Water Valley progress., 1902-08-02
A LIONS WEAK POINT.
Something That "A Trainer Does Well
to Find Out-An Illustrative
Instance.

One of the many queer things to be
noted in the study of captive life
is the fact that each animal requires
-or rather dreads-some form of
punishment which very likely would
have no terrors for any other animal.
A certain lion fears nothing in the
world save stick held in the train
er's left hand. A frisky young
tigress used to be affected only by
her trainers blowing sharply on her
nose. Trainers frequently discover by
pure accident what it is that an ami
currence at Berlin described in Every
body's. Magazine. by way of intro
duction, it should be explained that
almost the first thing an animal
learns when he is performing with
other animals, is that his block or
chair is his own particular property,
where he can retire when his act is
over, and where he is sure of not
being disturbed by the trainer or by
his fellows. A lion finds this out very
quickly.
Three lions were concerned in the
Berlin affair-Sammy, a very green
two-year-old; Caesar, a splendid speci-
men of his race, but, unfortunately,
subject to sudden fits of rage, which
it is not easy to quell; and Caesars
mate, Mrs. Grundy. She was the idol
of Caesars heart, and, assured of
that, she rode over him roughshod.
Upon the night of Sammy's debut,
things went off all right until after
the seesaw act. Sammy had not yet
become fully accustomed to the rock
ing plank, and he was glad when it
| was over, and jumped down in a
| hurry to get to his block.
It came to pass that Mrs. Grundy,
who had also been on the seesaw, left
| it just as Sammy did, and either
through .inadvertence or because she
| thought she could treat all creation
as she treated her indulgent lord and
master, leaped coolly upon Sammy's
| block and settled herself comfort
able. She even started to wash her
face. So when Sammy came along.
| he found his place taken.
Now Sammy knew perfectly well
that this was not right; and it must
be confessed that he had the law on
his side. Mrs. Grundy knew it quite
as well, and cared not a flirt of her
tail for it. Had she not Caesar to
take care of her? Sammy did not Of
| fer violence-no lion in his right
mind ever bares tooth against fe-
male of his race, unless to save his
own life. But he went behind and
pushed; and Mrs. Grundy slid off the
block to the floor.
Instantly Caesar, who had watched
the situation with rising wrath, leaped
from his block straight for Sammy's
throat. If he had found his fgrip,
the show would then and there have
been the loser by several hundred dol
lars worth of lion. But if gallantry
was not in Sammy's line, fighting
was; and before the trainer could
reach them they were at it nip and
tuck. The bone of contention got
back on the forbidden block and
looked on placidly.
| Then strange thing happened. In
the scrimmage Sammy found Caesars
ear in his mouth, and, naturally
enough, bit it. Caesar covered down
like beaten hound, and Sammy,
nightly astonished, drew off. The
trainer promptly sent all three back
to their respective places.
But Sammy had unconsciously given
the trainer an idea; and the next time
the little premonitory tremor ran
over Caesars knotty muscles. the man
grabbed his ear. Again Caesar skunk
into submission, and after that the
solution of the problem was plain
1t is safe to say that with not an
other lion in hundred would such a
mode of treatment have had the
slightest effect.