The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1877-09-04
MISCELLANY.
THE LION TAMER.

| Auat uOucco Will NC tuo 0coCu VI you
yet, joe"
"Pshaw!" and Joe Amberly, "tht
lion tanner" of large travelling circus
laughed at the predictions of his assist
ant.
"You may laugh as much as you
please; but some day you will find l an
right, and that to your sorrow, thouEh
then it will be too late
II have performed with all the animals
for several years, and never had any
difficulty"
you forget the Que at Longtown."
"That pidn't amount to much. soon
brought them to subsection
but the trouble commences with this
sans lioncss."
Eyes, Thought wouldn't have beer SO
bad it those cats of hunting leopaIds
had not set up a yell, and drawn the
black tiger into the ARRAY
"She has a bad temper when it is up
is the most treacherous beast l ever fed
or lad anything to do with. have
been ya."G 4 asr CLOSE f9g. sesrs: : 3!
know she is mighty cross grained. So,
depend upon it, you are going to lave
trouble"
II don't see why more than at any
other time
"Thtre are times and you know it, II
you will only rcfect--and this one of
them. Ill were in your place, / would
not try to show off to.day with any
extras, but just give common perform
ancc. and get out of the cage as quick as
| could"
"You know what We advertise, and
what crowd has gathered"
Eyes, with a laugh; "and l 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
aud child il anything should happen to
you, and what would become Of your
wife II anything should happen to the
child I"
"Do not mention it"
The man who handled and tanned and
toyed with the savage bcatts a. il they
DAD been harmless kittens groaned at
the thought. A man of the most ardent,
even passionate nature. bowed down in
worship to his wife and little girl. And
that day it had been advertised that he
would take his child and pail Of blood
into the cage wife him.
1t was 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 free blood of the wildncss
assert itself in all its tempestuous wrath
But the husbandly and fatherly emo.
ton waa 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 Gage, though q
monster in size, was inoffensive, tame
and obedient. In the language Of the
keepers, he was good for nothing bu,
to make q show and sit back in the cor.
ner, grind his teeth and growl." Besides
In was his friend, and upon more thar
one occasion he had acted the part Of q
peacemaker. The leopards-a pair Of
spotted chectahs-were scarcely to bt
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
was not to be triHed with.
But the lioDess was the especial one &c
be watched. She was beast of uncom
mon power, with massive arms, long
curving claws, 1.-THE and nervous as I.
serpeut, teeth sharp as needles, feXile
treacherous, smooth tawny skin and vel
low eyes that flashed fiercely Never
even in her best moods, had she beer
submissive, and her mildest play rougl
in the extreme.
The lion tanner turned from his com
panion to 60 and dress for his attractive
but dangerous performance, but befor,
doing so, he visited the double cage
and made a critical examination Of tn,
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 needIessly disturbed
he passed from the great canvas into
smaller compartment, and found his wifi
and child waiting for him-the one
young and beautiful woman, and TIL
other very fairy Of child, whose hal
hug down upon her back a. the bright