Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1901-03-08


THE TIGER MAN WAS THRUsTING NR
noceroses, etc, are kept on half salary.
These people make up colony of % or
80 and it is generally happy family.
In this fifth year Of my keepership of
Jamrock | was in love with little cara.
the tghtrope performer. She was the
daughter of Professor Irwin. the lion
tanner, and he frankly told me that he
4 favored my suit. ] was a young man
of good character. had fair prospects
ahead and | had reason to believe that
cara returned my love. Things be-
tween us would have been settled he.
FORE we took the road again but for her
spirit of deviltry. While she was not
a hirt, she was more or less of n co
quette. Every good looking girl is. for
mat matter, but here was one who re-
celVed the praise and applause of hun.
dredS of thousands, and. while she had
not been spoiled. She had come TO think
pretty we'll Of herself When the H.
ger man" came. she set out TO make
me jealous and have a quarrel or two
before surrendering her rights This
tiger man was named Norton. He had
a cage of three performing tigers. and
he Joined us in winter quarters about
Feb to get ready for the spring omen
ing. He was man of 30. rather good
looking and well fixed financially. and
will do him the justice to say that II
was no Irritation on his part. He fell
in love with cara. and when she seem.
ed to encourage him he was clean gone.
He soon discovered thai had claims
ana there was open cnmity between us.
1t was not my fault While / felt a
httle Sulky over the girls conduct.
did not doubt her loyalty to me ana
pursued the even tenor of my way. II
was Norton who at once became i'm.
Sanely Jealous Of me. He WAS 4 man
of violent temper. and it wasn't three
days before we quarrpled This pleas
ed and amused Tara. and none of the
rest of the staff regarded it as a sprious
matter.
The animal quarters were i'm one
great house. divided off by half wav
partitions. At the east end Of the build.
ing came Iamrock first Of all. and lust
over the partition was The cage of the
three tigers There were alleys run
ming north and south and east and
west, and once a beast got loose he
could wander over the whole floor
My elephant had his annual mad fit on.
and he was secured to the floor by -four
chains slept in a rough bunk 40
feet down The alley. so as to he On hand
should he try to break away There
had been only the one quarrel between
Norton and |. and no blows had been
struck in that. lie had exhibited a
fierce temper, but had not threatened
my life. AS we went about our duties
We passed and repassed each other
but there had been no more words On
the night of the 9th of February. after
days anxiety over Jamrock. who was
unusually Ugly, l turned into nv bunk |
and after time fell asleep. I had
slept three hours when awakened Inv
a clutch at my throat, and as soon as
| opened my eyes found Norton bend
ing over me. He had a grasp on nv
throat with both hands, and his inten-
lions were TO strange me. We were
pretty evenly matched as to strength
and though he had taken Inc unawareS
desperation helped me TO break his
clutch and throw him off. As I flung
him clear of me he drew a knife
had no weapon, and was crowded into
n narrow bunk, but l used my pillow
as shield and he buried his knife into
1t several times as he struck at me.
At the end of two minutes l knew
that | must have help or lose nv life
We were alone in the great shed. and
after the choking l had received my
voice would not carry across the build
ing. In the dim light l saw that Jam.
rock was watching us, and that his
eyes were ablaze. had no hope that
he could break his chains. and l knew
that he would XII Us both if he did. but
yet called out to him. He answered
with scream, and throwing all his
weight on the chains he snapped them
as If they had been old clotheslines
and came dashing down the alley. The ,
tiger man was thrusting at me and |
,uTsing below his breath, and the point '
If his knife had drawn blood three or
our times AS he heard the beast COM !
ng he turned to look, but he had no :
line to escape. With a sweep of his :
runk Jamrock Knocked him down, and :
hen lifting him up again the body [
vas battered against. the beams right !
IND left until it was reduced to pulp. r
did not try to leave the bunk, bein'