The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-01-04
..Claudius Nero" and the Lions.

Mr.. Edouard Darling, the owner and trainer
of the lions that are exhibited in the perform
ance of ''Claudius Nero," which will be seen
at Abaughs this week, has had more ex-
tended experience than probably any other
animal trainer in the world. This experience
has been confined exclusively to the capture
and training of lions in various parts Of the
globe. When quite young Mr.. Darling visited
Southern Africa as purchasing agent for Karl
Hae..,uack's well-known Hamburg establish
ment. He spent over three years in Africa, and
most of that time was engaged in the pursuit of
the South African lion in his native forest. On
his return to Germany he commenced the edu-
cation of four large lions that he now has in
his troupe, which consists of six splendid
specimens of the "king of beasts" He began
training these animals when they were little
better than cubs, and only succeeded in bring
ing them to their present state of submission
after four years constant and careful practice.
For the past two years his lions have been the
reigning sensation in London and Paris, where
they have been exhibited in connection with
the Exposition. In London they became such
a rage that almost the first thing the visitor
was advised to do was to see the lions Not
only does Mr.. Darling succeed in making his
pets perform all the tricks usually
given by the educated animals, but he finishes
his entertainment with harnessing the three
largest and fiercest lions to sort of Roman
chariot, which he mounts, ,and drives the animals
around the stage at furious pace. This por-
ton of the exhibition has been pronounced by
the leading journals of Paris and New York to
be most thrilling. The lions require the great
est care in this rigorous climate. When not
performing they are kept in one corner of the
stage in large steel den that is used for trans
porting them between the car they travel in and
the theatre. This den is kept at a certain tenn
perature by an ingenious heating apparatus.
The day of the arrival of the animals in New
York the president OF the Society for the Pre-
yentiOn of Cruelty TO Animals, two police COM
missioners, and two members of the Board of
Health and Mayor Grant, as a sort of commit
tee OF public safety, witnessed a private per
formance on the stage at Niblos Garden, and
expressed themselves as perfectly satisfied with
the public. While 'Claudius Nero" was
being presented in New York the members of
the school board advised the teachers and
scholars of the various educational in
stitutons of that city under their charge
to visit the theatre and witness one or more per
formances of this imposing Roman spectacle
an object-lesson in history, and professors of
the various colleges did the same with the stu
dents of their institutions, and thus over four
thousand people directly connected with the
various educational institutions of New York
visited NiDlo's and witnessed "Nero and the
Lions" Manager Albaugh has been requested
to give special matinee for schools, and will
in all probability arrange to do so. 1t is
thought by the management that this spectacle
would draw crowded houses for two weeks at
least, but previous engagements limit the stay
here to one week only. Notwithstanding the
magnitude of this attraction, it is determined to
adhere to the regular prices of the theatre.
"The Master of fWoodbarrow."
At the New National Theatre tomorrow
night will be witnessed the first production in
this city of e. H. Sothern's new play, "The
Master Of WoodbaTow," by Jerome X. Jerome.
This piece was originally produced in this
country at the Lyceum Theatre, New York,
and ran there for many weeks to crowded
houses with young Mr.. Sothern, capital favor
ite with playgoers, as the star. Jeromes COM
edy has received strong commentator from
the critics for its daintiness, uneonYentonality,
and excellent literary quality. 1t tells with
much freshness of charm delightful and alb
sorbing story. The plot may not prove unin-