The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-07-14

system cOnfers, should urge lis to this COM
prehensive and catholic reform of the Con-
stitution.
Paris Correspondent of the Boston Post
History of Batty, the Lion-Tamef.---Reeent
Scene in the Imperial Circus at Paris.---Thrill-
ing account of hand-to-hand fight between Bat
ty and his Lions.
Batty is now thirty years of age. He is
an American by birth, but early left the Uni
ted States to enter the service OF his uncle,
who for a long time was the principal mana
ger of Astley's Amphitheatre at London
From his earliest years he had q strange af-
fiction for wild animals. He would enter
their cages without fear and his influence
over them was such that the boldest could
not withstand it. They seemed fascinated
by the powerful glance of his piercing eyes.
His father was frightened at the peculiar and
dangerous proclivities of his son, and did his
best to restrain him, but without effect
Threats and blows werea like unavailing, and
at length Batty fled to Africa to avoid the
harsh treatment to which he was exposed
| There for years, he led a wild and solitary
life, and wandered from forest to forest, and
from one savage tribe to another. His deeds
of intrepiClitv were incredible in their audac-
ity and the rude sympathies of his restless
and untamed nature found abundant graft
fication. Among the wild beasts OF Africa
he was perfectly at home and he left them
with regret. Some two or three years ago
he made his appearance in Paris, that great
caravanserai Of the world, and he and his
lions were received with unbounded ap-
plause His muscular development IS Won
derful, and in strength and agility he almost
ed uals the monsters with which so much of
his life has been spent. He can run like a
TOWN, and leap like leopard, and often it
L. e. Il
as he has just done, face to face and shoulder
to shoulder, and often has he gained the vic
tory by sheer force of muscle.
THE LIONS IN RAGE.
Last Sunday q violent thunder storm burst
over Paris. My apartment overlooks the
Cirque de rImperQtrice i'll the Camps E(ySees,
where the lions are kept, and the scene for a
short space was indescribably grand. The
air was full of electricity, and under its inhu-
ence these animals, as is always the case, be-
came fearfully excited. They ran to and fro
in fierce and ungovernable rage. They lash
ed their flanks with their tails in passionate
vehemence. Placing their mouths to the
ground, they reared in mingled rage and ter
ror. Their eyes dilated and seemed to flash
forth the lightnings of the tempest that RIO
ted within them. Without, the roaring of
the lions was answered by the howls of the
blast and the loud crash of the thunder
With these, at intervals Mere mingled the
neighings of hundred frightened horses in
the stables of the Circus. Gusts of wind
swept down the broad avenue and bowed the
lofty trees. The rain descended in torrents.
The people fled before the demon of the
storm. For few minutes the whole vicini-
ty appeared to give up to the furies of ele-
| mental warfare. Scarce had the muttering
thunders died away in distant reverberations,
when the time drew near for Batty's advent
| among his lions. As he came in sight they
hailed him with boisterous uproar. Stand
ing upright against the bars of their cage,
they grappled them in their rage and gush-
ed upon him with their teeth A man of
iron nerves could hardly have looked upon
them with calmness. Had his body been
made of steel he would hardly have dared
to trust himself among them. But Batty
did not quail. At q bound he leaped into
! the cage, despising all hesitation. Its iron
door he slammed after him with loud clang.
| To US who looked on it seemed the gate ofthe
sepulchre. His subjects glared at him as if
they would instantly dcvour him. For a
moment he returned their glare and looked
steadily into the eyes of each. They could
not bear the test. One by one they covered
before him and skunk away, conscious of
their helplessness. Again mind triumphed
over the rude dictates of instinct, and man,
! the lord and master, lowered in his pride of
place.
| BATTY's GOODNESS IN PERIL.
| The exhibition proceeded and again the
| lions seemed powerless to resist his com
mands At length a lioness who had been
ordered to leap over his head failed in the
effort. Apparently miscalculating the dis
lance on her own strength, she struck full
upon the head and shoulders of her master
Her weight bo.e him to the ground. The
| lion whose turn it was to follow had she sue
ceeded, threw himself upon the struggling
group and fearful was the sight. The crow
dcd amphitheatre rose in body; the women
with averted; eyes fled shrieking from the
house loud cries arose in all directions,
6 Assez! Assesn: "pen est .1fnin' "Quelle
-horreur!" For moment, and but for a mo-
ment, the result seemed uncertain. But Bat
tvs tremendous strength and GOODNESS avail
ed even in this nearly fatal hour .Strug
Cling he arose. and wounded, bleeding, as he
was dashed his principal antagonist to the
farther corner of the cage. Selling his whip
he struck the lion a blow in the face that,
made him vince and falter. The latter dared
not defend himself, and Batty, still the mas
ter of his savage and rebellious domain gave
one stern glance to satisfy himself that peace
had been restored, and retired from the scene
His wounds were severe, and nothing but his
| those who looked upon that mortal strug-
| gle, that deadly embrace of raging, growing,
gripping monsters, who maddened by the
taste of blood and the memory of past
wrongs. seemed to hold their tyrant in their
tolls, like LAGOON in the grasp of the ser
penis, but one result appeared possible, and
| it was with heartfelt signs of relief and en-
thusiastic vivas that Batty was seen to en-
erge from the contest still a man, and hold
ing his own as of old. Plucky as ever he
will ere long return again to the arena. His
wounds, though deep, only penetrated the
flesh, and no bones were broken or arteries
severed. They are rapidly healing, and Bat
tvs iron frame and robust constitution will
quickly recover from the inroad they have
made upon it. Strange as it may appear,
since the illness of their master the lions seem
to miss him, and long for his return. They
are melancholy and restless. They pace the
floor of their cage to and fro as if seeking
something they could not find. At the usual
hour of their exhibition they are more agita-
ted than ever. 1t is said that they also feel
the want of the loud applause with which
| they have always been received, like many