Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1888-12-01
LION.TAMER BIDEL'S YARNS.
He Seized Tiger by the Skin of It's Beck
And Carried 1t on.

He Seized ~ Tiger by the Skin of It's Back
and Carried 1t on
Tie imagination of even Barnum
must pale before the collection Of mar
yelous tales of circus adventures ccn-
tanned in book recently issued in
France by the licn-tGmer Bidel, which
purports to be memoir of his life;
and the accuracy of which is vouched
for. Ivy the way, 10y excellent authority.
This is his account of the feat which
first won him distinction, the occasion
being the escape of Atlier, young tiger
tioted for rs feroc.ty:
Through half-opened window
some one said to me, almost il Wits
per, for fear the tiger should hear him.
There he is The brave fellows fin.
gers pointed to blacksmith shop, the
door wide open and the interior, thanks
re- the binding light of day, seeming
to be gulf of darkness: l pushed at
it. just at first ! could see nothing.
Ever,h;ng was darkness. This did not
go on for more than two seconds. |
got used to the darkness. ind | dis
covered the fugitive crouching in a COR
ner; ready TO leap upon me, with foam
ing throat and flaming eyes. One sec
ond more aud lie would have sprung,
ann.hila.ed, and torn me to pieces. /
took the initiative. and it WAS L that
mad. the spring What bowling, what
fairy. and what fOaming! This hand
t1-haId struggle IN scmi-darkness, |
breathlcss, and he furions. did not last
long. Otherwise L would have been
st. With both my hands, which are
strong and large, | seized HIM by the
skin of his back; lifted him over my
back and under this enormous weight,
without stumbling, without faltering,
I walked with firm and even step to
the menageric You may imagine that
] was congratulated
After this no one will be surprised to
hear that bears We're for NJ Bidel
mere matter of routin'. Casual III M
ton is made of the time when q black
bear AMI bison that were in despcr-
ate conflict AMI the bear had already
eaten of the bi,on's hump when NJ.
Bid ! flung himself upon the beasts.
Selling one by the neck and driving
the other to its cage. The occasion
when an unfortunate elephant was res
cucd from the attacks OF huge white
bear in the same way Is also mentioned.
Lions were more TO NJ. Bilel's taste,
and the yarns he spins of his expert
encas with them are startling. For
instance, oace four lions III II cage hal
seized man passing and being UNI
able to pail him through the bars of
the cage whole, were biting him into
pi ,ces ami getting him inside that way.
NJ. Is ii Il, with 40 weapon bat his fist,
sprang into the cage and beat the lions
until they let - their prey, after EaT-
ing got the mans right arm an |
samples Cf other portions Of his body
INSIDE the bars. The mal recovered
and is stll living. Another time NJ
Bi,lel. seeing evidences OF bad temper
ON tn part OF Sultan, a bllck-manel
African lion in tho prime of life, en-
tered the cage for the purpose of cor
re.ting any possible waywarI tenden-
cias ON tn part of the beast He was
| suffering fl IN acut rheumatism in his
let leg. and Mt the critical moment fill
anl WAS ppunt2d upon ny the lion
There wa, u cry of horror from those
| about and NJ. Bid WAS the only MAJ
| who mil le no soTu1. II fe,t the need
Of being c4lM." he nliyely remark ;
"the lcas IL sake. and all was over.
| SO. instead Of making II fuss and ,r,.
ing out, he cisrl III Iioa Try its throat
and twisted HE skin with all his might
| The l;oa's attack WIS checked, AMI the
| next instant as ,istaEts with red-hot bars
| drove Oft the beast. NJ. Bidel sprang
to his &c ''rIl>hc Il upon the rebel, and
| droy him into his retreat"
Anath + lion soy, less essen ial but
VIII the sumo delicate flavor OF verac.
t. tha5 makes NJ. Didel's memoirs Sc
| Il light nj, is of lion and liuness
who had for many years dNalt geth +
in one Gag, and VIII, 70 ''m2tual en-
dealmcnts were incossant, demonst Il
| tive, AMI tpu.llil ~ 4 bach 'lor liol
came To live II xt t. them, and one day
til, Goor bctwCOu tie tNo cages being
lett open tie Eon s, slipped through
to visit the hachel,r The betrayed
husband WAS he side him elf with p;ss.
sion; there was anguish and hatred in
his face AMI it was plain that lis
lie mt wa broken" When the liones:
was driven ba.,l to her own Gag shy
was instantly killed nv her husband