The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1881-06-29
A Socue at the Old BOwery.

One of nv theatrical experiences about this
time was of rather an exceptional character,
marty of three in a stage-box on one occasion
being verv nearly rendered parti carre by
the addition to our number of a-tiger. 1t
occurred in this way. In the year 1885 or
1871 cannot, at this interval of time, recol-
lect which-a man of the name of Carter
arrived in New York with troupe OF WILD
beasts, which he had trained after the manner
of Van Amburgh. He was engaged at the
Bowery Theatre, and made his appearance IN
a piece written expressly for the purpose OF
affording him an opportunity of displaying the
really very extraordinary mastery he had oo-
tanned over the brutes. The play itself was
utter trash, and the man no actor whatever;
the only feature of interest being the feats he
performed with some of the animals. Among
others he was drawn across the stage In a
snecies Of triumphal car, to which two lions
were harnessed Highly-colored bills, re-
presenting him in the act Of doing SO, were
posted about the streets. One of these at
tracted my attention, and, boylike, nothing
to satisfy me until l was taken to see the
piece which had excited my curiosity. One
night, therefore, my father, having secured a
private box, took me and one of my school,
fellows, lad about the same age as myself,
to the Bowery.
In one scene, Carter, who played the part of
a shepherd, was supposed to be lying on the
ground asleep. A tiger springs upon hun
from a tree: he grapples fercely with the
brute, and after desperate struggle succeeds
in mastering it. OF course performance OF
this character, in which wild beast enjoys
the free range of the stage, would no! at any
period have been permitted in this country,
nor in all probability would it now be allowed
in any American city; but at that time the
authorities were not so particular. UntoTtu-
nately, on the night in question. Carter, IN
some way or other failed to obtain hold OF
the tiger, as usual, after it had made the leap.
The animal, bewildered by having lost Its cue,
as il were, ran down to the tootlights, giared
for moment at the audience IN the PIT, al
most frightening the musicians in the orches-
ira out of their senses, and then, when It's
master followed and attempted to selze MN,
rushed to one side of the house and began TO
climb up into the box in which sat, winch
was at an elevation of some eight or ten feet
above the stage. A scene OF indeseribable
confusion ensued some women tainted, others
sbrieked aloud, and soon the whole house was
in an upruar. Both my young companion and
myself were very much terrified, and even my
father. a man of considerable nerve, turned
perceptibly pale. He, however, caught up
one of the heavy chairs on which we had been
seated and stood prepared to hurl it at the
tiger so soon as it should reach the level of
the box. 1t quickly did so; and saw with
horror its head projecting over the balustrade,
when the chair descended with such force up
on its skull as to cause it to give a roar of
pain and partly release its hold. At the same
moment Garter. who had by this time reeov-
cred his presence of mind, snatched up his
long shepherds staff, and with the spiked end
II E5tOss,s~>a i--s - H. i--...s-
part of the body that it fell back on to the
stage growing with rage. Carter then seized
it by the throat, and Notwithstanding its
struggles, dragged it from the footlights.
The temper of the brute was, however,
thoroughly reused. and had it been an older
and more powerful animal, the issue might
have been different. As it was for a few mo-
ments il was doubtful whether Carter would
be successful in mastering it. He did so,
nevertheless, and then dragged the tiger off
the stage, and after brief interval the per-
Torrance was resumed.