The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-02-21
TINE DAUHTLEss BARTOUKO.
A FIGHT WIFE A WILD LION.

L
high Life more Intoxicating. with sort Of buo'
bling. efervescing pleasure, than the whole par
sphernslla OF circus why, your opera Is
childs play beside it-beside, the first moment |
and the Gag, huttering and tapping above, makes
your heart futter as wildly, too; your approach
through such shrongs Of strange people never IN
earthed before; the triumphant purchase OF your
ticket from the man at the back Of some painted
wagon; and then the stepping in between the
mysterious canvas folds that sweep their great |
wrinkles down 10 your very feet, and the opening
upon the great amphithoster, already crowded
with faces and colOrs, rank above rank, Ike
great full petsled blossom.
wss thinking all these matters over one day,
IS entered one OF these sunny paviops and
thinking. too. whether, in spite Of my love OF mo-
ton and swiftness, and strength and grace, SO |
timid person as would have had much enjoy |
ment in an old Roman circus where men and |
beasts encountered in contests OF blood, and /
where ladies, whose hearts could have been not |
greatly different from my own. appiauoed the
death struggle of gladiator as did the sonner-
saults of little Ninonito. / had no idea how
nearly the performances were going TO approach
the old Roman standard before we were done
with them.
The present entertainment was called upon the
bills Great Moral Exhibition and as with the
circus II combined superior msnsgerie, wnicn
Asian jungles and African deserts had contrib.
uted, cereymeD and others were cordially invited
20 witness the trained lion and the lamb lying
down together and particularly to inspect the pic
lures upon the Tags Of the various stages, wnich
were nothing less than scenes from the noiy
Scriptures-constituting, on the whole, an Illus
tretiys Bihlet hhqRyf,cs or wncn am psrucuIariy
speaking, the last item had been described Ia the
advertisement as the Terrible Exploits OF the
Dsuutless Bartouro In the Den OF Wild Beasts; the
capitals had been thrilling. And accordingly,
after sufficient Quantity OF little Doys nsd Deen
thrown BY the horses, an enormous carriage, tnst
| flled nearly half the space. was slowly wheeled
upon the scene, the sides were let down, ana tne
| den OF wild beasts was disclosed.
II was In compartments. with strong partitions
| made Of lattice work OF iron bars between them
| In the first one some leopards and Bengal uger
| Of losthly beauty were roaming rest.essy round,
| up and down, in and out, round and about, 10
way to make ones heart ache. In the central
| compartment lion was striding up and down,
flashing his tail about; while his ioness, lying In
1 one corner with her Two wbelps fawning round
| her. looked with complscent curiosity at tne
crowd who returned her gaze. But wnen the hds
| were let down from the last compartment, all
thought OF the occupants Of the other TWO was Tor
| q moment forgotten, as the immense and single
| lion within that one sprang upon his hind legs.
paving st the side OF the cage rs II ne woolo
| break through and bound out upon Us, and utter
ing simultaneously o roar that resounded and re.
verbersted from side to side and made every heart
stand still.
tiers OF seats, but at the sound and the sight the
whole audience shook little closer together and
for my part, never liking such scenes a. this
| promised 20 be, i had risen togo.
"Never mind, - said my companion TO me. ss l
| excitedy sign6ed my wish to hasten OF; " 10 Is
trite thing enough; the creatures are gorged with
food and handled from their birth the exhibitor
| Is in no danger"
lyon aye mistaken, sir,n said one of group OF
bystsnders. "In the first two cages, they are
, certainly tame enough: bat the last beast Is the
| true Nemean. raging for mis- liberty, az ready TO
rend man TO atoms % ever his widest ancestor
| wss.n
shivering beneath the blaze Of those eyebslls Ike
| Goals.
He was only added to the collection a few
hours snce," said another gentleman at my SIDE.
"some sailors brought him home on their owl
account; the ship happened 20 arrive In hsroo'
| on this very morning, just &c the mensgerie wa
setting np its tent, the ssilors lost no tins In max
ing their bargain, and the animal was transferred
Immediately; but an injury happening to MS owl
cage ha vss temporarily shut inte tins one I'll
better accommodations could be arranged,
believe"
"Bus is 1t strong. enough'" asked With I
"Oh, without doubt"
sand then the exhibitor does not venture into
| that compartment"
sEot unless he In insane, fancy"
"Ah, what a roar Il ia thunder's self"
"Poesibly he has not been fed to-day"
81 think we had better CO." said. "ls real
| makes me H." -,
, ono. indesd,n was the response met with
"But IL seems TO me the exhibitor is nos ready
DO believe be is afraid himself"
"He has no occasion" ssid the second oystande
o again. sIn spite OF our friends opinion OF tn
beast, unless the exhibitor should open the dot
9 Of the third cage there is absolutely not shado
! of dangor.'
u "Wby. then / imagine he would get his d
serts." .,
companion.
l. al wonder Why the Dauntless Bartouro does
q. come"
le islander once moro. "He has little habit tht
ssy, which occasions drowSness. | suppose
70 hazardous an occupation rs his may have been,
the beginning requiring stimulsnts, and he d
II abused the necessity. And II they are not sooe
ing him with buckstsful OF cold water dashed oy
n him, they are probably assisting MN % nuffy
his tights and spanglss"
AS he spoke, man carrying little switc
os bounded Ia the ring, made his bow 70 the an
~ ence, threw open the cage OF the ieopsrds leap
'r' lightly up, and in an instant had shut h'ms
within BE :. vas sac R1H a q p sns S Rss s'nSi
OF ments, that ono had not tine 10 ace bis flush
Is face and IL swollen veins before i seened .
u the exertion Of taking . leopard and tossing
- into the air had oocssioned is.
"Whst o handsome fellow" cried my co
no psnion. "What shoulders what toresrl
uf His neck is white column II Is the torso o.
hero. Was be put together in that splendid VI
u9 wonder. for nothing else than to play with
ou | tepsW
or he was a picture as he fronted Us; the I
leopsrds stood with paw on his either should
y. the spots seeming to wsver n their supple 81.
Die ike the sparks and glows In half blackened
brands, while the tiger bounded to and fro o.
,s- the switch which he held for him as II his sic
oF. curves were made OF nothing bus caouschouc.
ow was plsin that the creatures loved the man; q
DC reached oct their long, rough tongues and lick
hin-he had fed them and tended them, and v
10 them their only visible Providence.
~ As thought thus, Bsrtouro flung aside the d
u partition of iron bars, with a thrust, and was
GO the central cage, stepping quickly 70 the lion
~ and switching her till abe rose upon her Re
catching the hairy little cubs In his arms q
20 throwing them about like jugg!ers balls, call
s the lion 70 his side and lying down between III
nn ell, as if for peaceful repose In the bosom OF
re family. Meanwhile the tiger came and srretci
w. himself ct bis feet and ons Of the leoPsrds anu
nr, himself with boxing an impairment cub, while
81 other leopard retired to tne fartnest corner
%, o.. she cage and appeared 70 keep watch IKE
L 49,, ox.- ,ha ionneaffc scona. IL after q