Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1901-08-21

were many groups in the menagerie at
this time, each with its regular tanner;
and while Bostock, as owner and director,
watched over all Of them, 1t often hap
pened that months would pass without
his putting his foot inside this or that
particular cage. And in the present case
he was practically stranger to the four
lions and the tiger now ranged around on
their pedestals in q semicircle thirty feet
die and the snarling Spitfire at one end.
"Well" said Mr.. Bostock, explaining
what happened, " saw that Blanca had
made mistake in handling Spitfire from
too great distance. She had stood about
seven feet away, so l stepped three feet
closer and lifted one OF my whips. There
were just two things that Spitfire could
do; she could spring at me and have trou-
BILE, or she could jump over the pedestal
and have no trouble. She growled little
looked at me, and then she jumped over
that pedestal like lady.
"The rest was easy. put her through
some other tricks, circled her around the
cage couple of times, and brought her
back to her corner. Then, as she crouched
there and snarled at me, played a tattoo
with my whip handle on the floor just In
front OF her. 1t was just sort OF flourish
to finish of with, and 1t was one thing
too much; for in doing this l turned
away from the rest of the group and
made Brutus think that meant to hurt
the lioness.
He said to himself: "Hullo! Here's a
stranger in our cage taking a whip to
Spitfire. Phi just settle him. And be-
fore could move he sprang twenty feet
off his pedestal, set his fangs In my thigh,
and dragged me over to Blanca as il to
prove his gallantry. Then the French
woman did CLEVER thing; she clasped
her arms around his big neck, drew his
head up, and fred her revolver close to
bis ear. OF course she fired only blank
cartridge, but it brought Brutus to obed-
fence, for that was Blanca's regular signal
in the act for the lions to take their ped
estals; and the habit Of his work was 80
strong in the old fellow that he dropped
me and jumped back to his place."
Bonavita, the chief tanner now with Mr..
Bostock, tells an amusing incident in
which the principals are tiger and a
quagga.
Bonavita, 1t appears, was standing on
the bridge one morning when there arose
a fearful racket in the runway, and look
ing in be saw the quagga tearing along
toward him. He concluded that some
one had unfastened the door, and was
just preparing to check the animal, when
around the curve came Rajah, in full pur-
suit. Bonavita stepped back, drew his
revolver, and as the tiger rushed past,
fired blank cartridge, thinking thus to
divert him from the quagga. But Rajah
paid not the slightest heed, and In long
bounds came out into the arena hard after
the terrified quadruped, which was gal
Looping now with the speed OF despair. A
keeper who was sweeping clambered up
the iron sides and anxiously watched the
race from the top. Bonavita, power
less to interfere, watched from the
bridge.
or all races ever run In circus, this was
the most remarkable. 1t was race for
life, as the quagga knew and the tiger in
tended. Five times they circled the arena,
Rajah gaining always, but never enough
for spring. In the sixth turn, however,
he judged the distance hit and straight
way black-and-yeliow body shot through
the air in true aim at the prey. Where
upon the quagga did the only thing
uuappa couId do--let ont hot h hind legs in
one straight tremendous kick; and they
do say that a quagga can kick the eyes
out offs fly. At any rate, in this case a
pair Of nervous little heels caught the de-
scending tiger squarely under the lower
jaw, and put him to sleep like nice little
lullaby. And that was the end Of it. The
quaggs trotted back to his cage. Bonavita
put up his revolver, the frightened sweep
err climbed down from the bars, and Rsjah
was hauled back ignominiousIy to his den.