The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-22
Christen Lion Cubs
m the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
 Park Commissioner Stover officiated at christening party held in the lion house of the Central Park menagerie Satur- day afternoon. The christening was per- formed with considerable ceremony, the commissioner wishing to impress 1t upon the public that the old-fashioned way of naming animals in the park had been done away with.
 The commissioner said he did not pro- pose to bring upon his head any more hostile comments from persons who ob- jected to the beasts being named Murphy Crowley, Bismarck and such representa- tive names.
 Yesterdays ceremony was a little bit hurried because the head of the park de- partment heard rumors that the keepers had tentatively selected names for the three lion cubs that were born on May , and were not yet christened. He was afraid that the names would reach the public and would stick to the animals, just as Miss Murphy sticks to the big hippo despite the strong protests of some of the commissioners correspondents and the fact that she Is the mother of seven hippos.
 Some of the keepers had informally dis cussed the naming of the lion cubs with out reference to outside criticism. Pat rick Kiernan, keeper of the monkey house. said that In all his time there he never had had a chance to put a name on a lion. He suggested that the two male cubs be named Brian Boru and Robert Emmet. He didn't mind letting George Sichert. the keeper of the lion house, name the female club Germania.
 This seemed satisfactory to the other keepers and there was a Likelihood of the names becoming permanent. When the commissioner saw trouble brewing he or ganized the christening and got things ready to make the exercises impressive.
 He sent out to the departments gar dener for a wreath of smilax. immor- telles and ivy leaves. This was embe- llshed with red ribbon, and pendant from the floral piece was a large piece of card board bearing the name of each cub.
 There was a crowd of visitors in the lion house when Commissioner Stover and Private Secretary Patchen and Head Keeper Billy Snyder entered and marched to the front of the cage occupied by Helen apd her three infants.
 The official party stood in front of the cage and the commissioner, pointing his finger at one of the clubs. said:
 ''I name thee Joan In admiration of the noblest character in history-the Maid of Orleans"
 She's been dead for more than 300 years and I don't think there Is any one who will object 10 giving her name to Hon." the commissioner said to his private secretary.
 Snyder nudged the commissioner and whispered that he was pointing his finger at one of the male cubs. and that the name of Joan wouldn't fit that one MT. Stover found out which was which and then caused the wreath and loans vis- ting card to be tackled up in front of the cage.
 The head of the park department then produced second wreath and christened one of the male cubs. In aoing so he just nodded toward the animal named. as 1t wasn't apparent to ordinary per sons which was the lioness and which the lions
 The second cub received the name or Trajan Mir. Stover sa:d that he greatly admired the Roman Emperor who gov erned shortly after the Christian era With so much ability and showed such great military talent The other lion cub was named Pompey. after Genius Pompeius Magnus. who made a stir in Rome nearly ooc0 years ago The Roman Emperors were very fond of lions. and the com missioner did not think anyone would mt up a kick against giving those names to the animals