Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-09

~. So although they were not bit fero-
cious it was too dangerous to enter
They might jump in such way as to
strike you with paw" said the keeper
land then it would be all over. Even lit
tie tap from one of those big feet would
probably tear the skull right off YOU
The tigers were in bad humor that day,
SO finally we decided to try the leopards.
There were nine beauties, and one of them
was a splendid specimen of the black Loop
ard.
The moment we climbed up to the cage
the animals began to trot back and forth
swiftly, and some of them unsheathed their
claws, as we could hear by the scraping
sound as they walked.
You're sure that you're not nervous?"
asked the keeper, as he unlocked the door.
They would be quick to notice that, and
might try to take advantage of it,
No said l. I'm not bit nervous, y
which was true 1 did get nervous after
ward, however, before we got out.
AS soon as he had the door of the cage
unlocked he said: Jump in, quick" and
in an instant we were both In the den and
the iron doors had banged shut behind US.
Now keep your face to them" said the
keeper. whenever one tries to get behind
| you, face 1t and drive it away"
| The smallest of the leopards was the first
! to approach US. The others had crowded to
| the farthest end of the cage, where they
| neither anger nor fear. Indeed, except Tor
! the fact that they had retreated they gave
no sign of noticing our presence at all.
But the little leopard, which was only
about twice as large as a large cat, came
| fawning toward me and began rubbing its
| raised back against my leg exactly as cat
| would.
Hold I'D your arms and tell her to jump
up" said the keeper, eff you're not afraid. y
| 1 did So and the pretty thing gathered her
| self daintily, leaped high and settled as
softly on my arms as If she were feather.
| | patted her and she purred with deep
r17,,, limo ruhhp0 her cheek against
mine.
Come down now, Kitty cried the keeper
when he thought that l had grown tired OF
| holding her. Kitty Immediately jumped
| down.
| BY this time the other 1eopards had gain
| ed enough confidence to approach One of
| the big ones came and stood at my side and
1 stopped to pat 1t. Then l realized for the
first time what tremendous strength lay
hidden in those graceful, slender bodies un-
DER the painted skins. Under my hands
there was a waving, rolling play of great
muscles. Every slight movement of the
| handsome beast seemed to start them coll
ing and uncoiling all over neck and Shout
ders and sides like twisted ropes
l tried the experiment of pushing the anil
NAL from me- Although L am strong, I
could not bulge the brute. 1t was then
that / understood how wholly powerlesS a
man would be If he were to get into a fight
with such a cat animal, even If the man
were armed. / can appreciate now the
, stories told of the deadly execution done by
tigers, leopardS and panthers with single
blows of their paws. 1t was easy to see
that the leopard that stood by my side
could have killed me in an instant.
We had been in the cage about twenty
minutes and several of the leopards had
come UP to me and retired again in obedi-
ence to the orders of the keeper, when sud-
denly the black leopard glided silently and
stealthfly to me, and before we knew it,
was paving at my trousers with his terri
BILE claws unsheathed and spread out as a
common cats claws spread at times
when she sharpens them.
Don't let that fellow do that!" said the
keeper. IF he once feels the cloth rip or
even If he should only get his claws tangled,
ne might give you sudden dig. If l start
to come to you, he may do 1t anyway.
You'll have to give him a good punch right
In the nose, Now, mind, punch him with
all your might. and quick!'
What said I, "hit black leopard?
I'd rather not, If It's all the same to you"
I'm not fooling," said the keeper. "Give
1t to him good and hard and he'll jump
away so quick that you won't be able to
see him move"
So he did. Considering that If man hits
black leopard at all he might just as we'll
have the satisfaction of giving him a good
punch before the funeral, / gathered all my
muscles and let Mr. Leopard have it straight
on the velvety black nose.
Before / could make sure that I was not
dead, the black leopard was in the most
distant corner of the cage, splitting, splitting,
splitting. Every time / looked at him he
would spread out his claws; but he re-
manned pressed to the bars of the cage.
He presented anything but pleasing
sight, and my feelings were not soothed by
the reflection that. If he felt like it, he
could be on me In single jump. So inter-
ested was l In watching him that I lost
sight of the other leopards until a sudden
cry: Down, Minnie, DOWN. Do you hear?"
made me look. Then l discovered that the
biggest leopard of all had crept behind me
and was then crouching not five feet away,
squeezed close to the ground, with her tail
Strengthened out and undulating with q
quivering, snake-like motion.
Before ! could move, long pole with a
great hook was thrust at Minnie like light
ming from outside of the cage. The hook
catching around her neck, she was dragged