DARLING THE LION TAMER SAVED BY HIS GREAT DANE.

Waikato Times, Volume XLI, Issue 3344, 2 December 1893, Page 11

DARLING THE LION TAMER SAVED BY HIS GREAT DANE.

>on the 14th of' July Hagenback's •Menagerie in the Midway Plaisance, At Jackson's Park, Chicago, was the ; .scene of a thrilling incident which ;:baroly missed being a tragedy, and ' would have been but for the courage-; bus act,of a noble dog that willing to lay - down its life lor its friend and master. Liou-tamer Darling had been putting.a number'of-huge beasts through all sorts of astounding feats, land the: audience-had trembled; mar« .veiled, and cheered as the performance progressed. As a sensational' finale Darling harnesses three big lions to a' red chariot,,,,.tears, round, the arena three or,:four ; timesj and', whisks ; off, always ainid a storin ; qf .applause.,Tp ' make a long on fche :eyen-" ing of the. 4 th, the largest lion, Pasta, " war cro^sv'broke |;v ldoro ; 'the chariot, and when Darling tried to get it back into place again, turned .and, sprang.iipon him >yith a savage roar; the trainer sprang I 'aside nimbly, .and the lion only ripped his coat from neck to The spectators shrieked, and "then held their breath jwjth-horrpr, as they beheld the savage Mast about to spring/igaml /The man must be torn to pieces—there seemed no chance of escape.! /But ere the lion ..could spring again—the whole thing happened,in. a few (i seconds—one of Dafling'/Greal; fDanel_ Kad it L by th 6 throat and checked it, The trainer • has-4>v;o Danes that he .has praise;! fr<jm andj/(junpg ■•/ the evening's performance they had to, 1 do their share of trained acts. More* over, Darling- always keeps one of them in the caged arena with him ; ; and bisconfidence inliis of: any accident; jSivas iipt' misplaced. Tlie dog must; have knqwn ;that to on' 1 ' •.almost certain death, yet it'did 'not hesitate. Reckless of consequences, ,; the noble brute sprang : to its maker's rescue,, iandequrageously .the in- ' fgriated king of' beasts; 'The lion roared with rage," and endeavoured to throw off the Great Dane, but the dog , hung- on with great gameness, and thereby gave itsmasterW lopportunity to escape. The crowd cheered wildly, and ( Darling's Svife,- who occii'* pied a box, sprang to the iron caging ■and ; begged him to leave the arena. But no, the plucky 'German wquld -not desert Ins faithful friend, r to leave to a cruel death the noble dog that had risked his life for his; t Near the< entrance .of the arena'. lay a// stout . ,cudgel ; ; Darling seized it, and with marvellous 5 nerve atkekedthe'enraged lion just as it at last shook off'tile dog. ■Tile traiiier-8 first effort landed»6h ! the ..auiruul's nose with terrific force, and ; he followed it with a perfect storm of 1 blows,so accurately •ainied' ! f and rapidly 'dealt that in, a few moments the \ huge . beast' lay ;; at his feet thoroughly'cowed. He' quickly drove the_ lions to their dens, and then,, leading his brave dog, advanced to the middle of the' where he stood / fqr.av minute; or so vcaressing v it and bowing to the audience. The people -went simply ywild with delight,— . American Field. ; •