Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-04-03

A Woman I'm . Cage Of Painters.
In . menagerie which Is kept at present in
Philadelphia Is cage OF Mexican panthers In
ter dog, though their whole appearance is OF
the cat order, having long claws. sharp teeth,
and eye,balls which, in their anger CLEAN and
the Philadelphia Times, last Saturday seemed
worse than usual They had been fighting
among themselves until their heads and ears
were bleeding, and upon the approach Of any
the iron grating, with cleaning eyes and ex-
posed fangs, with force that would shake the
cage from top to bottom, at the same time
to clutch the intruders and bring them within
range Of their teeth. Even the Keepers them
selves, after they had prodded up the tigers
ana leopards and passed close to their cages in
safety; made a detour when they came to the
panthers. giving them wide berth. Presently
young woman, dressed in boomers and with
her hair tightly done up On the top of her head,
"'She's goin In among the panthers: she's
training them, said the keeper.
The girl went up close to the cage whip in
hand and with the assistance OF the keeper
driven back in one end OF the cage, the man us.
ing long stick, with the end Of which he gave
them some vigorous raps on the nose. After a
great deal OF swapping and sctIf1iing among each
other they were all gotten back in the end
farthest from the cage door. The man then
proceeded to unfasten it. The young woman,
WIZ Hdu peSu StdHC4uS bSSIHe MIN WITH her
whip In hand and 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 lighting OF any time yet. The
panthers 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 back by fear. They would then
spring upon one another and tear each others
ears and scratch and fight, this being appar-
emily the only means that would satisfy their
ferocity.
meantime the woman stood perfectly still.
holding her whip out and speaking to them In a
soothing manner, as though she was pacffyfng a
fayorite dog or cat. Gradually the screams and
lighting among one another began to cease
SIN they kept growing and looking at her and
until she had advanced a STEP Then they be-
over the others and got nearest to her, but had
no sooner alighted than he was pounced upon
by another. and they again began to fight. Then
the young woman, with bold step advanced a
pace further and struck one Of the animals with
The but end OF her whip at the same time scold-
Ing him. He Sprang back to the end of the cage
among the others, while the woman, carelessly
letting her whip fall, proceeded to soothe and
caress the panther nearest her, patting him on
the top OF the head and stroking him on the
NECK neck until his groWls had almost subsidized and
then Sullenly allowed herself to be petted wink
Ing bis eyes and mouth1ng like cat The other
panthers meantime having grouped them
selves together in the end OF the cage looked on
with sullen growlS. II any advanced she gave
them sharp rap on the head and ordered them
to go back, and they obeyed. While she kept
petting the one in question she never lost sight
of the others, keeping her eyes on their every
movement and being always prepared to use
the whip on the slightest provocatton. Some
times three or four, as though jealous of the
other, would spring forward and approach sui
lenly, as though inviting her to careSs them, too
Then she would take one to each hand and pat
and stroke them until they became pacified and
quiet, and she seemed as much at home with
them as though they were so many cats But
this pacific state Of things would not last long
They seemed to be taking their caresses under
protest and to be ewes on the brink OF a revolt
This would be signalzed by a deep growl from
some one OF them, which would instantly commu
nicate itself to the others, and the next instant
there would be a quick spring and one of the
animals would find himself bounced upon by
another, and they would claw and gnash each
other until the young woman would raise her
whip and give them some sharp blows, which
would send them into the corner and make
them settle down for little time.
"'What would be the consequence If she was
to show any fear and retreat toward the door,
asked one of the bystanders, who had been al
most Spellbound by the scene before him and
had not found himself able to speak before.
The consequence, said the keeper, shaking
his head, would be that every animal In that
cage would spring upon her and tear her to
pieces in minute"