The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-07-06
THE KING OF BEASTS.
Is Still King Even in Captivity
Topeka's Lion Prepares to Die

People who have read of the lion and
the monk and laughed at the story OF
the brute's devotion, may now prepare
to cease their scoffing and believe the
tale. Topeka has a baby lion that set
to starve himself to death because the
hand he loved was not there to feed
him.
AS Topeka has had but one baby lion
during the many years of it's eventfuI
career. the lion referred to will be rec
ognized as the one purchased in wich-
tia last week and brought to this city
for the superior moral and educational
advantages. through the efforts and
cash of three enterprising Topeka
young men. Up to Monday afternoon
he was allowed to romp at will in the
rear of the F'oulks' residence at Twelfth
and Tyler streets, but at a late hour
that day he was hustled into a wagon
and placed in the window of George
Stansf1eld's drug store. And right here
mences.
Since his arrival in Topeka the lion
mas been the especial pet of Mrs.
Foulks: Hers was the hand to tender
~ stroke his grOtesque form, to place
his blood and meat and milk within
convenient reach at morning, noon and
night, and to gently disentangle his big
feet and enormous ears when he tied
himself in knot with his lariat rome
His most blissful moments were while
reposing at her feet, and once he broke
q
the discourtesy of barking at her.
To be torn from such pleasant sur
roundings and placed in a two by four
SHOW window to be Knocked at by an in
Sulting crowd was more than the baby
lion could stand, and suicide. cold, de-
liberate, premeditated, was the natural
result. When George Stansfield thrust
a pan of milk and a pan of blood into
the window at night the lion refused
to eat. More than that he picked the
pans up in his mouth and deliberately
&c nra Nlrr Il
Then he went to corner and lay down
to StarVe to death.
When morning came it was noticed
that the lions form was sadly shr1-r,l1-
en-, his noble forehead was drawn as if
by pain, and his eyes had lost their ma
tural lustre- Food was again offered
him, but he was too weak to pour the
contents of the pans on the floor and
simply contented himself by paying no
attention to it. The people in the drug
store became alarmed and the proprfe-
tors of the animal thre physicians and
two horse doctors, were hastily sum-
moned.
The consultation resulted in nothing
Each of the three physicians and two
horse doctors proposed a different meth
cd of treatment and the conference end
ed in quarrel. In a happy moment
Carl FoulkS thought of the affection OF
the lion and sent for his mother.
When Mrs. Foulks arrived the lion
appeared to be rapidly starving to
death. No sooner, however did she
make her appearance known than he
reused himself from his suicidal sleep
and tottered to her arms. Milk and
blood were again brought and of each he
drank ravenously. The solution was
apparent to ali. Without Mrs. Foulks
the lion preferred death.
As Mrs. Foulks intends to leave on a
visit in few days the proprietors are
in a dilemma about the lion. They are
afraid that during her absence he viii
starve himself to death. Until her de-
| parture Mrs. Foulks will continue to be
| present at the lions meals