Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1865-10-05
as long as he had tiger to drive, unless l
| found annnnthinn heftnr fn do

/
found something better to do.
We started on again. Jackson's Inn was
twenty miles distant, and was our next place
of exhibition twas now past three iii the
afternoon, and as the road was very rough,
we had good chance of being on the move
until after dark. Mr.. Pelby led the column
with four-horse caravan next followed the
cage containing pair Of lions; next, full
grown grizzly bear; next, pair of leopards
and next came my caravan with the Royal
Bengal tiger while behind me followed
panthers, black bears, hyenas, zebra, ostrich
moose, and monkeys.
The wild beasts were hungry, and my tiger
was getting to be savage. He growled and
snarled, and could hear him tearing satths
bars. By and by. he made new move
ment You remember, reader, told you that
the scuttle or hatch, on top of the tiger $ cage,
was open. This hole was about two feet
square, and guarded with traverse bars, three
running one way, and three the other. The
tiger leapt up and caught these bars with his
claws. turned and saw that he still hung
by them, and that his weight bent them. l
took the butt of my whip and beat him off,
He growled ferociously for while, and then
remained while quiet. At length, however,
he commenced another bout, and pretty soon
caught the bars of the scuttle.
| There was a terrible cracking of wood; and
just as turned the butt of my whip, the bars
came out, and the hole was entirely open!-
stopped my horses and then sprang up and
shut up the trap door, butt tiger was quick
er than was As reached out my hand he
came up with furious bound, catching the
koutside of the cage with his claws, and bring
lpg full half his body out through the open
LINZ | struck at him with the butt of my
whfp in hopes todrive him back; but he caught
the handle with his teeth, and tried to pull it
away fvom him That was about the most
foolish thing l ever did. If had let go the
whip all hight have been well; but the mo-
ment began to pull, l gave the tiger lift
that helped him out from his hole. He was
already aboutevenly balanced, and as / gave
that pull upon his head, helped to overcome
the lack of rest for his feet
He pulled, andJ pulled. Ipulled because
that whip seemed to be my only weapon, and
| wanted it; and when l saw my mistake, it
was too late to rectify it. The brute had
gained balance over he edge of the open
ing, and in moment m6ge he was upon the
top of the cage, without boyd of any kind
AT that particular momentI felt as though
l should like to resign my pdsition as driver
of that caravan. What could INdo? There
was upon my foot board, with nA. weapon at
hand, and the tiger loose upon the &p of tbe
cage before me. am free to confess th9f |
was sore afraid. In fact, was so strifkcn
with fear, that for a few moments l Nod no
power to move. was utterly para szed !
knew that the tiger was hungry, apd thafNhe
was mad But think my fear ssEcd me. V
stood upon my board, and gazsd directly into
the beasts eye--gazed withoFmoYing mus
Gle gazed because had D6 thePower to do
otherwise. BY and by mFsenses came to me,
and was beginning to 6lan for escape, when
1 heard Mr. Pelby's vpfce. He had seen the
trouble and had huYfed to my assistance.
Don't take yox eycyof him, he cried
"Watch him for Sour Efe"
1t flashed upon me that ! had been doing
Just the right t<hing/and good portion of my
strength ava confidence returned to me-
The tiger/@as upon his launches watching
me naY6wly,/ and seeming to be trying to
avoid NE. ldo not say that | felt casyor as
sureE for 10 tell the truth, had no great
amount Of confidence in that fellows good in
tentionsl l believed if he could get my back
FowarF him he would make quick work with
: me. but relief came. Before my quaking
eyes had quite given out, Mr. Pelby was by
M side; and as he stepped upon the foot
board he whispered to me to get down.
\ "Its risk heard him say; ''but L II risk
much more before | lose that beast"
1 leaned upon the ground and hastened to
the heads of nv horses. The whole train
Ihad stoned, and all the drivers saw what was
ooino on / could see him as he stood in my
place upon the board, and could also see
the tiger. The beast shrank lower down as
Le saw his master. and Pcbly stepped upon