Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1872-11-23
AMrNAGARIE oNA STRIKE.

AMENAGARIE ON A STRIKE.
The Titusyille, Pa, Evening Press
says The muss was originated by the
efforts of the proprietor of the show to
train hippotamus to run around the
ring and jump through hoops and ban
ners, after the manner OF trained ponies,
the "boss" hoping, if successful to make
all rival establishments take back seat.
For several days the training had been
going on whenever the exhibition stop
ped long enough in one place to afford
a few leisure hours, but up to the occa-
sion referred to, the hippotamus had on
ly been allowed to perform in private
with his limbs pinioned by log-chains,
and a large force Of employees on hand
with red-hot pitchforks, pickaxes, crow
bars, and bricks, to subdue him and keep
him within bounds shouldany symptoms
of rebellious spirit be manifested. Ev-
erything was lovely, however; the Behe,
moth struck his gait admirably, and
with such seeming good nature that his
owners determined to unsAackle him tor
short time and make him jump
through paper balloons.
Tue assistants stationed themselves
around the ring, mammoth balloon
was placed in position, and at the word
''Go !" the shackles were unloosed, and
sure enough they did 20. Allowing his
under lip to drop down like that OF a
steam canal dredge when itexpectorates
a mouthful of mud, the hippotamus gave
a snort that roverberated through the
tent like thunder, and then plunged for
ward through the balloon, wrecking 1t
in very handsome manner, but untor-
tunately killing the two men that held
it and
CPSETrING THE LIONS CAGE,
which contained four lions of unusual
tierceness. The moment the overturned
lions cage caught the eye of the hippo
tamus he bounded at it and bit out a
mouthful of woodwork and iron bars,
leaving All aperature through which the
lions escaped, and at once began to add
their roars to the tumult that ragged on
all sides. The big elephant "Horace
Greeley" who had been quietly looking
on all this time, instead of keeping a
check on his trunk, began to wave it In
the rand after moments trumpeting
broke his fastenings and picking up the
Cardiff Giant which lay upon the ground
near by, threw this unfortunate being
clear across the tent, killing another
man in its passage and knocking in the
end of the cage that contained
WILD RIIINOCEROS,
who at once came out, and running his
horn into the ground, gave the now al
trighted showmen some specimens of
plowing that were never equalled by
human or steam power. The four lions
now began to lash their tails in fury and
walk in circles around the centre pole,
up which seventeen of the showmen
ascended the moment the hippotamus
first beloved The latter animal was
in the meantime diverting himself by
set-to with a couple of grizzly bears that
he had liberated.
Horace Greeley" seemed to grow
more infuriated at this juncture, and at
ter killing a couple of camels turned his
attention to the other cages, and with
one sweep of his trunk demolished each,
the rhinoceros following behind and
completing the work.
FoRTUNATELY THE CANVASS WAS NEW,
and without flaw; and all the liberated
animals were roaming about the enclo-
sure. Hyenas sneaked around under
the seats, bears growled from the upper
benches, monkeys shrieked and chatter
ed from the ropes and supports, the air
was filed with flying cockatoos, parrots,
eagles, owls, and other birds, while os-
trichs roamed at will below, and heard
above all this uproar were the pitiful
calls from the seventeen men who hung
for dear life to the centre pole, which
was new end slippery and difficult to
cling to. The only animal that retained
its presence of mind was
BLARSEYUMs GORILLA.
His cage had escaped being upset,and
he stood inside, beating his breast and
roaring in that half dog bark and half
leonine roar that Du Cbaillu describes
as ''curding the very hairs on your
head when heard in an African forest
By this time, however, voices were
heard on the outside, the entire neigh
borhood having been aroused by the
pandemonium, and the moment the go
rilla heard these voices he changed his
tactics and shrieked, "For the love of
the holy ST. Patrick help me out of this
bloody scrape, and I'll neverhire out for
a gorilla again as long as l live" We