Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-06

making its first trip to England. The
vast hlppodrome of the old Olympic in
London was filled to capacity. Under
the blaze of lights Queen Victoria and
the Prince of Wales sat in the royal box, the
center Of an eager, expectant crowd waiting 10
zee their first American circus.
A blast of trumpets, a roll of drums ana
deafeuine blare of brass bands announced the
GRAND Entry" and the Greatest Snow on
Earth" began its slow, imposing march around
the arena
In a gilded cage near the front of the column
rode William H Blackburne, wild animal
trainer and four tawny lions.
To the crack of a blackSnake whip Black
burne put his savage beasts through their Gus
tOmary PAGES. Growing and snarllng, they
vaulted over three-slat gate which the trainer
held in position in the center of the cage.
FROM opposite sides of the Enclosure the lions
moved in pars-four massive yellow bodies
passing in flying leap each time they hurdled.
Swifffne hurdling swirlng. hurdling, the per-
fOrmance was intended to keep up until that
long slow parade around the arena had been
completed
CUDDENLY sonnet hing happened-how or why
the trainer never knew. But one of the
lions missed his cue, as acrobats sometimes do
and his head crashed through the property
gate" A jagged, broken Stat pierced each side
Of the beasts great shaggy head.
Instantly bedlam reigned in that iron barred
cage The injured lion tore back and forth,
struggling to free himself from his tortuous
necklace. Thrown completely out OF control
by this unexpected turn of events, the three
other lions joined in mad pursuit, snarling and
swapping in their panic.
There was no hope of bringing the beasts
back under control. The trainers only chance
of safety lay in avoiding these four lions, sud
denly gone mad. With a spring he Ieaped
straight upward and caught at the overhead
bars that formed a ventilator in the ceiling.
Ea missed. He leaped again, with better luck,
and there he chung with his legs drawn up
close around his body while the Grand Entry"
parade continued its agonizingly slow course
around the arena.
"And Judging from the wild burst of APP
pannSSe" saws Mr. Blackburne, "the audience
evidently thought it was all part of the act
the usual climax of the parade. But / was be-
ginning to think I'd never get out Of that arena
alive"
THAT was nearly half century ago, and
- the hero of that story-now past threescore
and tens still in the wild animal game No
longer is he making that slow ride around the
arena in cage filled with lions. Today he is
the only keeper of Uncle Sans only zoo, posi-
ton ne has held for nearly forty years.
was talking with him just short time ago.
He was stroking the head of giant ostrich,
blind and decrepit now, but once the proud gift
of an Abyssinan King to President of the
United States.
I'm worried about this old fellow" said Mr..
BIackburne. when he went totally blind four
years ago it was his familiarity with every inch
of this cage, where he had lived for twenty
years, that saved him from beating out his life.
And now we've get to transfer him to a new
cage"
They presented an odd picture, these two, as
the keeper with arm under the ostrich's
wing, gently stroked the birds Sightless eyes
and talked to him in quiet soothing voice.
The keeper was assuring his frightened charge
that he had no cause to fear, that though he
was leaving his old cage, which he had come
to know so well, he would still be able to find
his way around. For the new cage had been
constructed in exact copy Of the birds old
home; everythng-the feed box, the windows,
the dcOr-is precisely the same, with no new,
unfamiliar obstacles to confuse him.
1t was moving day in the Nations zoo, and
Mr. Blackburne was guiding his old friend to
his new home. It~waS necessary for all the
occupants of one of the Oldest frame buildings
10 find other quarters. for on this site Uncle
Sam intends to build modern fireproof struc-
ture,, for which Congress has appropriated q
quarter of million dollars. The new building
WI be known as the reptile house, and the
former occupants, belonging to the feathered
world, must find shelter In temporary quarters,
10c although the new bird house is only two
years old and contains las indoor cages. Il is
NNU<H - ~nnsku