The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1918-06-07
Bv Times Reporter.

BY Times Reporter.
CENTRALIA, June II stood
at the gate to the arena cage and
watched Mabel Stark put her Roy
al Bengal tigers thru their tricks.
They were big, ferocious look
ing beasts and they were never
still.
The girl trainer, moving in
their midst with quick, cat-like
tread. scarcely turned her back
on them for more than a second
at time.
II l noticed that her eyes moved
constantly around the ring, from
one tiger to the other, and then
back again, and that all the while
she worked she smiled.
One of them reared on his
launches and struck viciously at
her.
She snapped her fingers in his
face and as he came at her again
she stabbed him lightly with the
sharp-pronged point of her train
ing stick.
Close Shave for Mabel.
He WINGED but slightly under
the sting of it and struck out
again, this time narrowly missing
her.
Bert Hickman, the boss of the
ring. standing at my side, whis-
tied.
Nearly got her that time" he
commented. That's the fellow
that ripped her up so badly in
Detroit. She has to watch him all
the time.
That's the trouble with a
tiger. You can never trust him.
And he is so quick you have no
warning Of what he is going to do.
To beat the game you've got to be
just a little bit quicker than they
are and mighty good reader OF
the big cats mind"
Hears Growl.
Mabel Stark drove her tigers
one by one from the arena into
narrow chute which led out of the
tent into their wagon cages.
And then with a little smile at
us she ran across the arena and
stood with her back to the bars.
noticed that she had thrown her
whip and prong away.
A low growl attracted my at
tention. Opposite the girl, chain
ed to the bars, was a big Bengal
tiger. had not noticed him be-
fore.
A trainer on the outside of the
arena cage unleashed him. The
tiger sprang with bound the en-
tire width of the arena.
/ had time to see the girl train
er spread out her arms to receive
him when the beast closed In on
her.
And then they rolled over and
over, the tiger biting playfully at
her arms and legs, she pulling his
ears and patting his nose.
The audience out in front gasp
ed. could hear the sharp hiss
that told of the quick intake of
breath.
A Knock Over.
That's a knock over" exclaim-
ed Hickman admiringly. "She
raised that brute from a cub. He's
three years old and full grown
now. but he doesn't know it.
I-"Some day he will and then"
Hickman halted and shrugged
his shoulders.
WELL" he continued. 81 hope
I'm not in the ring on that night"
The act ended. Miss Stark drove
her big tiger from the arena. And
Joined US.
How'd you like the act?" she
asked.
Aren't you afraid that tiger
will turn on you some night?" I
asked.
Miss Stark hesitated and then
replied:
Some day, yes. But there is
big money in it. And l don't par
t.cularly care. We've all got to
die some time and I'm taking a
chance"
| like a Big Baby.
Tonight, tomorrow, | may get
mine. But as you saw the tiger
out there this afternoon he was
just like big baby playing with
me. The only danger is that
some day he might realize his tre-
mendous strength, he might stun
me, or bite me or scratch me and
l might forget and cry out in pain
and show my fear.
Then it would he all off. II
saw couple of accidents like that
in other shows. Gee, it's fierce,
too"
Miss Stark made way for a
short, stockily built man in a
| white uniform.