Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-07-25

The tigress arose and paced up and
down the cage, and circled about her as
she stood in picture, as she had seen
her husband do. All the while he stood
watching at corner OF the cage without,
with the greatest intensity observing
every motion OF the animals; in his
hand he held bar of iron sharpened at
one end, and opposite him at the other
corner OF the stage stood the ring-m
armed in like manner.
The great Bengal, royal fellow in
deed, lay updisturbed in his corner, as il
her presence was not of sufficient moment
to receive his royal recognition. To the
astonishment OF all present she calmly
seated herself on his hauuches. and the ami
NAL which could have rent her into pieces
in moment turned and licked her hands
as pet dog would have done, while
great cheer oil admiration for the brave
little woman and the noble beast went
round and round the circle.
Then she reclined upon him until her
head rested upon his shoulders, and the
blonde curls swept into his face and
were swayed backward and forward by
his breath which she felt hot upon her
cheek.
When she was about to depart. be
arose rs il 10 bid her adieu. and to invite
her 10 come again. and she withdrew.
after giving him parting pat on the
head, and he whisked and purred about
like great good -natured hOuse-cat,
instead of man-eating tiger from the
iungles Of India.
When the iron door of the cage changed
shut, the king oil the Tigers" grasped
her ia his arms aud pressed her to his
bosop. aud kissed her right before the
monster audience, and said:
"My Queen, my Queen "
The whole audience arose 10 their feet |
as of one accord, and cheer after cheer
followed until the Tiger tanner and bis !
wife were out OF sight in the dressing
room.
The next act on the bill was the ap- |
pearance of the equestrienne, ana the |
ringmaster and tho clown and the
horse and the groom awaited her,
but she did not come. She was
found in a ft, and il was necessary to
make an apology for her non-appearance'
in which the ringmaster took occasion TO
say that the great rider was suffering
from indisposilion, caused by witnessing
the entrance of the Queen OF the Tiger
into the den OF the beasts. And ever
alter, when those present on that occa-
sion. wished to be especially emphatic
in describing what they then beheld'
they always related that the equestrienne
tainted when she saw the woman in the
tigers cage.
When the company moved next day
the equestIienne was lett behind, and
realizing that the brief spell she had
held over the King of tie Tigers" was
forever broken, she rejOined the com
pany, and soon after crossed the water q
disappointed and bafiled woman
The day after the debut of the Queen
OF the Tigers" the tiger-tamer met--not
by chance, Tor he was in search OF him
the party whose duty it was to feed the
animals, and bestowed upon him such |
An unmerciful thrashing that, when he
had finished from sheer exhaustion, 1t |
took q surgeon three hours TO sew and
patch him together again; and even a
maiden aunt, who called 10 see him lew
hours thereafter, CHANGING to reside III
that region, did know him, but mistooS
him for one OF the curiosties in the side
show.
He had been Lribed by the jealous
equestrleune to omit feeding the tigers.
hoping that they would be rendered ierc-
cious, and devour the young wife before
the very eyes of her husband. But her
plan miscarried. Suspicious OF con-
niyauce OF evil, the King OF the Tigers"
watched the feed. and in the nighttime
more than made up for his omissions by
surleiting the beasts.
The brave little woman never again
appeared in the tigers cage, although she
ayowed the utmost willingness to do so.
and the managers urged it; hut the hus-
band was inexorable. and even declared
that he should never forgive himself, il
he lived a thousand years. for permitting
her for single night to play the part of
the Queen OF the Tigers"
When you visit the circus and menag-
erie to see the sights, you will be the
most deeply interested, as We have been,
in the performance OF the king of the
Tigers" and his pets of the Jungle; and
il you are q close observer, and are not
too much engrossed with him and his
fierce but 10 him tractable beauties, you
will see standing close beside the cage
fair young woman. whom we have des-
cribed to you as .he wife OF the tiger
tanner, who, with prattlin2 child in her
arms, watches every movement OF the
performer and the beasts until bis act is
finished. The intelligent animals recog-
nize her, and purr and rub their glossy,
striped sides against the bars as if in sal
isfaction at her presence; and ever and
-, ol Ill collor, A f,,ber ol