Stories Of Lion Tamers

New York Sun. Paris Letter. - Another lion-tamer hrs just been devoured. The event occurred in an out-of-the-way town of Bourges, and, strangeenough, while the man was putting nis animáis through their training. As most readers delight in stoiies of the kind, I went down to Asnieres, near Paris, where Bidel resides, and interviewed the grent lion king on the subject. Bidel lias a fine house at Asnieres in the Rué de la Comete, near the Avenue d'Argenteuil. He is now a rich man. The entrance to nis place is a large monumental gate, with stone pilasters supporting sculptured lions' heads en either side. There is a pretty well trimmed garden, and beyond it the house, or rather a French country chateau, built in fairly good taste, af ter the manner of what our modern French architects cali the styifi of Louis XIII. The owner of this fine property received me very courteously, as most Frenchmen know how. Inoti.edthat tho walls of the room in which weconversed were copied all over with genuine Gobelins tapestry. On peeping into the dining-room I caught sight of the dressers and sideboards, which were loaded with oíd china and rare pottery. The tall woodcarved chimney in the background had been magnilicently decorated by Rosa Bonheur, the rsnowned French artist, with representations of "Nero" and "Sultan," Bidel's pet lions. Bidel is a stout, thick-set man, with a dark eye, jet-black hair, and a poweiful, sturdy frame. In the autumn of last yenr he was mangled by Sultan. He has now fairly recovered from the shock his nerves sustained on that occasion, but still retains a lively sense of the danger to which he was exposed; so much so. iníact, that he has given up all idea of again entering Sultan's cage, or, indeed, that of any other of the wild beastw which go to make up his leally fine collection of animáis. "I was born in Rouen in 1840, said the tamer, "and an consequently fortyseven years of age. My mother kept a stroiling menagerie, and we traveled tor many yeai's over France and Italy, after which we carne up to Paris. I began the training of animáis in my youth, andenteredalion's cage for the first time when a mere etnppling. So you see I was born and bred to the business, and have had opportunities from nfancy to study the habits and tempers of all sorts of wild beasts, a thingseldomafforded to most of thosewhofo'.lowmy profession." "Is there any difficulty infinding men who have not had those advantages to perform with lions?" "No; .ome one or other turns upoccasionally who is able to do it. But ! itis easy for us to see from thestyleof the performance whether a man has been bred to it or not." "How long does it take before man and beast are fit to appear in public?" "It depends a greatdealon the man, and in a measure with the animal he has to work with. Now, there is Alexiano, my pupil, who has thoroughly daunted thatalmostirreclaimably fierce lion, Sultan, by whom I was nearly torn to pieces last f all. From tho first hour he entered the cate he got complete control over the brute, and accomplishedin a few days what might have required as many inonths in another. He is one of the most dosged, unflinching tamers I have ever met, all brawn and sinew, and as stout hearted as an elephant. He was born at Orleans, and is by seven years or so my junior?" "Would you, if the occasion required, enter a cage of strange lions and perform with them?" "Certiiinly; I have done so on more than one occasion." 'Have you ever ielt nervous?" "Why, yes, morts especially on account of the fleas!" "But you must have experienced some npprehension, surely, when you were mauled by Sultan?" "Had I given way to the slightest touch of fear on that occasion I should not. be here to talk the matter over with you. When a man begins to feel qualmish it is high time he should give up lion-taming." "Were you present when Lucas was killed?" "No. I was not in Paris at the time. That was under the Empire. The accident occurred at the old Ilippodronm when it stood near the Triuiuphal Arch and before it was burned down. Lucas, although a Spaniard, was somewhat a tippler. He had the rashness to enter the lion's cage n-hen excited by drink, and was torn to pieces by an animal with which he as performing. A lad of : eighteen ventured into the inclosure and brought out his mangled remains. He was decorated by the Emperor, but went out of his mind soon afterward from the mental strain of the moment." "Do moet tamers of wild beasts die a violent death?" "No. It is usually the result of imprudence. A smart trainer never gives a