Morning journal and courier., 1880-03-31
A Woman in a Cage of Panthers.

In a managerie which is kept at present in Philadelphia is cage of Mexican panthers In size they are about as large as 8 full-grown setter dog, though their whole appearance is of the cat order, having long claws, sharp teeth, and eyeballs which, in their anger gleam and quiver like livid fire. 'tThese ami malls" says the Philadelphia Times, 'Hast Sat urday seemed worse than usual. They had been fighting among themselves until their heads and ears were bleeding, and upon the approach of any visitor near their cage they would spring against the iron grating, with gleaming eyes and exposed fangs, with force that would shake the cage from top to bot tom, at the same time thrusting their claws through in their efforts to clutch the intrud- CTS and bring them within range of their teeth. Even the keepers themselves, after they had prodded up the tigers and leopards and passed close to their cages in safety, made detour when they came to the panthers, giv- ing them wide berth. Presently @ young woman, dressed in bloomers and with her hair tightly done up on the top of her head, came along, with stout whip in her hand.
 She's going in among the partners; she's training them, said the keeper.
 ''The girl went up close to the cage, whip in hand. and, with the assistance of the keep er-whc was her husband the faathers were driven back in one end of the cage, the man using long stick, with the end of which he gave them some vigorous raps on the nose. After great deal of fighting and scuffiing 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, who had been standing beside him with her whip in hand and a pleasant smile on her face, without a moments hesita- ton stepped up and the next moment was in side the cage. The moment she got in there was the most terrific screaming and fighting of any time yet. The partners would spring 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 apparently the only means that would satisfy their feroc- ity.
 Meantime the woman stood perfectly still, holding her whip out and speaking to them in soothing manner, as though she was pac- flying favorite dog or cat. Gradually the screams and growls began to get lower and lower and the fighting among one another be- gan to cease. Still they kept growing and looking at her and showing their teeth and snapping now and then until she had ad- vanced step. Then they began to growl again, and one of them sprang over the others and got nearest to her, but had no sooner alighted than he was bounced upon by anoth- CT, and they again began to fight. Then the young woman with bold step advanced pace further and struck one of the animals with the butt end of the 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, pro- ceeded to soothe and caress the panther near est her, batting him on the top of the head and strokipg him on the neck until his growls had almost subsided, and then sullenly allow ed himself to be petted, winking his eyes and mouthing like a cat. The other partners meantime having grouped them selves together in the end of the cage looked on with sullen growls. If any advanced she gave them a sharp rap on the head and order ed them to go back, and they obeyed. While she kept betting the one in question she never lost sight of the others, keeping her eyes on their every movement and being always pre- pared to use the whip on the slightest provo cation. Sometimes three or four, as though jealous of the other, would spring forward and approach sullenly, as though inviting her to caress them too. Then she would take one to each hand and pat and stroke them un- til they became paciied and quiet, and she seemed as much at homo with them as sthough they were so many cats. But this pacific state of things would not last long. They seemed to be taking their caresses under pro- test and to be ever on the brink of revolt. This would be signalizd by deep growl from some one of them, which would instantly communicate itself to the others. and the next instant there would be 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 while.
 '''What would be the consequence if she was to show any fear and retreat toward the door p asked one of the bystanders, who had been almost 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 A minute