The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-11-22


 respect and fear for you. That is one 1 of the reasons Bonavita lost his arm. He began dissipating and his lions lost l their awe for him. Consequently one night in Jacksonville Nero, particu- l larlv bad lion against whom I had re- peatedIy warned Bonavita when we were | together. sprang on him, and it was only I with the greatest difficulty that his life l was saved.
 1T think Bonavita made mistake about this animal because he was ut- | terly bad Bonavita was forced to keep I his eyes on the animal all the time, and when one is working with 27 as Bonavita | did, this is almost impossible. Had l | had the animal I would have taken his | claws out. Captain Bostock offered to | take Nero away and give Bonavita an- other lion, but the captain was particu- larly attached to Nero, and refused to part with him. It cost him his arm, and now he appears very little in the arena. IS NEVER FAMED Schweyer approached a cage in which a magnificent Asiatic lion was lying in the rear up Pompey,' he commanded, and the animal slowly rose and ap- preached the bars with magnetic tread. Schweyer pulled his mane and then, l down, sir" The lion sank down obe- oiently and the trainer passed on. q am not deceived" he remarked. An animal is often trained, but never tanned, and anyone who gets this idea is court ing death No matter how obedient and 1 how docile one of the big cats may seem he is only bidding his time, and the least carelessness in the arena will bring him upon you.
 ssThis is one reason why women do not l make good trainers. They are more often careless than men; they permit the anil 1 mals to do too much as they please and 1 they are subject to sudden fits or panic. l All women trainers carry man With I them, and he works the animals III the morning to take the starch out of them. l The woman may then work the afternoon l and night in safety, but 1t is necessary 1 that the men handle them each morn- | ing"
 | T much prefer working with jungle
 bred animals said MT Schweyer. 1 changing the subject. '"There is more 1 life to them, more spirit, and more in- | teligence. You never heard a cage bred | lion growl in your life, and you never will They simply haven't the spirit. Practically all of my lions are jungle bred" It might interest those who declared that the lions were sent into the arena 1 full fed to know that the animals are hungry when they do their tricks. FED AFTER MATINEE
 
 into the arena" explained MT. Schweyer, they would be sluggish. and it would | he almost impossible to work them. They are not fed until after they return from work It is a mistake to think that q l lion jumps trainer because he is hun gry; it is rage always that dictates the attack
 Another point on which the skeptics may like information is in regard to the contest which usually occurs between the trainer and his lions before they consent to do his tricks. It is mis- | take to assume that this growing and the lightning-like passes which the lions make are assumed. The lions and the ] trainer both are in deadly earnest. A mis-step for the man would be fatal. You can't teaeh lion to growl," said Schweyer. "And when he growls he Is in dead earnest. There's no play about l him then Observe" The trainer walked before the cage of | the lion into whose mouth he sticks his head The animal snarled and roarcd | ferociously and threw himself against the rars apparently frantic with rage. That isn't assumed" said Schweyer walking coolly away. That's what he'd
 like to do while my head Is in his mouth,