Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-11-28
4 .sH0rrible story

uYsetor al the show TO tram a nipp0pOta'
mus 10 run around the ring and jump
through hoops and banners, after the
manner OF trained ponies, the "boss" hop
ing, if successful, to make all rival estab-
Iishments take a back seat. For several
DAYS this training had been going on
whenever the exhibition stopped long
enough in one place TO afford a few leis'
ure hours, but, up to the occasion referred
neutrality-suspicious. had only been allowed
10 perform in private, with his limbs pin.
ioaed by l0g chains, and q large force OF
employees on hand with red-hot pitch
forks, pick-axes, crow bars and bricks, TO
subdue him snd keep him within bounds,
should any symptoms of a rebellious
spirit be manifested. Everything was
lovely. however; the Behemoth struck
his gait admirably and with such seeming
GOOD nature that his owners determined
"a unshack'e him for a short time and
make him Jump through paper balloons,
The assistants stationed themselves
around the ring, a mammoth balloon was
placed in position, and at the word ego"
the shackles were Embossed, and sure
enough he did go. Allowing his under
Mp 70 drop down like that of a steam
canal dredge when it expectorates a
~IaautafUl oil mud, the Lippopotamus gave
a snort that reverb1 .qtcd through the tent
like thuBler, and then plunged forward
through tAe balloon, wrecking it in a very
handsome manner, but unfortunately
~ Killing two men who held it AID
yPsETTIEG THE LIONS CAGE,
which contained four ions of unusual
serccncss. The moment the overturned
liaug cage caught the eye OF the hippota-
NUS, he bounded at it, and bit out a
nleuthfui Of wood. work and iron bars,
lesvinE an aperture through which the
lions ESCAPED, AID at once began to add
their roars 20 the tumult that ragged on all
,,g6es. the big elephant, ~"ilorace Gree
fSeTr, =" who had been quietly looking on MI
this time, instead of keeping check on
tifs trunk, began to wave it in the air, and,
after /. moments trumpeting, broke his
f,ssenings, and, picking up the Cardiff
7 laHt, which lay upon the ground near
on, threw the unfortunate being clear
&cr0ss the tent, killing another man in It's
passage, and knocking in the end of the
cage thai contained
A WILD R~HfEocERos,
abG st once came out, and running his
horn into the ground, gave the now at
frtghtcd showmcn some specimens of
SLOWING that were never cqualed by hui
gaAn or steam power. Tho four lions
sasw began 10 lash their tails in fury and
aalk in circles around the center pole, up
which seventeen Of the showmen ascend
CIV VIC ttiDllitHb bhg hIpIbilbibllluN lINi
beloved. The latter animal was IN the
b Siseantiine digerting himself in a setto
sgttb a couple Of grizzly bears that he had
liberated.
"~Iforace Greeley seemed TO grow more
{hfHriated At this junctnre, and after kill
sHg a couple Of camels, turned his at
@3} station to- Tie other cages, and with one
sweep Of hiE trunk demolished each, the
raineccros following behind and com.
4iGting The work.
F~1ttTCEATELY THE ANvAS WAS NEW
and without Il flaw and all Of the ltber-
ated animals went roaming about the en-
closure. IIyenas sneaked around under
tbc seats, hcars growled from the upper
b%GIlcres, monkeys shrieked aud chartered
from the ropes and supports, the air was
allied wItp flying cockatoos, parrots,
eagles, owls, and other birds, while
nStFiches roalned at viii below, and heard
s1sDve All tats uproar were the pitirul calls
from the seventeen men who hung for
drRg lite % the center pole, which was
Hew aud slippery and difficult TO cling to.
The only animal that retained its pres
81 q rsnce ot mine was
BLAREEYUM's GORILLA.
+Hiscag sc mad escaped being upset, and he
scn3d inside. beating his breast, and roar.
LAG in that half dog bark aud hall |lconine
rSsr that 3u ChAillu describes as "cnrd-
ling the vary hairs IN your head when
heard N m African forest BY this
'tdne, however, voices were heard outside,
the entire ncighborhood having been
a0pnsed by the ~pandemonium, and the
nEGnlen' the gorilla heard these voices he
changed his tactics and shriekcd "FOr
the love 81 the holy st. Patrick help me
f0taf This bloody acrape, and I'll never
hirc out tor q gorilla again, az long as |
live Wewill leave this unhappy animal
10 bis fate, and return to the
AWFUL sCENEs GOINd ON
around us, and among the other wild
bGtSts wao had now made their way to
that portlon Of the tent used by the pro-
g-'etor as q museum. Excited by rage
and hunger n Bengal tiger was the frst 10
attack the contents Of the museum, and
ne commenced by killing the "rempcr.
AtH Man and His Family" after which he
F." sEHang unJn the Sleeping Beauty" and
began % 4eVOur her. The hyenas, who
are No, SO particular in regard TO their
clet, srranE upon the "DrunKard and his
NItG.' ARG were soon ~tcaStinp Oh them.
The tionS rcvcled In blood in the care
containing the "Bell Ringers" while The
elephant amused himself by knocking the
stOf4ing gut Of the "Egyptiau Mummics,"
~ .asld also destroying several prominent
generals Of the war. But while these hor.
aEu!c SCENES were betnE enacted mere 9th
ers still more alarming were going on in
p ibc main portion OF the tent, where near
" every animal who had not succeeded
81 getting g taste of the "waX tigures'
STOOD Win DIsTENDED JAWS
around the center pole, awaiting the mo-
Tacnt Naen the hold Cf some of the
@atortunatss above should become loos-
eRGd and the victims come tumhlinr
fbwQ. The first man to drop was the
rthEmaster, who was the lowest on The
w pole Bic struck squarcly in the open Jaws
si an alligator that swallowed him whole
STd without choking. This SIGHT 80
frightened q canvas man that he too
teal, and The alligator snapped nj him,
hut too quickly, and the victim bounded
from the tip Of the crocodile's mouth
uato the AIMS Of n bear, who Rugged him
iandiE and carried him of under the seats
20 cat a! leisure. The elephant now
Ee&ehed aat with his trunk and shook
tae center pole as q boy shakes an apple
Tree Tor fruit, and this caused
SEVEN MORE VICTIMS,
&ac'0o'nL TWO very plump and luicy aero.
SSs, loGrop of. The man on top, how
ever, na4 by this time succeeded in gnaw.
lBg d hoe through the roof of the tent