The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-10-23
A WEIRD FEAST
Paris Sees n Wedding Breakfast Eat
In q Ion Den

Paris would be Paris no longer IL it
ceased to have something sensational
to talk about
One Of the latest topics is certainly
worthy OF the gay city. for a former
Moulin Rouge acteess. La Goulne, turn
ed lion tanner. recently celebrated her
wedding breakfast in the cage with her
favorites.
All Paris was invited TO witness the
weird feast in the den. the fascination
OF the thing lying in the by no means
remote possibility that there might be
conjurer husband intended.
Con jurer au naturel.' is just the
sort Of item on a menu that Parisians
could appreciate, SO all Paris and its
wife hied them forth to Montmatre TO
greet the couple after the ceremony.
In the middle of the cage was a
table covered with a cloth. There were
ais a couple of chairs and all the
necessaries for a tete-a-tete meal.
The bride and groom duly approach
ed the door of the cage. which was eau
tiously opened by an attendant. Po-
likeness compelled the gallant husband
to stand aside and let his newly wedded
wife enter first.
The five lions Immediately sprang to
their feet n began to promenade
round the cage in Indian file. Evident
ly NJ. lie Conjurer was not SuperstitiouS.
for he did not even vince when his
bride produced a whip from the folds
Of hr skirt and, cracking it, sternly ad-
dressed the beasts by name.
With admirable calmness the bride
groom, who was in evening dress, es-
corted his bride to a chair. seating
himself opposite her. ano together the
happy couple discussed the menu from
start to finish with the utmost nonchal-
ance-a sweet domestic picture indeed.
Perhaps the conjurer was the more
confident because he knew that if he
were attacked he had only to pull a
few rabbits out Of his coattails or
pigeons out of his hat and make his es-
cape while the lions were chasing them.
Not until the meal had proceeded
some way did any tendency to revolt
manifest itself.
1t was the boiled chicken tina did it.
Lions are capable of a fair amount
of self control, but even in the best
regulated dens there are limits, and so
it came about that one of the animals
became about Observation-Disclosures
began to sniff h air restelessly,
crouch on his hind quarters and fix
his eyes on the bridegroom.
This wa sthe actress chance. Nor
did she miss 1t. %Springing to her eet,
with whip appraised. she dramatically
exclaimed, Jean Bart. % dare your"
The nshe delivered herself of the fol-
lowing m~onologue In most piquant
fashion,:
How dare you, you u~ngrateful
brute?' she cried. WAS it for this 1
invited you to my wedding breakfast
that you might try to spring upon him
who is all the world to me? Oh, I
know your cowardly old heart can
read it in your crafty old face! You did
not know I was looking. You thought
to take him by surprise. You would
have killed him when his back vas
turned to you. But I would have you
know that he is master here. this man
III is your master and mine! Do you
you heal me, Jean Bart-my master
and yours?'
Knowing that the audience would
not be content with words alone, La
Goulne wound up in faultlessly II
matte style by striking the animal with
her whip; then, turning contemptu.
ously from It, f1inging herself into hel
husbands arms. The spectators simp
roared with delight.
Had she been on the stage instead oi
in a lions cage it would undoubtedly
have been a splendid moment for {
curtain. Os it was, the meal had to b.
proceeded with, and in due course i
was finished without further thrilling
incident-New York News.