The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1873-03-04
HE Giro Us.

| have always had singular liking
for circus, a low-liking,it is very prob
able | might hear you say, were l near
enough, but scorn to dispute the point.
Tell me what there can be in high life
more intoxicating, with sort of bub-
bling, etferlescing pleasure, than the
whole paraphernalia Of circus!
l was thinking thus one day, as | en-
tered one of those sunny pavilions, and
thinking, too, whether in spite Of all nv
love of motion and swiftness and
strength and grace, so timid q person as
| would have had so much enjoyment in,
an cid Roman circus, where men and
beasts encountered in contests Of blood,
and where ladies', whose hearts could.
have bean not greatly differaat from my
own, spplauded the death struggles Of
gladiator as 1 did the somersaults of
little Ninonito.
The present. entertainment was called
upon the bills Great Moral Exhibition
aud as with the circus it combined su-
perior menagerie, to which Asian jun
gles and African deserts had contribu
ted, ,clergymen and Others were cordially
invited to witness the trained lion and
the lamb lying down together ~,
Or the performance of which l am
particularly speaking, the last item had
been described in the bills as the rerri-
Bile Exploits Of the Dauntless Bartouro
in the Den of Wild Beasts; the capitals
had been thrilling. Aud accordingly,
after a sufficient quantity of little hoys
had been thrown oy the horse, an enor-
NOUS carriage, that filed nearly half the
space, was SLOWLY wheeled upon the
scene, the sides were let down, and the
Den Of Wild Beasts was disclosed.
1t was in three compartments, with
strong partitions made of lattice work
of iron bars between them. In the flrst
one, some leopards and Bengal tiger
of loathly beauty were roaming restless
ly round, up and DOWN. and out,roupd
and about, in a way that made ones
heart ache. In the central compartment
a lion was strlding up and down. lashing
his tail about; while his lioness, lying in
one corner with her two whelps fawning
around her, looked with complacent GU
riosity at the crowd who returned her
gaze. But when the lids were let down
from the last compartment, all thought
of the occupants of the other two was
for moment forgotten, As the immense
and single lion within that one, sprang
upon his hind legs, paving at the side OF
the cage as if he would break through
and bound out upon us, and uttering 81
multaneously aroar that resounded and
reverberated from side to side and made
every heart stand still.
We were almost all decorously placed
upon the tiers of seats, but at the sound
and the sight the whole audience shook
a little closer together; and tor my part
never liking such scenes as this promised
to be, Ihad risen to go. ''ssi57rs'
s.Never mind," said my companion tc
meas excitedly signed my wish to has
ten OF: .'it is trifing thing enough,
the creatures are gorged with food and
dandled from their birth; the exhibition
is in no danger" 49,
you are mistaken, sir, said one Of
group of bystanders. .'In the first two
cages they are certainly tame enough
but the last beast is the true Nem@n, ra
ging for his liberty, as ready to rend
man to atoms as ever his widest ances
tor was" ~.
"Then why is he in that cage, sir 2"
asked, shivering beneath the blaze o.
those eyeballs like Goals.
,.sHe was only added TO the collection
a few hours since,'' said another gentle
man at nv side "Some sailors brough
him home on their own account: TIL
ship happened to arrive in harbor thi
very morning, just as the menagerie wa
setting up it's tent, the sailors lost NJ
time in making their bargain, and tn
; animal was transferred Immediately; bu
an injury happening to his own cage, b
was temporarily shut into this one til
better accommodations could be arrang
ed, believe
.'But is it strong enough2' ! asked
with quayer.
'.Oh, without doubt"
'.Aud then the exhibitor does not ven
ture into that COMPARTMENT
Mot unless he is insane, fancy"
"Ah, what roar! 1t is thunderer'
selfr' yo=
POSSIBLY he has not been fed tc
day" .s
Il think we had better co. I said q
: really makes me ILL.,"
Z .iNo, indeed, was the response me
with 'If there is going to be anythin
Unusual, let us have the benefit of it,"
"But it seems to me the exhibitor
7 not ready-I do believe he is afraid hin
;, self"
she has no OCCASION said the secon
r bvstander again. "ln spite of Q,
y friends opinion Of the beast, unless u
l exhibitor should open the door of Il
;. third cage, there is absolutely not
9 shadow OF danger"
n "And if he should2'
/, "Why, then, imagine, he would 6
his desserts"
d "The lion would,a any rate" rejoint
my companion.
y "Oh, how nervous you make me"
l exclaimed 81 wonder why the Daun
:, less Bartouro does not Gomez
g POSSIBLY he is asleep said the Sc
e ond bystander once more; 'he has il
If tie habit,they say,which occasions dro'
e siness--I. suppose 80 hazardous an occ
g patton as HIS may have been in the b
l. ginning required stimulanls, and he h
abused the necessity. And if they a
not SOLDERING him with buckets full
a cold water dashed over him, they a
probably assisting him to hurry on
Is tights aud spangles."
l. As he spoke, man, carrying a lit
!, switch, bounded into the ring, made
t, how to the audience, threw open the ca
a. Of The leopards, leaped lightly up,and
r, an instant had shut himself within.