The Lion Tamer.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8016, 30 December 1905, Page 4

The Lion Tamer.

[Fbom tax Gebman] Emily Kande was a strange girl, the people 01 the little town Baid. Strange of appearance, strange in her manners and strange to her thoughts; altogether different from the girls among whom she had grown. Har mother was a good housewife, with no i» terest but her household affairs; the father had eyes for nothing but his business, and Emily was allowed to follow her own tastes, read whatever books she pleased, and take lessons in English, French, Italian and piano playing.

She had grown up to a tall, beautiful girl, with brown hair and deep brown wistful eyes, but with a cold, mephistophelian smile od her curved lips. One day she told her parents that she wanted to make an independent living; that she did not see why a girl should sit waiting idly for a man to come and marry her and make her his housekeeper without any salary. She intended to become a teacher, and they might as well give in gracefully then and there, as she would force her will through, no matter what happened. The poor parents were horrci stricken, and did not understand how their child had conceived these strange ideas. No matter how far the father went back in the family records, he could find no trace of any female professor, and the mother cried when she thought that her Emily would now have to wear spectacles, which would make her so ugly that surely no man would look at her. They refused to consent, and a few hours later Emily had disappeared. A letter, which she left behind, told them not to worry, and said that she would return when she found a position which would make her independent of others. She would never do anything todisgraeajiersell or them.

A travelling circus had pitched its tent on the common, and the whole population was listening to the clown, who, dressed in tights and spangled velvet, made his speech:

" Ladies and Gentlemen,—This is the famous Circus Becker from Antwerp, which has visited all the capitals of Europe. Do you hear the roaring of our six lions, which greet you in genuine Numidian manner. In a short while the show will begin. The famous lion tamer, Emilia di Gandio, will actually pat her head in the mouth of the greatest lion ever seen in captivity." In a green waggon behind the tents sits the famous lion tamer, Emilia di Candio, who is no other than Emily Kande. She ia playing with a whip, and next to her stands a young man in evening dress, with high riding boots. He is down on the programme as the famous lion tamer, Leonardo Gospi. In reality he is the son of a distinguished family, who repudiated him because he fell In love with a poor girl 'while at the University of Heidelberg. He succeeded in making a living, but when he proposed to the girl the only laughed at him, and told him that she could do better than to marry a man witbont money. The blow almost made him insnne, and in the hope that the lions would kill hire he had come to Director Becker and offered to train hi 3 hitherto untamed linns. Here he met Emily, who soon became i:is partner in the dangerous act, but who often went into the cage alone, because this accrued to attract more people. From the very first she exerted a strange power over the beasts, and never knew any fear. In the beginning the director stood outside the cage with an iron rod ready to strike in case any of tbe beasts prove unruly, but soon noticed that his presence only seived to enrage them, so of late be left the young girl to handle them alone.

To-day he had discharged Leonardo Gospi, hoping to part tbe young people, and was dumbfounded when Emily threw her arms around her lover's neck and announced that she would leave with him immediately after the announced performance. Every seat in tbe immense tent was filled. The elephant had already eaten twenty loaves of bread and a bushel of apples, aud the great cage with the six lions was wheeled into the arena. Director Becker took his iron rod and placed himself near the bars. With furious roars the animals tried to break through, but he remained motionless and smiled spitefully. The doer on the other side the cage opened and the wonderfully bxiutiful girl entered with the dignity of a queen, throwing kisses to the audicijrt. while the huge beasts, purring like cats, uwu down at her feet. Kneeling down she opened the mouth of the largest lion and put her bewitehing head between the gleaming teeth. With a malicious grin tbe director poked the lion with the iron rod. The beast roared, a stream of blood shot into tbe air and a terrible cry rang out through tbe tent. The audience arose'terror-gtricken and looked at a woman in the background who cried out, "My child! My poor child'." Then a pistol shpt was heard and Director Becker sank to the ground Bhot through the hurt.

The police have given up looking for Leonardo Gospi.