Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1877-08-04
THE LION tanner.

"That lioness will be the death of
you yet, Joe."
"Pshaw p and Joe Amberly, (" the
lion tanner" of large travelling circus,
laughed at the predictions of his as
sistant.
"You may laugh as much as you
please; but some day you will find l am
right, and that to your sorrow, though
then it will be too late"
"I have performed with all the ami
mails for some years, and never had any
difficulty"
"You forget the one at Longtown. "
That didn't amount to much. soon
brought them to subiection."
"BrIt the trouble commenced with
this anne ioness."
Yes, though it wouldn't have been
so Jad if those cats of hunting leopards
hid not set up a yell, and drawn the
|Jlack tiger into the affray."
"She has bad temper when it is up
is the most treacherous beast 1 ever
fed or had anything to do with. 1 have
been watching her close for couple of
days." continued the assistant, "and
know she is mighty cross grained. So,
depend upon it, you are going to have
trouble"
81 don't see why more than at any
other time.
"There are times-and you know it,
if you will only refect-and this is one
of them. 1t l was in your place, ]
wouldn't try to show off to-day with any
extras, but just give common perform
ance, and get out of the cage as quick as
l could"
"You know what we advertise, and
what crowd has gathered"
eyes, with laugh; "and know
we never have or do one half there is
in the bills. Paper is cheap, Joe, but
human life is precious. Think how
poorly off you would leave your wife and
child if anything should happen to you,
and what would become of your wife if
anything should happen to the child ?"
"Do not mention it l''
The man who had handled and tanned
and toyed with the savage beasts as if
they had been harmless kittens, groaned
aloud at the thought. A man Of the
most ardent, even passionate nature, he
bowed down in worship to his wife and
little girl. And that day it had been
advertised that he would take h s child
and pail of blood into the cage with
him.
1t was a very daring, foolhardy pro-
ject at the best; but how much more SO
when the beasts were doubly savage and
out of temper-when the slightest thing
might arouse them to all their pristine
fury, and the fierce blood of the wilder
ness assert itself in all its tempestuous
wrath.
But the husbandly and fatherly
emotion was soon conquered. The habit
of years and his natural strength gave
him self-reliance; and it would take
more than idle words to turn him from
his purpose, no matter how dangerous it
might appear to others.
The old lion in the cage, though q
monster in size, was inoffensive, tame
and obedient. In the language of the
keepers, he was s good for nothing but
to make q show and sit back in the cor
ner, grind his teeth and growl." Besides,
he was his friend, and upon more than
one occasion he had acted the part of q
peacemaker. The leopards-a pair Of
spotted cheetahs-were scarcely to be
taken into consideration. The black
tiger, the most rare and strikingly beau.
tiful animal in any collection, was ordi
narily quiet, though when fully aroused
not to be trifed with. aT 1
But the lioness was the especial one
to be watched. She was beast of un
common power, with massive arms, long
curving claws, 1.-THE and nervous as
serpent, teeth sharp as needles, fexile
treacherous, smooth, tawny skin an(
yellow eyes that flashed fercely. Never
even in her best moods, had she beel
submissive, and her mildest play wa
rough in the extreme.
The lion tanner turned from his com
panion to go and dress for his attractiv,
but dangerous performance but befor,
doing 30, he visited the double cage, ant
made O critical examination of th,
beasts, who any instant might be to hin
as fate. There was nothing to especial,
awaken fear and, half vexed with him
self for having been needlessly dis
Udroo3, he passed from the great canva
into smaller compartment, and foun,
his wife and child waiting for him-th
one a young and beautiful woman, an,
the other very fairy OF child, who's
hair hung down upon her back, as th
brightest and finest of spun silk.
81 am sorry, Joe," said the wife an
mother, as her husband entered, "tha
you have consented to so foolish per
formance as the one advertised for tc
day."
"Why, May ?" and he looked mos
earnestly at her.
Because the ordinary performance !
hazardous enough"
"Then you think this more so ?"
"I don't know that it is" she replied
having the utmost confidence in he