The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-02-13
The TRICK LIONS.
An Interview with Mr.. Darling, the Llor
Tanner.

The lion tanner Is a highly intelli-
gent young man, who. born in the
United States. went to Germany in his
youth. In Hamburg he associated
with leading firm. the Jamrach. of
Germany, and so. having animals in
his charge, became familiar with hand
ling them. Travelling for the busi-
ness, he made frequent visits to Africa
and Asia. collecting animals. In a
commercial sense. considering lions
and tigers as cattle to be bought and
sold. he became thoroughly acquainted
with their ways and instincts. Ger
tainly it was the only school where
such quiet mastery over savage ami
mails could be acquired.
1T is a very long business" said
Mr.. DarlingS ''all my animals have
been two years in training. Why, II
takes all of two months to make lion
sit in chair, and stay there. I can
not vaunt general intelligence in lions;
it is rather individual. l. have had
some fine young lions, superb in body,
that had no brains. Not wicked OF
cross. but simply stupid. 1t was a
tendency to forget tomorrow all that
had been acquired for months before.
But | can't always tell. Leo is my
best pupil. He never was ugly. but
once ] gave him up. and sent him of.
he was so dull; then took him to
school again; and / know no lion sec
ond to him now in intelligence and
docility. This is the point A lion
doesn't want to do things. He Just
doesn't want to. Now you must make
him. Punish him, aud you make him
your enemy; afraid of you, and be
gets worse. not better. / coax him
and talk to him in English, for Eng
lish is the best language for command.
The seesaw and the velocipede arr
difficult tricks. Not one lion in {
thousand can be taught to keep hi:
balance They mostly tumbled of
Perhaps in that performance theil
highest intelligence is called into play
The velocipede requires careful lion
and have just the right one. IL i
nice work to get the exact pose and tC
keep it; but what gave me the mos
trouble is the chariot performance. A
lion must have had an original con
tempt for that kind of business. YoI
see am busy Harvesting up one lior
while the others are perfectly free
The art has been to make the rest o
them come up of their own accord
For months / had one lion tearins
round alone. and the rest scattered
about. Now they all come up to time
They don't want to, but they must. 1
| is patience, kindness, making then
not afraid of me-for am not afrait
of them-that has done the business
have rehearsals all the time, for tn,
animals must be constantly at work s,
as not to forget. The whelps are com
| ing on fast; one. / think, shows grea
intelligence. Ifeed them eight pound
of beef day for the big ones and sil
| for the smaller ones, and they tax,
their supper after the performance.
You cannot reward your lions TO
/ good behavior. like YOU would
horse. with lump of sugar or a car
rotP"
mo; they despise sugar. but low
beef tea. But il they behave yer,
we'll. 1 give them during the perform
ance a little tidbit of meat, and Ner,
would think was not doing the righ
thing with him if he didn't get his NOR
sci. My whips indicate the position
for the animals. You could not hurt
lion, who has tough hide, with
lash, but whip acts as protection
You might belabor lion. with a bi
stick, and he would not feel it. But h
does not fancy a stick, the point @
which, like spear. is held in his direc
ton; so if one threatened me, / coul,
keep him off. An act had to give vi
was where a lion rose and put his fore
paws on my shoulders. The claws ar
very sharp, and any display of endear
ment would cut through my coat. an
wound my shoulders. and a new Goa
every night was too expensive. Al
the lions are fond of me, and we re
spect one another.-Hdrper's Weekly.