The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1885-12-03
Cutting Zabra'S HOOfS.

Earlv Saturday morning Supt. Brown,
Of the Geological garden. put on his
working clothes, and, assisted by his
lieutenant, p. j. Bryne, marshaled at
headquarters his entire available force
of keepers. Several of them carried
long ropes, and one man an armful of
stout rawhide straps. Butcher Dick
erson, who Kills all the superanuuated
horses that are TO be fed to the lions
and tigers, carried a big meat saw in
one hand and a sharp knife in the
other.
Men" said the superintendent,
when the squad came to attention in
front of his Office, 1--WE are going to
pare down the zebra's hoofs."
He took the lead of the line and
marched boldly across the garden. halt
ing in front of the paddock in which
striped zebra contentedly nibbled the
short grass. For some time the ami
mails hoofs have been growing at an
alarming rate, and the superintendent
had determined TO reduce them in size.
The keepers climbed the fence and the
zebra stopped feeding and laid back his
ears. Keeper Floyd, who has had ex-
and twirled the loop in the air. The
zebra twitched his tail and shook his
head. Finally the cast was made and
the moose curved gracefully in the air
and settled over the zebra's head.
With quick, ducking movement he
threw it off. and then squealing vi
ciously rushed for the group of keepers.
For several minutes the air was full of
gray uniforms, but when the zebra
kicked off a paling and nearly stood on
his head, just to show what he could
do, he seemed satisfied and returned
to his grass. The keepers crept back
less boldly, and Keeper Floyd prepared
TO attack the enemy in the rear.
He coiled the rope again and this
time succeeded in making a successful
cast. The zebra, when the rope touch
ed his neck, started to run, and Floyd
yelled for assistance and clung to the
rope. The moose tightened and the
zebra began to pitch and plunge. The
entire force of keepers grabbed the
other end of the rope and finally sue
ceeded in throwing the wiry animal.
'.Now's your time! Hold him
down. cried Supt. Brown, and Keep
ers Pendegrast and Ford, who are
heavy weights, rushed forward and
threw themselves on the PROSTATE
body of the struggling animal.
The zebra squealed with rage, kick
ed, squirmed, and struck out with his
fore feet, but Ford clung to his neck
and Pendegrast seized the animals s
flanks and adj oitly lodged his elongat-
ed feet, which were flying through the
air ten strokes to the second. The
other keepers rushed forward with
their ropes and straps, and after tif-
teen minutes of hard work succeeded
in binding the zebra's legs together,
rendering him helpless. Then Butch
er Dickerson rolled up his sleeves
and, directed by Supt. Brown, sawed
off the abnormal growth of horn on
each of the zebra's hoofs. With his
knife he rounded them up nicely, and
when the job was done to his satisfac-
ton stepped back while Keeper Ford
out tho ropos and straps that were
twisted about the zebra's legs. For an
instant the animal lay motionless, and
then springing to his feet made rush
for the keepers, and in one-quarter of
a minute saw the last gray coat fly
over the fence. Then he squealed ex-
ultantly and tried to kick down the
fence. He was removed to a paddock
occupied by another zebra, but his
blood was up and he attacked his
companion so savagely that Keeper
Floyd lassoed nim again, and he was
confined in the pen lately occupied by
the giraffe. He amused himself by
kicking at the sides of his stall halt
the night, and was so sore iu conse-
quence that he could hardly move
f.5!adeLphia Times.