The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-02-17
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
| JUPITER
By Karl Edwin Hartman
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

q u Is trade young, for his faith
RoR er was lion keeper in q
travelling menagerie, and Martins first
plaything was a lion cub. When the
boy was twenty-one years old his faith
er left the menagerie, and Martin
stepped into his place.
TO Martin as boy and man lions were
as familiar as brothers and sisters are
to most Of us, and he liked the menag-
erie well; but the constant travelling
began to wear upon him, and long be-
fore he was gray he sought and Sc
cured employment from the Royal Zoo
logical Society, of London.
"He's the best lion man in England"
the superintendent Of the gardens
once said.
For fifteen years Riley kept his place
and remained whole, although he had
often been attacked in the cages, and
once he thought the end had surely
come when a ferocious lioness, lately
deprived of her babies, struck him
over the ear with her open paw.
The blow barred portion of his skull
which is now covered with q hairless
patch of scalp.
It was in June, two years ago. that
Riley had his most dangerous and cur
ious adventure. One afternoon, after
carrying great pals of water up to
the lion house to battle some of the
beasts, he set the two pals down at
the door Of the long, low building and
entered, to be greeted by roars from a
few Of the ten cages ranged along the
wall upon the right. The cages were
exactly similar, and at the back Of each
was q sliding door leading to an en-
closure, where Riley usually turned
loose any animal that he wished to
bathe.
He crept along the iron railing which
is in front Of the cages and walked
the length Of the building close to the
bars, scrutinizing the beasts behind.
and now and again stopping for word
with one or another.
Thus he went on to the last cage,
behind the bars of which stalked back
and forth two immense male lions. AS
the voice Of the man outside fell upon
their ears they stopped in their prom
enade, and shaking their names,
roared. Then Jupiter, one of the
beasts, advanced to the front Of the
cage, and raising a forepaw lightly
from the floor, thrust it out between
the bars. Riley seized that paw in
both hands and shook it violently. The
other lion glared upon this display of
friendship from q dark corner ct the
back. His eyes glowed in the half
light like two Goals.
"And how are you, Jupiter, old boy?''
asked Riley. The answer was q roar
that might be termed mild, for to Ril'
ey's experienced ear it bore no note of
anger. In fact, Jupiter, ever since his
cub days, had always shown remarka'
BILE fondness for the keeper
"Tm thinkin' ye need a bath, Jupi
ter" said Riley.
Another roar was the answer.
"Well, then, you shall have it. And
there's Jim glowering with jealousy
at us. He shall have bath, too. Ye
shall both get it in about two minutes. u
The keeper went back to the door OF
the building, where he had left his
pals; picking them up, he shambled
along the path at the rear of the lion
house until he reached the iron enclCs:
ure, which was just behind the cage
occupied by Jupiter and his compan'
ion. There he stopped. Drawing a
bunch Of keys from his coat pocket, he
selected one, and fitted it to the pad
lock on the door. Throwing back the
heavy screen upon its creaking hinges
he lifted both pals inside the inclos
ure, and then clambered up on the ce
ment floor himself, shutting the gate
after him. and slipping an iron bar
through the heavy cleats to hold il
shut
Merrily whistling MARY of Athlone.
Riley shufled over to a corner of the
enclosure and put down the pals. A
roar came from the inner cage.
"Now don't you get excited" said tbs
keeper. as he crossed over to the door
connecting the cage with the enclos
ure. 'I'll be there in minute
AS he spoke he released the sliding
panel by removing a peg; it went NJ
automatically, being raised by thu
weights attached TO chains running
over blocks at the top. There was now
nothing but air between Riley and th'
two beasts.
"I guess I'll take you first, Jim" h
| said, but both animals attempted tt
pass through the narrow opening at tn
| same time.
"Get back there. Jupiter" he cried
and cut the lion over the nuzzlc will
his short slim riding whip.
! Jupiter crouched back in the cage
, and Jim stalked past the keeper, or
into the enclosure. Once in the opel
air the big beast stretched. open wild
his immehse paws, yawned, and thel
| roared.
"And now. Jim, my boy" said Riley