The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-05-15
Lions as Family Pets.

H. II. Cross was for seventeen years
engaged in the purchase of animals for
menageries and for long study of their
dispositions and peculiarities he is a
convert to the theory that all animals
will eventually become what man
chooses to make them. For instance
he characterizes the bulldog as the
natural gentleman of his species, with
more intelligence and discernment than
any other, until he learns how to fight
and gradually becomes the bruiser and
loafer of his kind. Some years ago,
while visiting Australia, he purchased
a pair of young lions-male aud female
and brought them to his home in
New York, where they have since been
for them. Several of their cubs have
been sold for $1,000 each, and he has
been offered $4,000 for either of the
parent couple, but he declined to part
with them and will keep them until
they die. His children have learned
to play with them without the least
apprehension of danger, and a photo
graph of the pair has been inscribed:
1.-THE souls that love u.s." During all
the time the two old lions have been in
his possession they have not shown the
least disposition to injure any one, and
he never had any tronble with their
descendants, with the exception of one
incorrigible cub, which Mr.. Cross de-
scribes as ''the greatest lunkhead he
ever saw"
This obstinate young beast persistently
resisted all Establishments, and at one
time, during Mr.. Cross absence from
home, amused himself by tearing out
the bottom of the cage and then refusing
to allow his temporary keeper to repair
the damage. Whenever the keeper made
an attempt to sip board over the hole
the cub would strike at Kim vicously as
a notification that he was regarded as a
trespasser, and the cage was left undis-
turbed. When the owner returned he
was appraised of the instruction in his
mcnagerie, and promptly armed himself
with Il stout stick as Il preparation cf
war. lie tried to place board over the
same hole but the lion resented the in
trusion, and the subsequent engagement
may be described in Mr.. Cross own
words: My experience has told me that
a lions vulnerable points of attack
were on the nasal cavity and paws,
anu lew quick ana earnest rapS
across these will defeat the bravest lion
and make him turn tail. | went for the
obdurate cub with my stick; he sur
rendered, promptly if not gracefully,
and there was no further objection to
board or projected repairs
This is the only misunderstanding re,
corded in that department. and the cub
was sold at the first opportunity. The
members of his home menagerie have
been almost entirely exempt from sick
ness since their residence in America,
but every attention has been paid to their
physical well-bcing. Mr.. Cross states
that if lions are kept in healthy con
diton they must have access to the
ground, for otherwise they soon become
victims of paralysis or incurable dis
temper. In dealing with his lions he
has found that they, like human beings,
oftentmes prefer to be let alone, and on
such occasions he paid no attention to
Them but always reciprocated any dis
position to be sociable.-.St. Paul Pioneer
Press.