| Show The LionesS Skirt D Dance nce AND THE I Inconsiderate Python c n By Frn Francis lIE conventional skirt lane dance o has T TIlE THE long ceased to bo be a ell no novelty on the vaudeville sta stage c but a as s It Is I performed b by La Belle Belie In the Arena trena at Dreamland It holds tho the Interest It of oC that most exacting audi audi- ence a once a crowd crowll of Coney Island pleas pleas- ute ure seekers It Is not because Is Is pre-eminent pre amon among dancers but on account of the unusual and dangerous stage setting selling for or she performs In the Jar large c exhibition cage surrounded by a n half hair dozen II lionesses on eggI each animal seated on a separate pedestal An Any ono one of the hu huge e beasts could crush the dancer with a single Ingle blow of a massive e paw and the great Jaws which snap viciously at her tiny Uny feet as she kicks them before their faces arc are sufficiently l powerful to lo crush the shinbone shin shin- b bone ne of oC an ox She Is apparently without fear car of f tl them em for Cor she dances gracefully Cromo from Crom o one one c to 10 the Iho other flicking licking them across their faces races with the lI light hl switch which she carries for or her only protection anti kicking over ovea their heads and Into Inlo their ver very mouths always f ml missing the lute answering snap o of the Jaws b by the fraction of or an tun Inch and lg- lg In ing It ll with a a. smile as ItS she whirls away to repeat repeal the performance before an- an tS 4 f I Nosy If you'll kindly she me tine jour t. t j attention 4 other pedestal The lionesses see sec c th the J. J f performance man many times in lit the course courset of or a Ii sea season OIl but bul the they never lo lose e In Intel In- In t t tel crest est In It It and they do not nol remove remo y their eyes from Crom m ica from Crom the time I t f site enters the tho cage cohe until she drives cs then them out before her hr So long Jong as sh she e Is on her feet and agile enough t to o c escape cupe the tho swift stroke of oC a paw o othe or orthe orthe r the snapping Jaws she k Is safe s-afe for or a lioness would not Jump at nt her from Crom a Ii pedestal but hut there Is s always alwa's the chance of fa a slip bP or r a U false fals step anti and then then- It II happened once and caused causell a suspension suspensIon suspension sus sus- pension of Sellen's Selica's performance for or two iwo months during the Pan American Expo Exposition at Buffalo for Grace the J largest t lct lioness lIone was on her before she could recover reco herself and It required the efforts of oC Do Bostock Rostock and all nil of his trainers to lo beat back the beasts who were wore maddened b by the sight and smell mell of uC blood and to rescue the thc unconscious 0 t women from rom the cage They hc Jiava o never er rotten forgotten that moment of oC rebellion which was so Q nearl nearly suc suc- successful successful cc Cul and antI the they are arc over ever watchful for another opportunity t to avenge u the mal Y cuts of oC the training whip which they received recel In the course of their schooling But nUl Sellen Is also watchful watchful watchful watch watch- ful tand and although Grace Giace race had latterly long done nothing particularly out o of the way the wonderful sixth sense c which trainers always acquire warned her that the animal should be ber berc r rc regarded with suspicion The bea beast t hind had become nervous a little more sullen sullen sul sul- A len than titan usual when ordered to lo leavet leave lea f t t i y tier her den for Cor the Iho exhibition cage and ands anda s a trifle ta slow and rebellious when C t told lold to tu Jump up on her allotted pc esi es- es i tal tat Constant association with the wild willi animals be begets carelessness but bul r. r with the scars of i sharp r 11 claws still It III visible on her back and shoulders t. was quick to e the change and especially careful before r opening the door from front the den dun to lo the runway to lo look through the thc observation observation tion lion hole and make sure Burc that the 4 lioness Honeys was not cr crouched for Cor a spring Grace had hart been particularly sullen In lit Inthe the tho afternoon and she was growling ominously when went to get her herfor herl heris l is for Cor the tho evening e performance but wh when n tho the woman saw the three little Curr furry r balls which were huddled In a corner of or the den she understood and forgave nil The Tho cubs were no larger than Si St Bernard puppies but Grace Groce apparently up- up considered them worth fI lighting fighting for foi and s dance wast was wan t i given ten that night with only five live lionesses lion lion- esses in the cage and aull the Proprietor told the Stranger the reason for Cot the empty pedestal Walt Wait alt until after the performance t and und I will take lake them out of oC the cage f. f and show show- them to lo you you you- he said and t. t v- v the Stranger remembering a n tradition vI I to the erT effect cl that lint robbing rubbing a lioness of her cubs Is a dangerous feat cat looke r m forward ward with a n great deal of Interest i to the after j We c cant can't trust the rearing o of the thc 0 cubs to Grace said ald the Proprietor a arL ay ar L k he stood alood In