Rosa Bonheur, whose pictures of animals are among the most famous in the world, loved the wild creatures that she painted.  At one time she had for a model a fierce lion named Nero who, after a while, had to be taken away to Paris.

The day came when he was to go.  The horses that were to draw the great beast’s cage to the city shivered with dread at the odor of the flesh-eater.  Nero was quiet, but he looked sadly at his mistress, and his gold-yellow eyes seemed full of reproach.

[Illustration:  Rosa bonheur.]

Months later the artist went to see him in one of the gardens of Paris.  He was blind and dying.

“Oh, my poor Nero!” she said.  “What have they done to you?”

The lion lifted up his huge head, and listened for a moment.  Then, slowly and with pain, he crawled close to the bars of his cage, where she could stroke him.  About the artist and her pet there were only rough men and women and boys of the city streets, but every man’s hat came off, and there was not a dry eye in the crowd.

Rosa Bonheur did not confine her tenderness to dumb animals.  In her prosperity she was kind to many poor artists who were working under hard and discouraging conditions.  For years before her death she lived in a village on the edge of the Forest of Fontainebleau, and here she brought the wild animals, the tame pets and the human friends whom she loved, to share her cheerful, happy life.

EXHIBITIONS OF TRAINED ANIMALS SHOULD BE DISCOURAGED.

Those who enjoy going to the circus or menagerie or to any show of wild animals ought to consider how they would like to be shut up as prisoners all their lives, and forced to do unnatural tricks.  Some animal trainers try to make the public believe that tricks are taught by kindness and that the animals are comfortable and happy; but persons not in the business who have had an opportunity to watch trained animals behind the scenes say that there is a great deal of suffering among them.  To all these questions we can apply the Golden Rule and deal with these creatures that are at men’s mercy as we should wish to be dealt with if we were in their place.

[Illustration:  The king of beasts.  From a Painting by Rosa Bonheur.]

The king of beasts.

I am a great lion, and one of the strongest animals in the world.  I used to live far away in Africa, and when I roared, all who heard my voice were afraid.

I hunted to get food for myself and my little ones.  I never killed for fun.  It is only men who kill creatures and call it sport.  Wild animals are not so savage as that.

You wonder that I am in this cage when I am so strong.  I am afraid of men.  They are wise and cruel.  They made a trap and caught me.  They have made these iron bars which are stronger than I am.