The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1899-10-13

Kings of the Forests Are Hard To
Train and Are Never to Be Depended
Upon.
Extra hazardous" might we'll quail
ify the risk" that would be placed
with the name of a lion-tamer should
he have the hardihood to apply for an
accident policy; but the intrepid in
dividual who puts his head in the lions
mouth and chases irate beasts up and
down narrow cages does not apparent
ly think so much about these things
as the man of sedentary occupation,
says the New York Telegraph. This
was the opinion of a famous trainer,
who has been following the perilous
profession for twenty-five years and
who discussed the pros and cons of
his business with cheerful candor.
The trainer, who has only been out OF
the hospital a few days, exhibited with
uonchalence a bandaged leg where -
!!oness had nipped through few
inches above the ankle. The same
animal had bitten him in the same
place a few years before in Manches-
ter, England. 1t was evidently favor
lite bite with her.
I've been lucky for a year now"
said the tanner. The last trouble l
had Of any Importance was last sum-
mer. A friend of mine asked me to
break three young lions for perform
ing. The result was that after a few
lessons | hoved down for repairs, and
had thirty stitches taken in my back.
The lions remained as frisky as ever
some lions, you know, absolutely re-
fuse to be educated. The teeth Of
lion eXemplify the finest condition of
development of the carnivorous type.
The great, sharp, canine teeth placed
wide apart at the angles of the mouth
can hold on better than any pincers
| have ever seen. The jaws are short
and strong, and are moved by power
full muscles"
us there any popularity about lion
tanners, national or otherwise
queried the reporter.
Il can't say there is" responded the
trainer. Il happen to be a Scotchman.
Six lion-tamers, if you choose to call
MS such, came from the same place
lid. You might not believe it, but the
eXcitable French are adept, although l
believe the Germans are more success
full in the handling of animals. Dur
ing my residence in this country the
last three years | have met a number
of Americans who gave every evidence
of handling animals as fearlessly as
any men l have ever met; they are not
so patient, perhaps, as the Germans,
in trying to teach them tricks, but
they are very alert and daring"
How do you go about the business
Of training lions?"
well, the first thing is to get them
to know you from work in front OF the
cage; 60 into the den every morning
and read the papers-my wife used to
take her sewing and work an hour or
so. This is the early stage before you
use a whip. You can't train lions to
! do much; you can urge them to run
! about the cage, jump the hurdle and
| leap through a hoop. OF course, put
ting your head in the lions mouth is
always a risk and should not be at
tempted unless the animal is quiet.
You stroke the beasts back as you
would that of a cat. This sort of
| soothes him and you may take advan-
! tage of this fact to quietly pry open
his jaws and press your head so closely
to the teeth as your courage permits.
! OF course, if the animal is disposed to
close down on you at this time trepan-
ming would be necessary If you ever
! got out alive. Personally, | am more
afraid Of lions paws than am of his
! Jaws. Talk about upper cuts, left
! hooks and that sort of prize-fghting
| fancy shots! A lion is wonderfully
! clever and he does it without gloves.
! A lions claws take hold like a fish
hook. A tiger or leopard gives with
the paws a side slash that cuts like a
knife.
Lions are fed after they perform;
that is part of their reward for the
work; so that the idea that they are
'dopy' and overfed when we go into the
cage is a mistake. would rather
work with lions any time than ele-
plants. They are such treacherous
and powerful beasts. l have had their
tusks each side Of me thrust through
three inches of board and 1 have had
'em goring the ground as lay between
the ivories-thinking each moment
would be my last.
"Oh, yes, lions are cantankerous and
have their bad days. Some of them
seem chronically bad.
1.-THE lioness that l am working now
is not a good animal. The fact is she
has killed and MANNED five keepers,
not to mention the horses she has kill
ed when she has been on the rampage.
You may remember, she got out in
New York four years ago and was
gone two days. / finally caught her
in stable, where she had been dining
a la carte off the poor horses. A year
ago in Kansas City she killed her last
keeper. / have not worked with her
for three years until recently. 1
showed you the result of our first