front of or her cage cae after Ir the audience had been beer dismissed el The Thu close proximity of the other animal s f I in n the Arena Aren m a an and the curiosity of th the thousands of or people who come corne here every oven day would make her hel so crux them so I must musi NI Jl that she would destroy get gel them a foster Coster mother I have hr sent to New York for or u a bitch with pups and In a couple of lIr days day I will show b family The fhe cubs feet cr you OU a n happy and Grac Gran in It the Iho center of or the cage them snarling and look stood o cr I s at al the Iho group roup lr It In Ing n wIth blazing eyes eves ye front of or 11 It but bul Se voice front from th lh runway una and n rattling o of the door nor althe at ut d her attention a andas and andas tho the back t I the Proprietor ProPrietor Pro Pro- as os she sprang at the door dool darted a u hand bet between the ti i bars lIu mill and seized 1111 one o of the cubs drawing drawing draw draw- be before ber bet be- be second a half It safely mcI out rr ing filE mother laude lander r fore Coro the enraged the thc burs bars with u IL force Corce which t made them rattle r T Tho Iho ho poor I o or beast l as almost frantic was twice t re repealed repeated e hu hut Ih Mio some 1 of or her fierce at ut attacks pealed and in iii spite spile doors and bars the tacks on who had acquired through h hU hIt tor association with the greaF grea F lifetime oJ of their quickness s cats as much of or movement a as It Is given to mere ma mat mal malto three throe cu cubE the to tn Ieru loarn n removed eel receiving a n t scratch without the het helpless 8 little Hille cr creatures Poor to mills mills' difficult and it wa was were grow into inie soon that thc they would ferocious ferocious- powerful us the beasts as at h who of f trainers the thc terror error Baltimore lamentation Grace Graces Grace's s answering was fairly I shook hook with roars the other onside on his cage building from SIde of oC the tho Arena s bt bred In captivity That animal 1 was It II hF I menagerie mena a and raJ raised in our born after t t C F said the Proprietor England oi of In charge the cubs placed had ho that that's f s sK of ot the keepers keeper I 1 suppose a e one what makes him I such auch a bad beggar to K handle Give me the Jungle bred lion the ther theman time for tor after aCter Eo to train ever every hip hie of ot and discomfort man handling r. r man and transportation to the capture coast b by the thc J natives es he appreciates I 1 t tI the car carp nn and 1 humanity of a civilized cl I trainer Th These e cubs which arc are raised In captivity are arc always played with and teased b by the employeR employeR- and visitors visit visit- I ors and their first rt knowledge e of or their strength conies comes to them item accidentally I when thc they hurt a man without meanIng mean mean- meaning Ing to do it but the they soon learn to connect cau cause o and effect and then It is time to watch out for or em cm A J Jungle bred lion llon Is pretty prett much cock o o the walk until he Is snared or trapped and In his first experience with men he I Is vanquished and realIzes realizes real real- izes how useless Is his J great strength th against the nets and ropes which entangle en en- en tangle him The Tho cub born burn In captivity lt Is familiar with men from Crom the first and plays plaS with them like a kitten u until un un- til one lay day Is ho-Is ho Is out of sorts or Is accidentally hurt hurtIn In R H frolic rolle and the swift cut of uC his razor like claws clu makes males his playmate or tormentor drop him and anel leave him In peace That Thal makes It hard for lie tho trainer when he hue takes take 8 him In hand for Cor although tho the cult cub ma may be subdued d he Ito remembers that he was vas on once c and watches his chance Jack Jacl Bonavita the greatest greatest great great- est et trainer who Iwho who ever CI went Into 1010 a lions lion's cage cac would kayo havo two luo good arms toda today If Ir c Baltimore had heat be hc n born horn Inthe in to inthe the Nubian dc desert ert Instead of oC in Manchester Man n chester II The They stood in front Cronl u of Baltimore's cage for or a moment admiring the swelling muscles o of the great beast t ta a as he sprang prun front from side to side Hide shaking shak shak- In ing his hl hit IC g and roaring defiance de- de de fiance at al the world and then turned to go to the white-topped white table In front of the Arena In the doorway the they met the Press Agent looting looking anything but cheerful and mutterIng muttering mutter mutter- Ing maledictions on the heads of all city elt editors The Proprietor told him of oC the new arrivals In the Arena AIena and suggested sur- sur sending tho the announcement of oC the birth hirth to the thc papers A A fat chance Id I'd stand of having It printed he ht grumbled Here Ive I've worked half tile the season and never given glen gl- gl Ien I en em cm a stet stor that wasn't pretty prell nearly near r ly Jy true cue and toda today when I take talie them that account of oC and the Jaguar the he they turn me nie down 1 and holler I Take rake Let mc me take on one of oC those cubs cub s I and stripe it over o with a little black bidet paint and tomorrow morning evea every newspaper In vin New