In the days when one large tent answered for both the circus and
menagerie we once met with an experience that seemed to reverse all the
laws relative to the handling of animals. We were stopping at a small
place in Indiana. The crowd which we had managed to get under the
canvas was a large one, and they were taking in the show with all the
eyes they had. Suddenly one of our leopards, made uneasy by something
or other, managed to make his escape from the cage. With a snarling cry
the creature ran into the ring where the ponies were doing their
"turn." The presence of this ferocious animal almost threw the crowd
into hysterics--women screamed and men shouted; some of them made a
hasty exit under the canvas wall. Meanwhile the leopard had crouched
for a spring. All the wildness of the jungles seemed to have returned
to his veins and shone out in the flashes from his cat-like eyes in a
way to send terror to the heart of the veteran trainer. The crowd
seemed to hold its breath for an instant as the critical moment came.
With a peculiar scream the creature leaped into the air and landed
squarely upon the back of the nearest pony. At this exciting juncture a
drunken countryman was seen making his way toward the ring. People
shouted to him, but to no avail; the fellow swaggered on into the ring
and made straight for the leopard. The pony was rearing frantically and
crying piteously. As the madman ran he grabbed up a whip which had been
lying in the ring and approached the leopard with upraised hand. The
creature was too busily engaged with the pony to take notice of its new
enemy. Soon the air was filled with the sound of resounding blows, that
fell upon the back of the leopard. Soon the creature was compelled to
loosen its hold; but the man did not stop. With an awful frenzy he
rained the blows upon the creature until the animal whined with terror.
By this time the trainers had arrived on the scene and the creature was
driven back to its cage thoroughly cowed. But the madman was not
satisfied. He continued to prance about in the ring, kicked up his
heels and shouted: "Turn yer elephants and lions loose!" Of course he
was the hero of the hour.