New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-07
c,pcus PROPHECIES OF SPBING.
STIR OF PREPARATION At BAENrMs
WINTER QUARTERS.

WlNIEK QtAkIERS'
u,en the lion and the lamb. the tiger and the
s., Iommany and the ntl-snappcr hS ao"h To-
s . ., tho last campaign and elected the Nan OF
sr' ,o n second term. it was generally supposed
D. ,no seventh and lat wonder Of the animal king
u" na .cyentuated." An eighth marvel was
upon an unslispecting world. however. y's;cr-
sp =, rrdgepor; when Professor II. F. cTody, Ham
80 n, carnum q Eaiicys great moral SHOW dem
Nv" ,ba. mouse can elephant and drive
a." IN The verge OF emotional insanity Among
nv ,,v traditions Of the animal kingdom which
Wv emo down from the days Of Acsop. such as TINT
o.. NAV look upon n king Is the legend that In,
-, y, beasfs and the giant OF the pachyderms arc
,,sr OF them upon fighting and much less upon
t,nr terms with the peaceful rodent which forms
an appetizng sidedish IN Chinese dinners of
w. ss..uony. The fact Of hi, vendetta has been
,,od nv modern nauraliss. no longer taught in
nh,ic schools and In fact. has OF late fallen Into
s.'nocuous dcsuetudc.r but from this time forth 1t
as firmly established. thanks 10 the spirit OF sci
ase Investigation which dominates the management
'" ,ss aGreatest show on Earth"
eommittec Of scientific men from the New York
-, uspers yesterday visited the winter quarters Of
".,rms & Bailey's circus and menageric at Bridge
~ witness the experiment conducted by Professor
suton Not one Of them away dOubter
,rS, the peaceful. Checseeating domestic mouse
..rsueed into the lions caec by the keeper. Mac
,~s,,u the huge cats went back the traditions Of
,..s way When the same impudent little animal
..,,,ehed the nose OF the tiger that striped monarch
:, tbe Jungle snarlcd In angry dismay. But the eli
,,sx WAS reached when the lOng-taed rat OF COM
,srp WIS let loose In the elephant housr. The
,rc.t cowardly brutes waltZcd around In agony
~ nervous fear. The building rang with their trump
ssnes some of them kicked at the whole proceeding
md AT the rat. The chief OF the herd big
Hack fellow with copper-tippcd trsks that would
make glad the heart OF an ivory hunter. was the
only one who sustained the reputation OF his race.
No WAS badly ratified. but preserved sufficient sense
n, the dignity Of his position TO make frantic efforts
10 step on every rat that approached him. When
.ver he succeeded there q collapse IN the Fat
family.
Tie only Yankee in tho combination, the plucky
little puma or California lion. saved the menagerie
from total rout by bouncing the mouse and crunch
ing the life ont Of him ut the first opportunity Jack,
the royal Bengal tiger. nearly stood on his head In
an effort to get into the furhest corner OF his cage
when the mouse daDgled under his nose. Grover.
ferocious maneatng beast from India. who will not
allow an offcc-seeker to come within six feet Of his
cage and whom even the keepers treat with proper
respect gazed the mouse with puzzled expression
but refused to touch lin, though hungry with
twenty four hours fast.
In the riding ring the deputation found the ring
master DGckrf welding his long whip while two
white horses clrced round and Henry Amphlett n
modest English rider stood their BACKS. Tnen the
rngmaser's far-faced daughter Rosa forth
slipped OF her ulster and. climbing up beside the
Engi!shman allowed him TO toss her about. hold her
over his head and otherwise to display his power OF
muscle and equilibrium while the horses cnntercd
around the ring John OBrien. the famous rider
and horse trainer. whom every circus gOcr knows
turned ont his ponies and put them through Their
PAGES. Then his wife gave an exhibition Of "hiSh
school riding on n beautiful thoroughbred which
O'Brien has been trimming this last season.
Everywhere the hustle of preparation for the
coming season. the sornd Of hammers and the swish
Of the paint brush. Gorgeous were bloom
ing into resplendence beneath the touch Of a vanished
hand, and chariots shining in gildcd beauty
with a light that or land.
Mr.. Fish. the energetic executor Of the Barnum
estate and the Of the circus. on hand
TO point ont the manifold beauties OF the show as
will appear in parade and performance ut New
York a week from next Saturday. and Conklin. the
ELEPHANT trainer, had hts well grown family In first
dass condition.
On their way out to the grounds the visitors
picked ND n gentleman with high water pants y
ioud vest battered hat. red necktfe. paper collar.
striped woollen mittens and nDe open countenance:
who 4 was r,mored, Is to b. the press agent Of
the show, the incumbent having given up all his
time TO natural history and special studies OF the
mouse. "Gosh !" said this bridgeport Adonjs as he
gazed around the winter quarters and discharged a
stream OF tobacco juice about eight feet long "Gosh
durn II this amt great show - and all the scientific
visitors from New-York said "Selah!'