Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-10-21
AN ALBINO LION.
The First One of which There is A.
Record Dies In Infancy.

HkecOru D1eSIA ku1ancys
[From the San Francisco Examiner.l
One of Nellie's babies died yesterday and
the event has thrown the Robinson circus
into mourning
Nellie is the majestic African ioness,
who, with her two whelps has been the
center of attraction in the menagerie dur
ing the past week. Up in Deer Lodge,
Mont, on July 8 last she gave birth to
three little lions, two of which were males.
The female whelp was rarity in the lion
world, inasmuch as instead of being the
tawny color peculiar to African lions, it
was snow white.
Never before was white lion born in
the world, or at least if such one was
born there is no record of human eyes ever
having seen it. So when the little snow
ball made its appearance in.Deer Lodge the
big canvas tent was filed with the attaches
of the circus.
John Robinson considered that he had a
curiosity which would prove an immense
attraction, and he said that $25, 900 could
not buy the whelp. With the hundreds
of workmen who travel with the circus the
white lion became great pet, while the
keeper of the animals could not have han
died one of his own babies more tenderly,
and Robinson's little daughters, aged re-
spectively 10 and IA years, viewed it as
the apple of their eyes. 1t was their Gus
tom during the hours when. the vast can
vas was destitute of visitors, to beg the
animal keeper to give them the baby lions
to play with. There is not a man in
the circus who can refuse the little girls
anything, so they generally had their
way.
Taking the babies out of Nellie's cage is
a very delicate proceeding, and many a
narrow escape did the keeper have in do
ing it. The old ioness is driven into one
end of the cage, and is kept there under
pain of beng pricked with a sharp iron.
Then while somebody holds open small
door in the bars, the animal keeper quick
ly snatches the whelps out of the cage.
On one occasion Nellie oyercame her
dread of the sharp iron and sprang at the
keepers hands. He still carries it in
bandages as evidence that her claws are
very sharp.
The first time the whelps were taken
from the cage Nellie raised a fearful out
cry, throwing herself against the bars and
roaring frightfully. But after while she
became accustomed to seeing the little
girls tumbling the whelps over each Other
On IuS saWQuSI III ITOnl OI Tie cage, uue
now she makes no complaint.
The little white baby was the favorit'
| with the children, as it was with every
body else travelling with the show. 1t wa
their pet, and the little animal got t
know them very well, and liked them s.
| much that it would eat food from thei
hands. Old Nellie apparently understood
| that the children would not harm her littl
one, for she never growled or objected
in any way when they put their hands be
| tween the bars to pet or feed her young
| She was more lenient with the childrer
than she was with her consort, Prince
who occupied another compartment of he
cage, and never pays attention to hi
progeny except when he steals their foot
at meal times. He understands that b.
has to be very careful, however, becaus
one day he put his paw into Nellie
boudoir and tried to steal choice morse
of meat from one of the little ones, bu
the old honess gave the paw such
crunch between her strong jaws that h
he still limps when he takes his exercise
Last Monday one of the men working i
the circus put his hand between the bar
of the cage to pet the white whelp. Me-
lie was feeling cross, and resented the in
trusion of the hand by trying to grab
between her teeth. The hand escaped i
time, and Nellie's jaw closed on her whit
beauty. Evidently thinking she had tn
hand, she gave Snowfall toss and th
infant was hurled against the bars. Whe
the lioness saw her baby lying motionle:
on the floor of the cage she whined pit
fully, meanwhile licking it with her tongr
as though trying to repair the damas
J she had unwittingly done. The keep
took the little one from the cage and re
! tored it to consciousness. No bones we
broken, but it was evident that the pet
; the menagerie had sustained internal i
juries.
Everybody was sorely grieved, but mol
! more so than Robinson's children. Tn,
were given permission to take the bal
: home with them, where doctors We
called and the best of care given it. Ever
thing failed, however, and slowly the bal
lioness drooped until yesterday, when
: died
> With tears in their eyes they carried I
7 wee corpse to the circus and showed it
: the attaches. The negro hands were gri
{ stricken, and sounds of lamentations fill
3 the air. They could not have we
9 more bitterly if some near relative h
l died.
: The attendants wished to bury the bod
but Robinson secured the skin, and aft
e it has been stuffed will present it to t
o New York museum Old Nellie evident
= felt keenly the loss of her offsprir
u There is a wistful look in her eyl
e which she keeps rivited upon the e,
y in the canvas through which her Il
t pet disappeared when taken away frc
J, her.