The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-07-29
IJamcs Jay Brady. in Sioux city Tribune.l

who has mixed much with beasts, DO
mestic and wild, knows this. or
course, II is more interesting to watch
the outworkings of these human traits
in wild creatures that come from afar
and are generally known to be fero-
ciouS.
One Of the strangest cases that has
come under my notice is downright
clown dog. This elephant was a
crotchety old fellow who didn't mix
much with the rest of the herd, and
showed little interest in anything but
his meals, until this little fox terrier
came in his way. 1t was a case of love
at first sight. They looked into each
oth.r's eyes and it was all over. so far
as the Independence of either was con-
cerned from that time on. They would
run races together, play with ropes and
rubber balls, and at night the dog
would curl up beside the ELEPHANTS
big trunk. and thus they slept till
morning.
This hulk of an elephant was over
so years old, and had been in the cir
Gus business for fifteen years of that
time. Still. this was his first heart
affair, and the keepers looked upon
him as m"rose chap who was no
more likely to fall in love than he
was to clinp a lightning rod. 1t was
Il rare sight to see the huge elephant
and the mite Of a dog play tug Of
war with Il hemp pad. The elephant
would wrap his trunS around one end
of the pad, and the dog set his teeth
firmly in the other. Then the battle
began. Though the elephant was
strong enough to toss the dog through
the all, the canine was always the
victor. He writhed and wriggled as
though he We're shaking rat to
pieces. and the elephant with just
enough resistance to make it sport
tI, u, col no 90
led. None of the other elephants liked
the dog. which Is characteristic of
their tribe but all seemed to know in
stinctively that they had better keep
their hands off of this serious and
curious affinity.
This love business is rather serious
thing among animals, as in the human
family, when it gets crossed: You
know how vain lions are; still they
are no more so than a gOod-lOOklng
man. The girls of the lion family
have got an eye for beauty in the
other sex, and as Il rule the leader OF Il
! lion gronp is handsome type.
Ringing Bros. have the best look
Ing lions in any menagerie, here or
abroad. and until a year ago this
group was led by kingly beast called
| Caesar. The head Of this captain was
a study for a painter His eyes We're
we'll set and shining clear; his nose
|
to suggest a good heart; and his name
was thick and glossy. Proud lions. like
vain people. are jealous, and new
conner into this big family set Caesar
on his hind legs and believing with
rage.
The unwelcome youngster who inno-
Gently put Caesar into Il tantrum was
a male. and a picture OF health anc
strength. He did not get a stage fright
from the ugly stare or hoWtlnS OF tne
big fellow, but sized up things anc
squared off for whatever might happen
Caesar had been running things his
own way for a long time, and felt ms
Importance, so he had to do some
thing or lose his job as boss of the
lion company.
All the lady lions stood around
shyly taking in the stranger. but grad
ually backing away as IL they felt IN
Stinctively that fierce scrap Woult
begin. Well, the way the two fellow
got at each other. They stood on thei
hind legs and howed in a terrible way
All the other lions crouched on tn
loor-it was in the big exercising barr
Of the winter qua"ters--and watche
the fight, but made no attempt to in
terfere.
Pearl Souder. the head animal traine
for the Ringlings picked up torcl
took Il heavy club in the other hant
called to his assistant George Slater, t
, follow. jumped into the center of tn
room and began to beat the yOunge
lion He had to be careful not to h
| him on the spine, because lion
| backbone is tended and brittle and h
| did not want to MAIN him; nor did h
| want to hit him in the eyes. for a bin
| lion is not much good in Il circus 70
| bet it kept him jumping around. Bot
| animals We're covered with blood an
| had torn huge patches of fur from eac
| others necks, and strips of flesh frol
| the shoulders and launches.
| Torches We're waved before the tigh
] ers eyes, Which once or twice got the
apart, but it was only for a mimi
or two, and then they went at eaC
y other more fiercely than ever. AS
last resort the hose was turned {
II them. the water being just war
F" enough to break them apart and pr
vent chill. Lions. While they d
big and strong looking, easily tai
cold, and when they do, pneumonia
Knocking at the door, SO cold wat
is not used.
Poor Caesar had his lower jaw bad
torn. one leg broken and one side w
like Il raw steak. The other fellC
was covered With blood. and somewh
torn, but he was able to walk. V
had to give Caesar chloroform in ord
to stitch his jaw and side and put /
leg in splnts. The poor old fellow w
never himself again after that battle.
Lions are as vain as societyiwome
and to be thrown down and maui
around this way before everybody, 6
ter he had been king SO long, il
about broke his heart. He got the be
of everything and was petted like
| child, but it was no use. He could
| hold his head up in the proud way
| old times. He just moped around
the dark corner of his cage, and tina
Law
| Caesar had been closely hitched tc
; staple in his cage by steel chain,
that he would not stir around much !
til his broken leg mended. One d
ce the narrow opening at the end of
. iron grating of his cage was cleared
the keeper to shove in the meat p
Caesar made a dive and succeeded
worming his body through. where
hung over the side. the hind feet j
touching the ground. The keeper
for a club and gave the alarm.
workmen hurried to the spot, but it v
too late. Caesar instead of settling
the ground with his hind feet. l
drawn them ap under his body {
cooily choked 10 death. All the b.
felt bad, for Caesar had been in
show for years, and was a decent S
of a lion. He is buried back of
winter quarters at Baraboo. and
square stone monument marks
grave.
Fatima, a hippopctamus is the l
nagerie, brought herself to disfa
With her animal neighbors by the
fortunate habit of snoring too loud.
may be natural for a beefy lady of
\ kind to warm up the still watches
Y the night with d snore In G minor.
Ia the ringtailed baboon, the sacred
II and the cassowary didn't like it. E
y the horned horse kicked the end of
cage out one night. as if in protest,
the wart hog, who is no SLOUGH him
q when it comes to snoring, suue;