Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1889-09-24
A LION TAMER'S YARNS.
He Seized Tiger by the Skin OF It's
Back and Carried It On.

L uo lLletsS 1HdIlOn Oh even 6drnum
must pale before the collection of mar
velous tales of circus adventure con-
tanned in book recently issued in
France by the famous lion tanner,
Bidel, which purports to be a memoir
OF his life, and the accuracy OF which
Is vouched for, by the way, by excel
lent authority. This is his account of
the feat which first won him distinc-
tion, the occasion being the escape OF
Atlier, young tiger noted for his fe-
rocity:
Through half-open window some
one said to me, almost in whisper,
for fear the tiger should hear him:
'There he is" The brave fellows
finger pointed to q blacksmith shop,
the door wide open and the interior,
thanks to the binding light of day,
seeming to be gulf OF darkness.
rushed at it. just at first l could see
nothing. Every thing was darkness.
This did not 60 on for more than ten
seconds. l got used to the darkness,
and discovered the fugitive crouched
in corner, ready to leap upon me,
with foaming throat and flaming eyes.
One second more and he would have
sprung. annihilated and torn me to
pieces. / took the initiative and it
was that made the spring. What
howlings. what fury and what foam
ing! This hand-to-hand struggle in
semi-darkness, 1 breathless and he
furious, did not last long. Otherwise
| hoon r.,
my hands, which are strong and large,
seized him by the skin Of his back. L
lifted him over my back, and Under
this enormous weight. without STUN
bling, without faltering. walked with
firm and even step to the menagerie.
You may imagine that I was cungrat-
ulated.
Lions were more to M. Bidel's taste,
and the yarns he spins of his expert
ences with them are startling. Form
stance, once four lions IN a cage had
seized Il man passing, and, being un-
able to pull him through the bars OF
the cage whole, were biting him into
pieces and getting him inside in tina
way. NJ. Bidel, with no weapon bu
his fists, sprang into the cage ana bea
the lions until they let go their prev.
alter having got the mans right arm
ana samples of other portions Of his
body inside the bars. The man recov-
eted and is still living. Another time
NJ Bidel, seeing evidences OF bad tenn
pei on the part Of Sultan, q black
maned African lion in the prime OF
lie, entered the cage for the purpose
OF correcting any possible wayward
tendencies on the part of the beast.
He was suffering from acute rheuma-
tism in his left leg, and, at the critical
moment fell, and was pounced upon by
the lion. There was a cry of horror
from those about, and M. Bidel was
the only man who made no sound. II
felt the need OF being calm," he naively
remarks; "the least mistake and all
was over" So, instead OF making a
fuss aud crying out, he seized the lion
by Its throat and twisted the skin with
all bis might. The lions attack was
checked, and the next instant assist
ants with red-hot bars drove of the
beast M. Bidel sp 'ang to his feet,
crushed upon the rebel and drove him
into his retreat"
Another lion story, less sensational,
but with the same delicate flavor Of
veracity that makes M. Bidel's
memoirs SO delightful, is Of lion and
lioness who had for many years dwelt
together in one cage, and whose 'mu-
tual endearments were incessant,
demonstrative and touching" A
bachelor lion came to live next to
them, and one day, the door between
the two cages being left open, the Hon
ess slipped through to visit the bach
eIor. THE betrayed husband was be-
side himself with passion; there was
anguish and hatred in his face, and It
was plain his heart was broken"
When the lioness was driven back TO
her own cage che wae instantly L k,lled