Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-23


Among my four lions was a handsome beast called
Leo. My father trained him for the trick and after
l had decided he safe, | tried it. For several
performances l succeeded in putting my head into
his mouth and withdrawing it without accident, until
one night at Royan, small town in the south of
France where were showing.
In preparing for the head and mouth trick,
arranged the lions in the form of square, with Leo
at the angle nearest and facing the audience Each
lion stood two small pedestals, his fore feet
and his hind feet resting the other. The
night of my accident Leo in bad temper. Our
place the program had been changed from the
first to the last act, so that we closed the show
Immediately after the audience departed it was
our custom to feed the animals, and as wild beasts
are very restless while waiting for their food the
shifting of Our position on the program did not
tend to Sweeten LeoS mood.
While was in the with my lionS the other
animals pacing up and down their small cages,
impatienty growing for the expected feast of blood
red beef Naturally, this excited my beasts and
noticed, they went unwillingy through the per-
Torrance, that their hu1nor was changing from bad
to worse.
When 1 had sent the lions to their pedestals,
preparatory to placing my head in Leos mouth
be afraid. Once animals convinced that their
trainer fears the latters influence is dssipated and
he may well give up. They will not work for him,
and will kill him in the end
Leo's Menacing Snar1
A 1 approached Leo, he snared menacing1y.
NAV have trembled but did not pause. NV
father was standing at the iron gate of the arena
peering through the bars, with one hand waiting,
on the latch. l called to him, "Reste Tranquil
he seemed more nervous than l.
Wishing to ca jole the brute, | stroked his back
with my whip stock, but he drew away, as if to
say, Don't come me, unless you want to
get hurt!" grabbed his upper lip with my right
hand, and with my left, the lower. He closed his
mouth tightly, and l might we'll have tried to
pry open locked safe with my naked fingers. AS
l tugged at his jaws the skin of his cat-like nose
rolled back over his teeth and my father cried in
Shr voice. "Attention!"
Immediately l let go and tried to back out of
his reach but he was too quick for me. His heavy
paw, brstling at the end with five steel claws.
flew against my corset and knocked sprawlng
across the stage. Like flash he me, trying
for my throat. My father, who had dashed through
the gate at the first attack, fell upon the lion with
a heavy hammer, and catching him flush in the eye
sent him Keeling from my bleeding breast. Five
trainers rushed into the cage and drove the other
beasts out with revolvers and steel forks, while
my father kept after the staggering Leo, raining
blow after blow upon his head. The punishment
seemed to have further effect, until he landed
swing right behind the lions ear and the beast
fell over, apparently dead.
When the lion dropped, the breathless audience
was hushed as MINDLESS night, and there followed
the great moment of pregnant stiffness that always
precedes storm of real applause. AS my father
stood me my feet and it evident | had not
been MORALLY hurt the French audience hurrcaned
with braves only Frenchmen Even in my
weakened condition. my spirit was dizzied by the