chance away. He may, of courae, get scratched or bitten, but he is rnrely eaten." "Have you known besides yourself any renowned trainers who have made a fortune and retired from the business?" "Why, yes, scores. There is Van Amburgh and Charles, commonly reported as a victim of his art, who died pcncefully of consumption in his bed; and Henri Martin, who had won renown long before the French historian oí Ihat name had penned a line, and ol whom all modern masters in the art of taming wild beasts speak with respect and veneration, quietly departed this lite a few years ago at the advanced age of ninety, in his little house at Overchle, a villaee near Rotterdam, where ho had lived in retirement for forty yearp, among his collectiona of butterflies and his books on botany." "Then you think tha death of this f man at Bourges was brought about by earelessness? Did you know him?" "Yes: his name waa Agop Shaninion. He was of Turkish extraction, about forty years of age, and belonged to Redenbach's menagerie. Hewasako the husband of Nouma IIn.ua II., a fomale lion-tamer, who has since gone out of her mind, and is now in a lunatic asylum. Lagardere, the animal which killed Agop, is as gentle as a spaniel. On a sign from the finger Lagardere would He down as if dead, and suffer himself to be dracged about the door of his cage by the tail. He could be inounted like a horse, or sat uponlikeasofa. No more docile wild beast could well be found anywhere. Agop knew thia, and was reckless. He was putting the animal through its lessons In a careleas manner; the lion stretched itseX on its side; the trainer sat down as usual on its ribs, when the beast turned up its head, caught Agop by the nape of the neck, and crunchedtheunfortúnate tamer's baekbone with his jaws. After that Lagardere rose, threw the body back over his mane, proudly walked the cage with the dead man's neck still firmly held by his fang3. A boy, who happened to be inside the booth at the time, raised an alarm, and rushed to the rescue with a prong. The neighbors carne in and the lion was finally forced intoan adjoining cage, whed the trainer's corpse was cot out. It is clear to my mind that Agop either sat down too heavily or too suddenly on thebeast's side, and with his back turnedtoward the animal. A careful trainer, however tame the lion may be, should never altogether loss sight of his charge." "Who is 'Miss Victoria, your pupil? She is not English, surely?" "No; stie is M. Alexiano's wife. Victoria is her maiden name, and we add to it the title of 'Miss,' pour la frime, by way of parade." "Are you acquainted with any other female tamer of account?" "PerhapsMme. Soulet, betterknovrn by the name of Nouma Hawa L, who was so dreadfully lacerated at Verviors in November last, and has now completely recovered from her wounds. I know of no other worthy of being placed on a footing with Mme. Alexiana." "And how did Mme. Soulet meet with her accident?" "It was after this wise. Theregular trainer of Brutus, a young lion two years old (the mother of whom, by the way.devoured her trainer at Rome in 1883). being absent, Mme. Soulet determincd to put the animal through a rehearsal of its performance. M. Grenier, one of the grooms, was in the cage when the lion was admitted. On the appearance of Mme. Soulet with her whip, Brutus flew at her throat, teaiing part of her lower jaw away and otherwise mangling her. She screamed for help, and Bonvillant, the principal keeper, rushed into the cage nnd bravely flew to the rescue. Seizing the brute' s jaw, he forced it to let go its hold of Mme. Soulet, who found strength to escape irom the cage. M. Soulet himself had entered the cage in the meantime, and was attacked in his turn, receiving a severe clawing. A fearful struggle ensued between Bouvillant and the lion, the man fighting for dear life in the deadly grapple. At length the brut was drivcn off by pitchforks, and, more dead than alive, the gallant keeper got out, only to swoon away on the menagerie floor. Though shockinely mangled, Bonvillant is now considered out of danger. All the wounded persons, of course, received immediate surgical attendance, Brutus the while looking on with indifïerence, apparently none the worse for his prodding. "And you, M. Bidel, how are you getting on after your severe encounter with Sultan?" "Oh, pretty well; I feel rather weak still, but the partial paralysis of the jaw, which carne on afterward, prevented my reentering the cage. As it is only a local affection, the doctors say I shall entirely get over it, if I retnain quiet for a few months."