Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 July 1901 — The Lion and the Mirror. [ARTICLE]

The Lion and the Mirror.

Possibly a lion’s wife would appreciate a looking-glass, but a small mirror in the hands of a small boy so frightened and excited Big Bom tho largest lion In the zoo, that, says tho Press, the keepers feared ho would do violence to himself. Ben bad been In an angry mood all day. The presence of the small boy was particularly distasteful to him, and* tho lion raged and stormed as only a big lion can. Tho lad watted until the tirade was over, and then drew a band-mirror from under his coat and held It directly In front of Ben. Tho lion looked. Then bo Jumped for the intruder that dared to face him in snch a fashion, but brought up against the bars with forco enough to throw him to the floor. Surprised at the appearance of tho lion In the glass, he filled the house with his roars. The keepers ran to the cage and endeavored to quiet blm, but he continued the uproar until exhausted. In tho meantime tho adventurous youthr had disappeared, nnd was discovered In front of the wolves’ cage cage trying to excite Ho was led from the garden end warned to keep away. About a year ago a serious disturb* nnco at the zoo was duo to tho flash* lng of a mirror In front of the lion’s den. At that tlmo tho lions, with the exception of ono or two of tho wildest, were kept in ode cage. *' A visitor held a mirror In front of them one afternoon, and the beasts were thrown Into panic. They fought and dashed at the bars with such violence that It was feared several would die as a result of their frantic struggles, It required the efforts of all th£ keepers for several hours before they could ho quieted,