Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-06-25
A Panther Tanner.


the great London circus is IN winter
quarters, on Saturday last. In the mair
building, where most all of tho animal,
of the mtnagerie are kept, was cage
containing five or six full grown
Mexican panthers. whose fierce aspect
and savage capers are the terror of oil
who pass through there. Directly
opposite these panthers is q cage con-
tanning lions. and on either side oil
them are cages containing tigers and
leopards. Savage as the tigers and
leopards appear, there is not half the
terror in them for the Keepers that there
IL in the long, stealthy, ca,-like animal,
the Mexican panther. In size they are
about as large as a full-grown setter
dog, though their whole appearance is
of the Cat order, having long claws,
sharp teeth, and eycballs which, in
their anger, CLEAN and culver like iivid
fire. These animals at Cooper a. Bailey s,
on the day in question, seemed worse
than usual. T.ey had been fighting
among themselves until their hrads aud
ears were bleeding, and upon the
approach of any visitor near their cage
they would spring against the iron
grating, with cleaning eyes and exposed
fangs, with force that would shake
the cage from top to bottom, at the
same time thtusting their claws through
in their efforts to clutch the iatruders
and bring them within range of their
teeth. 70 Stand off and look at them
would provoke them almost to madness.
They would bound against the grating
with loud and savage scream. and
4 strike and tear at tho iron rods with their
claws in way that would make the
stoutest-hear,ed visitor fall back and
almost shudder 10 think Of the couse-
qucnco should they by any mischance
once get at large. Even the keepers
themselves, after they had prodded mp
the tigers and leoparls aud passe
close to their cages in safety, made
deionr when they came to the panthcrs.
giving them wide barth. Presently
young woman, DIRE ,sed in boomers
and with her hair tightly done up on
the top OF her head, came along with n
stout whip in her hand.
"See," said one of the keepers, 'she's
going into the cage"
"What?" exclaimed three or four
different voices, amazed.
"She'a going in among the panthers;
she's training them, said the keeper.
Surely she won't 60 in among them us
they are now" said one, while others
fell back still further and some fastened
away.
Meantime, the girl had gone up close
to the cage, whip in hand, and wi h
the assissistance of tho keeper-who
was also her husband--the panthers
were driven back in one end of the cage,
the man using long stick. with the
end of which he gave them some vigor-
GUS raps on the nose. After a great
deal of swapping and scutfling among
each other-each animal, every time he
was hit, seemed to visit his vengeance
for the blow on his nearest fellow-ihey
Aere all gotten back in the end turthest
from the cage door. The man theH
proceeded to- unfasten it, his work
being interrupted frequently by the
animals, some of which would now and
then bound out of their corner over
the top of those of their fellows who
stood in the way and land halfway up
tho floor of the cage, where they would
draw themselves up in crouching
posture and with eyes Of fire and
deep, low growl they would remain
watching him as though only waiting
for him to get inside to make the fatal
spring. The keeper. without showing
the least 9iscomposure, went on with
his work until the door was opened.
The Young woman, who had been
standing beside him with her whip in
hand aud o pleasant smile on her
face, without moments hesitation
stepped up, and the next moment was
inside the cage. The moment she got
in there was the most terrific screaming
and fighting of any timo yet. The pan
theirs would jump over each other in
their eagerness to spring upon her, and
would spring halfway up the cage. but
would get no further, being held buck
by fear. They would then spring upon
one another and tear each others ears
aud scratch and fight, this being APP
parently the only means that would
satisfy their ferocity. Meantime the
woman stood perfectly still, holding
her whip out AID speaking to them in
soothing manner, as though she was
pacifying favorite dog or cat. Grad.
ually the screams and growls began to
Sct lower anu lOWor unu tuo uSutluk
among one another began to cease.
Still they kept growing and looking
at her and showing their teeth and
swapping now and then until she had
\ advanced step. Then they began to
growl again, and one of the ~ sprang
over the others and got nearest to her.
but had NO sooner alighted than no
was pounced upon by another, and
they again began to fight. Then the
young woman, with bold step, ad.
vancsd pace further and struck one OF
the animals with the butt end OF her
whip, at the same time scolding him.
He sprang back to the end Of the cage
among the others, while the woman,
carelessly letting her whip fall in q
harmless position, proceeded to soothe
and caress the panther nearest her,
patting him on the top Of the head and
stroking him on the neck until his
growls almost subsidized. and lie sullenly
allowed himself to be petted. winking
his eyes and mounting like q cat. The
other panthers meantime having
0rouned t1,amselves together in the