The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1901-01-11
LIONS ON THE STAIRS.
An Exciting but Ridiculous Game of
Hide and Seek
A game of hide and seek with n

A game of hide and seek with Il party
of lions was once played at the house of
the late Charles Jamrach in London.
The particulars of the affair are related
in Mr.. Bartlett's Life Among Wild
Beasts at the Zoo"
Three small, emaciated lion cubs had
been purchased by Mr.. Jamrach, who, in
order to give them leisure to recover
health and strength, had them conveyed
| to small room at the top of the house,
| the windows of the room being barricad-
| ed inside with strong iron netting.
The animals We're placed under the
care of Mr.. Jamra chs principal assist
ant, Clarke, who fed and attended to
them so well that they rapidly improved
| in condition.
With three or four establishments on
| his hands, Mr.. Jamrach had not much
| time to think of the cubs and hardly re-
! membered that they were in the house.
| There came day, however, when it was
necessary for Clarke to go to the docks.
| AS he must be absent all day, lie re-
| minded his master that the lions up stairs
| had to be fed.
"All right" said Jamrach; 'T'n feed
them"
Later in the day he went up stairs,
carrying the lions food. Upon his open
| ing the door and entering the room, the
! three lions, to his establishment almost
| full grown, took fright at the sight of a
| stranger, and before he could recover
| himself they rushed past him and blum
| dered headlong down stairs.
Fearing that the door at the bottom
| of the staircase leading into the parlor
| might be open and that his wife might be
r ~.
room, Mr.. Jamrach called:
MARY, Mary, the lions are coming
| down stairs!'
Mrs. Jamrach shut the door in time to
prevent their entrance. In the door was
glass panel, which enabled her to see
| into the small passage at the foot of the
| stairs, where the lions were standing. 1t
| was an awkward position, and she watch
| ed the animals with great anxiety.
In few minutes she saw them begin
| to ascend the stairs. 1t was now her turn
| to do the warning. Her husband might
not know that they We're coming, SO,
| quietly opening the door, she called,
| Charlie, they're coming up stairsp'
Being unprepared to meet them jam
| rach beat a hasty retreat. lie heard
! them growing savagcly and thought best
to secure himself by taking possession of
| their former quarters and shutting the
door.
Here he meditated on his predicament
| and presently heard the animals starting
down again. Thereupon he thought of
| his wife and, opening the door, shouted
| another precaution. soon it was the
| wifes turn to do the warming, and so
| the cries went back and forth: Mary,
| they are coming down. Charlie, they
are coming upp'
| When this performance had been re-
| peated several times, the lions grew tired
| of ascending and descending Finding
no means of exit, they took matters into
their own hands by possessing them
| selves of bedroom CD the second floor.
| Thereupon Jamrach cautiously descended
| to shut them in. and the game was over.
| The lions remained in their new quar-
| tiers until Clarke returned and coaXed
| them back TO their own habitation Oh the
| top floor.