York will viii have a H photographer down here to 10 take pictures plc- plc tures lures o of the thc only hybrid tiger lion er cub ever born and anti all nil of oC the t space Jerk Jerk- ors Irs will be he buttonholing me for Cor a three column front page tory story The arrival of or the thc waiter waller with soothing bc be soon oon brought back bucl the customary smile to his genial face and the Proprietors Proprietor's suggestion that perhaps I he had embroidered some sorno of the stories Just a trifle aroused only a natured good iI protest otes The worst thin thing about the thc preys press pre 8 agents agent's profession Is s that he has hus to risk his eternal salvation ml by making up plausible lies to lo satisfy BaUsh the newspapers newspapers news news- papers when he could give II cm ern better belter better bet bet- ter stories which arc are actually true If Ir they would take lake em cm on his say so he j said ald Id as ho he wiped the tho froth roth from rom his I 1 remember er once whenn when ithen n a g guy guyy named and l nd myself were runnIng n a snake show In New York that hat we wc couldn't pa pay the rent beC because because be be- C cause the papers pl wo wouldn't give ve u us nn any publicity although we wt w h had the tho finest collection of oC wrigglers that was ever gotten together Ve We e were we're running It 11 Iton iton on the dead level le liar nar nary a fake about It and Mca Merrill's s was hl highly In- In C and Interesting and more inure than titan half true ue but we saw that we couldn't win wit out al at the game unless we wo crooked it Vc We were running so rill fit behind that the only thin thing which saved ed us front from a dispossess was th the fact that time they couldn't get a constable who would carr carry the snakes out to Iho tho sidewalk but bul Merrill Merritt was a n re resourceful resourceful re- re cuss and I 1 felt confident tint that he would figure out some scheme to win out Jim says rays S he Its necessary for or us to give I e cm em a tie sensation noa tI on Weve We've tried trier to ton run this game as liS a a. a purely moral and anti Instructive entertainment but we need the money and I 1 reckon wo o o 0 ogot got gol to lo spring a cold collI deck on em cm I Iguess Iguess guess youve you've got gol to to stand for being attacked b by an tn untamable man eat In ing python You can count me out on that thai says say's I I. I Every cry paper In the ell eH city would write me mo up as ns a Victim of the demon Rum Hum Merritt looked discouraged discouraged dis ells for or a minute but his face Cace suddenly lighted up and I knew he had found Coun a wa way Jim says hays he If IC we wc only tal take c half hulf o of our usual allowance of firewater firewater fire fire- water tonight we will have havo enough a ash h to bu buy dome some paint Now theres there's that big white python the only specimen specimen specimen men ever er captured the gl says lYS he That was one trouble with Merrill icel get gel et so stuck on the language langua e o ho manufactured that lint he he- could not lot ot leave lea cave It out even In our business and It used up a lot of Mine into ne Th That t python Is the straight c sa says hp hr but he ho doesn't catch helm heir eyes so MO Ill I'll paint the blame make snake Ted red white while and blue and und chris chris- cn en cn him the e a unum andie and Ive Ivo the reporters something to work fit n. n n says he work up url the them m IOl and nuel set cm em writing In iii Inho Mie ho papers to prove pro that thai there thero Isn't my such thing but weve we've got the Cr for or that for Coa we can show em em emlOe nc lOe at twenty live cents per I n never ncr cr could stand for Cor nam slim ning the generous public but hut my mv I P Looked lI like tit till pennant of tf a u o naun I meal steal ticket was Cysts punched so to full Cull of oC holes hole that inched ed like Ilke u a pores POI plaster and 1 I copra co Merritt spent rent most oC of the the- tight thc night decorating that thal python on un to the morning It looked like the pennant of a o man I 1 had to lo loil sit il It up and watch him for fot he had hud tits artistic temperament and tind he lie was so carried u awa by Iby his hll enthusiasm that lint If IC 1 I hadn't restrained him he would have put on the tho coat of o of the United States State eagle motto and all II Now says fRS he he when ho had finished finished fin Un- and stepped back buck lo tu admire hl his work If It that blame snakes snake's mother would know shim him If she he met tact him hint on the tho street Im I'm Im I'm a Dutchman If this dont don't make em em cm sit It up and take nc lc Ice then Ill I'll go o to night school to learn the show how business ine 5 How Hots lid did the scheme work work 1 asked ask as- as ed cd the Pr Proprietor as the as-the the Press Agent I 1 paused to make the lie grand rand hailing sign sig I n noC of oC distress to the waiter walter j Work ork he answered How dona don does a fake ake always work In Now New York 1 Why h l P. P T T. Barnum Darnum had the mold for Cor his petrified d man made from Crom tho the legs leg s of oC one man and the body of another l' l and he ho didn't even cven take the trouble t lo to o smooth ort oft the ridges where the edges mot met when ho he cast It In Portland |
