Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-14

does not exist among the cat species. panther
Is about nine times quicker than lightning and
indicates where he will strike Just about as
often.
Herr Schwartz's troupe Of trained animals one
season consisted Of the old lion Wallace, whom
Schwartz had raised from cub; Ramsay, q
young Bengal tiger, and Chita, beautiful black
panther. Old Wallace's temper had been
ruined through close confinement and the
nerve-wracking noise of parade wheels rolling
over cobbleStones. He was suIlen and reluctant
while doing his tricks, apt at any moment to
fly into rage and attack his trainer. And yet
Herr Schwartz loved the old lion and made con-
tfnua1 excuses for him
Wallace iSs shlst leed1e noivous today" he
would explain when the sullen old brute had
ripped away about foot of Her Schwartz's
coat sleeve. Hes all right ven it comes to
doin' his tricks. Wallace, ven he has to be- is
always cop to d. scratch"
This last encomiun might have been taken
two ways, but Herr Schwartz was sincere
Every performer in the show used to repeat the
phrase cynically. Old Schwartz was continually
putting new sleeves in his uniform coat because
Wallace was so often up to the scratch" Then
there was Ramsay, the tiger, who could be as
dtsarmng as a kitten and as destructive as a
typhoon. There Cuffy, the furry little bear
who played the accordion and rode on q bicycle
Lastly, there was Chita, the black panther,
untamsbe, treachereus, deadly.
Always there was something pathetic about
Schwartz's act to me. The somber old lion
Wallace, sacrificing his dignity to jump through
hoops and balance on ball for applause he
did not understand. Ramsay, who should have
been king in some far-off Jungle pretending
70 wrestle with little fat man dressed in a
faded uniform Of the Prussian Hussars Chita
the golden-eyed black, with fangs ed LASH
ing her tai, Sn6rling, always afraid of the lights
and the blsre Of the band
Only Cuffy, the little clown bear was not
mutinous against his fate. He was a born
actor, was Cuffy and he loved his work He
was never worked when the cats were in the
cage, but Immediately after. Although he was
used to the scent of them, there was ALWAYS
Just an instant of hesitation before he entered
the barred Enclosure. He ALWAYS seemed tn
nave dim fear that some time there WOULD
be lion or tiger in there and that would
not have pleased him at ALL
{ NE season, during the latter part of August,
old Wallace became ill-an obscure ailment.
Somehow think the old lion was tired of life
and wanted to die. Our veterinary said that
he would not live, but Herr Schwartz declared
that he could and would He put ON his act
with Ramsay, Chita and Cuffy and as soon as
1t was over he locked the two cats in their
cages, snapped Cuffys collar on to a chain and
hurried back to Wallace's cage. He entered
without fear and, IN spite Of the lions hoarse
groWls, talked to him in soothing tones
Wallace had a fever. For weeks Herr
Schwartz sat beside him, moistening the rough,
red tongue with water, tanning away the flies
that settled on the lions listless eyes and talk
ing to him as If he were cub again Wallace
did live and although he was twice as crossras
ne was before there seemed to be a difference
m his temper. He went through his tricks
snarling continuously. But Herr Schwartz only
Jeered at him in German and in English
Wallace du kumkopf, opp on dot ball-nefer
mind snarling at me. Oh, know YOU got
tooths--you air'dt no nilk-fed lion, amt dot
r1ght?' .fe- S.
Ramsay, the tiger on his pedestal At t6sFe.