Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-07-03
lection against the savage spring of Che

lection against the savage spring of the
treacherous animals
The trainer does not begin to train
the tiger when it is cub, as some sups
pose. He takes the king of the Jungle
when the latter is full-grown ard fierces
and strong enough to attack an ele-
plant. He doesn't venture into the
cage until the tiger is caught. The
ferocious beast is secured By putting Q
snap collar about his neck, by thrusting
it through the bars at the end of pole
The rope attached to the collar runs
through stout iron ring fastened to tho
cage floor. The attendants tug at tho
rope till they draw the tigers head dowH
to the floor. The tiger is helpless. The
trainer enters the cage.
He puts his hand softly on che tigers
head. The tiger rolls his fiery eyee
about and lashes the bars furiously with
his tail. The trainer strokes the ansr
NAL gently. He pats the tiger on the
head awhile as man does a dog. EhS
tiger becomes used to il and doesn'e
mind it. Then the attendants slackeH
the rope little, so that the tiger hse
more freedom. The trainer strokes the
beast again, but is careful to keep out %
his way.
Sometimes the trainer has the siges
bound to the ring and sleeps an the
cage all night. When the tiger wakes
in the morning he sees the trainer lying
asleep in the cage. If the rope should
break during the night the tiger would
have good breakfast in the morning
The trainer spends an hour or more
in the cage every day in getting &C.
euainted with the tiger. In about
week the tiger is permitted to walk free
~ about the cage at the end OF the rope
when the trainer enters the den. This
is trying time for the trainer and hun
CRY moment for the tiger
If the tiger leaps forward to welcome
the trainer in too enthusiastic a way
the attendants haul him back with the
rope The trainer places saucer Of
milk in one end of the cage The tiger
walks towards it like cat. The trainee
holds whip between the tiger and tbs
milk The tiger steps over it, Ana
other saucer of milk is put in the
cage, and the whip is held higher. Tho
tiger steps higher this time to get ovee
the whip
This practice Is kept up a few days
till the whip is held so high that the
tiger has to jump over it to get to the
milk. He is obliged to jump over the
whip every time he gets a saucer OF
milk, and in this way he gradually
comes to associate the leap over the
whip and the saucer of milk as a task
and reward.
The trainer holds the whip partly
arched when the tiger jumps over it
He arches it more and more every time
the tiger jumps till il becomes hoop
Then the tiger jumps through the HOOD
a little shelf Is placed high up IN the
cage, the saucer of milk is placed on it.
The tiger stands nearly erect and places
his fore paws on the shelf to drink the
milk. In this way he is taught to rear
on his hind feet and stand erect in the
cage at the bidding of the trainer.
The custom of rewarding the tige9
with milk or other food after he has
performed his tricks for the trainer is
kept up ever afterward The animal
comes to look upon his performance as
the necessary preliminary TO good din
ner.
The tiger is not as trustworthy as the
lion, and sometimes, after many years
of successful public performances, he
dimes on the trainer who has educated
him. The circus tigers have killed q
good many trainers
The hyena is trained precisely like
the tiger is Till few years ago he
was considered intractable, but the per
severance of trainers was rewarded NV
subduing him. The men in the 1nense~
erie have never found him as amenableI
to the softening influences of education
as are the hyenas in Africa, which have
been trained to be watch-dogs-
Dealer-Now, here's q showcase that
viii magnify the goods you put into 1t.
Customer-Great Scott Then don't
want it. I'm shoe-dealer, and want