Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1901-11-01
WE'D IN LIONS CAGE.
OMAHA MAN RiSKEO HIS LIFE
FOR THE WOMAN HE LOVED.
Untamed Beasts We're Cowed- Miss Pauline
Devere the Bride and Mr. Howard Bloom
sren the Groom in the Stranssst Of Mar.
riasss-Animals in Especially Fractious
State

Devere the Bride and Mr.. Howard Bloom.
sren the Groom in the Strangest Of Mar.
riases-Animals in Especially Fractious
State
:PioneerPress.
"To lead woman to the altar
why, 'twonld take the courage of a
lion" This, from Richelieu," is
quite generally conceded to possess
more than grain of truth. But the
other day, at Omaha, Neb., Mr.. How
ard Bloomgren of Denver, Col,
walked into a cage of five untamed
African lions and was married to
Miss Pauline Devere. And he is not a
lion trainer, circus man, or one ac-
customed to taking his life in his
hands every day. He is just plain
business man and he is just as much
afraid of cross dog, or a vicious horse
or tame lion as the next. But he
was in love with Miss Devere, the
beautiful young girl whose reckless
feats with treacherous tigers and
untamed lions have made thousands
in America and Europe speechless
with amazement. And she was in
love with him. But she had said to
him: eff you love me, marry me in
the lions cage and prove that you
have nerve"
A street fair was being hello in
Omaha. The chief feature of the pro-
gramme was Hagenback's wild ami
NAL show, and the chief feature OF
the animal show was Pauline Devere's
fearless entrance into a den of five
full-grown, unruly lions.
During the first four days of the
performance one of the biggest lions,
Nero, was particularly ugly. So threat
ening was he, SO hostile and ill-humored,
that the management determined to
remove him from the cage. But Miss
Devere refused the requisite permis-
sion. eff he is removed" she said,
it will mean to the other lions my
defeat, and then there would be no
controlling them. Nero must stay"
On that day he was, if possible, more
ugly than usual. The following day
was set for the marriage.
Groomsman, bridesmaid and min
lister were secured, but with the very
express understanding that they were
to perform their offices outside of the
cage. The ceremony was public and
there were 1000 people to witness it.
At9 o'clock the bridal party made
their way to the roped inclosure arou nd
the cage. Miss Devere was dressed
as usual in the costume in which the
lions were accustomed to seeing her.
But the presence OF the four others in
such close proximity to the den
aroused their suspicious at once. They
growled ominously and strobe from
corner to corner OF the cage, never
taking their eyes from the party. The
manager walked up.
"You better not undertake it," he
said to Miss Devere. She only smiled
at him. "My whip" she said. II
was handed to her. my revolver
she commanded. It was placed in hel
hand. She examined each OF the
cartridges and assured herself that the
trigger worked all right. "Tm ready
she said. The cage door was cautious.
ly opened, and with imperial bearing
and look of firm command she ad.
vanced to the center of the cage
She did not bow. She could not take
her eyes from the eyes OF the lions to
do that. She kept the five growing
beasts in front Of her. Her frst com
mand was to Nero.
"Downw she ordered.
The other lions got passive.
Down. she repeated again. He
refused. She raised her whip and
walked up to him.
"Downw she shouted as she raised
it high in the air.
He obeyed.
Then she beckoned to Bloomgren
"Come in," she said, "Quick." He
hesitated for a moment as he looked
at Nero covering in his corner. HI
stepped in. The door shut with 9
click. Stand" - but she couldn't
finish the sentence. Dloomgren's en-
trance acted as . challenge to the
beasts. In an instant their tails were
switching, their nostrils dilated. Nert
approached dangerously near. "Lool
them straight in the eyes," she shout
ed to Bloomgren. "Don't let then
get behind you. Keep your back Il
the cage"
Then she turned her attention Il
Nero. The whip went up in air again
A short steel prong was thrust intt
his jaws. His immense teeth graspet
it. It stung him. He looked at hi!
mistress, but the whip was high il
air. With bound at the cage he bi
at the steel bars and growled. For thu
moment he was conquered. "Now
minister" said Miss Devere. Still
keeping her eyes on the lions sh'
stood beside the bridegroom. Th'
minister lost no time. "Join hands,