Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1901-08-21
ANIMAL TANNING.
SOME FAMOUS TRAINERS AND
THEIR FEROCIoUS PETS.
IT REQUIRES COURAGE, BUT MORE Es-
SENTIAL THAN THAT is
PATIENCE.

The wild beast tanner as generally pic
tured is mysterious person who stalks
about sternly in high boots and possesses
a remarkable power OF the eye that makes
shrink away, says Cleveland Moffett,
writing of wild beast training as a career
OF danger and daring in the st. Nicholas.
| He rules by fear, and the crack of his
whip is supposed to bring memories OF
torturing points and red-hot irons.
1 Such is the story book lion tanner, and
may as well say at once that outside Of
| story book, she has small existence. There
is scarcely any truth in this theory Of hate
for hate and conquest by fear. 1t is no
more fear that makes lion walk on a ball
| than 1t is fear that makes a horse pull a
wagon. 1t is habit. The lion is perfectly
willing to walk on the ball, and he has
reached that mind, not by cruel treat
ment, but by force OF his trainers patience
and kindness and superior intelligence.
| A lion-tamer always begins by spending
weeks or months in gaining new animals
| confidence.
Day after day be will stand for long
time outside the cage, merely looking at
| the lion, talking to him, impressing upon
the beast a general familiarity with his
voice and person. And each time, as he
1 goes away, he is careful to toss piece of
meat as pleasant memento of his visit.
Later he ventures inside the bars. carry
ing some simple weapon--a whip, rod,
I 4; ot. iS
| able than might be supposed, through
| the jab of its sharp bristies. One tanner
used common chair with much success
against unbroken lions. II the creature
| came at him, there were four legs In his
face; and soon the chair came to repre-
sent boundiess power to that ignorant
| lion. He feared it and hated it, as was
seen on one occasion when the tanner left
it in the cage and the lion promptly tore
| it into spinters.
| Days may pass before the lion will let
his tanner do more than merely stay inside
the cage at distance. Very we'll; the
tanner stays there. He waits hour after
| hour, week after week, until time comes
| the lion will let him move nearer, will per-
NIT the touch of his hand, will come for
ward for piece Of meet, and at last treat
him like friend, SO that finally he may
sit there quite at ease, and even read his
newspaper, as one man did.
| Lastly begins the practice of tricks; the
lion must spring to pedestal and be fed;
he must jump from one pedestal to an
other and be fed, must keep a certain pose
and be fed. A bit of meat is always the
final argument, and the tanner wins III he
| wins at all, for sometimes he fails) by
| patience and kindness.
Many interesting anecdotes are told OF
Mr.. Bostock's experiences as an animal
! trainer. Mr.. Bostock, as you know, is
| now at the Pan-American exposition with
| his fine collection of trained animals. He
| is one of the most successful showmen OF
the times, and has had some of the most
1 famous tanners and trainers connected
| with his enterprise.
| Mr.. Bostock tells one story OF Madame
Blanca. the French tanner, which shows
how necessary is presence of mind for this
! dangerous career.
1t was in Kansas City, and for some days
| Spitfire had been working badly, SO that
| on this particular afternoon Blanca had
| spent two hours in the big exhibition cage
| trying to get the lioness into good form.
| But Spitfre remained suilen, and refused
to do one perfectly easy thing-a jump
over pedestal.
"Ask Mr.. Bostock to please come here"
called Blanca finally, quite at her Wits
end with the performance hour approach
| ing and hers the chief act. To go ON with
Spitfire in rebellion would never do, for
the spirit of mischief spreads among lions
and tigers as among children. Spitfire
must be forced to jump over that ped
estal.
Mr.. Bostock arrived presently, and at
once entered the cage, carrying two whips,
as is the custom. There is something in
this man that impresses animals and
tanners alike. 1t Is not only that he is big
and strong and loves his animals, and
does not fear them; thai would scarcely
account for his extraordinary prestige,
which is his rather because he knows
lions and tigers as can only a man who
has literally spent his life with them.
From father and mother and grandfather
he has inherited precious and unusual
lore OF the cages. He was born In a
menagerie, he married the daughter OF a
menagerie owner, be sleeps always within
q few feet Of the dens, he eats with roars
OF lions in his ears. And his principle Is
and always has been, that he will enter
any cage at any time IL real need calls
him-which bias led to many a situation
like that created by Spitfire's disobe-
| dience.
1t should be borne In mind that there
Don't be satisfied with temporary relief
| from Indigestion. Kodol Dyspepsia Cure