The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-08-03
NOT MUCH OF A TRICK.
Putting Ones Head in lions Mouth Lees
Dangerous Than IL looks

Putting Ones Head in a lions Youth Less
Dangerous Than IL looks
The old trick Of putting ones head
in "A lions mouth was n very simple
feat compared with what the lion
tanner OF to-day has 70 do. An animal
trainer was recently asked what
constituted the greatest risk a
lion tanner entertained in his WORE III
you are old enough TO remember said
the professor. the days when Van Am
berg and his confrcres used 10 go into
a lions cage. make them leap over
each other and put their heads IN the
mouths Of the lions Won viii remember
that the cages in which their beasts
were kept were small ones. and that
the lion tanner rarely moved from a
certain spot, and this was jaSt in front
Of a sliding door. behind which stood
an attendant ready 70 open II quickly
in ease Of emergency. ] have spent hf-
teen years Of hard work and earnest
study with lions ! think perhaps
with modesty / may be permitted 10
say that | have reached rthe stage
where | might be quoted a. an authori-
tv. and l tell you as a fact that those
feats which years ago were considered
the very essence of daring as fact tho
easiest tn ing that lion tanner has todo.
1t is no feat AZ AL 10 put ones head in
a lions mouth, and, while have never
done it but once in public, III just
show you how easily IL can BE- done.
The trainer went into the cage with
FIVE beasts, and, without particle Of
hesitation. grabbed "A lion. opened his
mouth, and put his head completely in.
There. Won sec how easy il Is. he
explained. a. ne came out and smoothed
his hair, which the lions fangs had
slightly disturbed. And now I will
tell YOU how il is done. Ia the first
place. lion could not bite n man when
his head is in his mouth. The oni s. risk.
II risk there be, is when the head is
being put in or taken out The danger
OF lion tanning has increased. a. 80 has
been improved, and the reason - very
apparent In those old days Of which
J speak All Of these acts were per
formed in very small cage and
man q ways facea his beasts
and had iu his hand a cudgeI
and a whip. In these days lion
tanners are obliged 20 perform in
ring where II i- absolutely impossible
90 keep ones face eDDtinually on fhe
beasts. Again. the animals. feeling
themselves in larger space. are more
likely 20 feel the.r power. and were
they 50 inclined could make a r1sh az
a trainer that it would be- next % inn
possible for him 20 Withstand. have
seen iu some recent publication the
statement that lions in large spsics
are more do-ils than they are in the
closcr confinement OF c0ure Z can
only talk from mV fifteen vearr expert
encc. but this tells me- most eupl2tle-
ally that th.s statement "a false.
"A man required BIZ little ira ,nine
% 20 into a Ign 81 cage Gstccl Years
ago. whereas to-day be- must speud
years ~ time u nor Only perfect
ing his lions But perfec-iny himself
The sfsdv ~ n Wild beast must -
zs carefully made az the Ftudy u = M
man beng ard a. .e1c aho goes fnto
- wI Nad fbc Characters. ~ - fha
lions ~ di-fiuct 80 she cAarac.eristic-
- human. So .vvo men were eve
alike. neither we're ever two Hons. It
r. a sfnG~ requiring years ~ t.1ne. AMI
20 Gre who h1r GA SEE 1isa-aeterisftrs
which c-4,rse- rsit ..acs. aaf cad -ranee
rnoull r-er a-eart g. deal in am
manner T.ts EaTsZr neaafa N~-.
have aaen .a -~e1 aevrrsl shines. lrt T
en- say t-1fa fu.v that f. sra. e-.lre.v
a.y rrn fae.' % each Instance a.
sa.-eth.as- ~ ntss. a'siT nuH-rzl th-s
che l.1as r--eaF.-f it aaa w,ut for r.se
--Eaataa Trsseiier