acid anger. Mr.
Hermann, in the Amoco of the p wee in the habit of .
smoking his cigar in the cage without paying the least
attention to the bear, and his keeper, Jacob, used to let
the mile inhabitant of the Polar notions take sager from
between his teeth like a dog—a degree of gentleness cm the
part of a bear which emialely did not justify Mrs. Schmites
pretended terrors, and the real came of her refusal. It err
alleged, 'rag a wish to keep up Martin the bear's usurped
espntatioe of ferocity. The mart, }ewer, considered the
lady's can to be out, and segiesood Assault to pay
the 4,00 Kr. YAK meta.

OSTIRAL PALacia.--. OKI Ilisaisura
MONDAY, AUGUOT 31. Aibakiivia 97 payment. 8,463 ;
data by Mama LW* TM; Mt•l. M 93.