The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1845-09-26

! ly upon a siXpenny drum. From ev-
cry house proceeded insufI'erable eff
iluvia Of roast goose, and the air was
impregnated with an ahominablc
stencil Of onions and tobacco.
There were a number of whirligig
machines, each bearing a dozen
wooden horses, upon which eques-
trian-inclincd juvenility could mount
and be whirled round for the "small
sum of one ha' penny" and whoop
like veritablc huntsmen for nothing.
| noticed also some large wooden
boats, each attached with irons to
two poles, and swung backward and
forward to great height, by men
pulling ropes. Into there the young
men delighted to mount, and to treat
their sweethearts, cheering the men
who swung them aloft, and melting
them to send them higher; but,
"a change came DER The spirit of their ,tomaci,,"
and a remorscless air-sickncss soon
elongated their merry faces to a most
lugubrious length. 1t was in vain
they called upon their propcllcrs to
stop. The fellows only pulled away
with more heartincss, and the look
ers-on, thinking that it was now their
turn to laugh, greeted them with
cheers of dcrision, taking care at
the same time to "clcar the way"
But the great lions of the day were
the "Shows"-caravans painted yell
low-all containing some monstrosi-
ties or wonderful inventions. The
proprietors of these vehicles We'd
with each other in making a noise
to attract the attention of the gazing
multitude. Some beloved through
speaking trumpctS; some beat upon
enormous gongs, others had recourse
to discharging small pieces of can
non, while some were content to
trust to the strength of their lungs.
Add to this, that every caravan
boosted musicians of some kind, who
were performing on the platform
erected in front Of them; from the
simple drum and pandean pipes, ac-
companied by solitary clarinet,
(of petulent and shrill propcnsitcs.
and grey whiskers) belonging to the
keeper of the "Kentucl,y Giant" to
the full grown brass band Of the
n4.ollnos ularorc Eo"o.. III 4l-eSv
noises combined, with the trihing
addition Of three thousand squeaks
from the penny trumpcts of the chill
drcn, and the shouting Of a thousand
male and female vendors of the diff
fcrcnt commodities, and you will be
able to pity the case of any poor in
valid who might wish to sleep when
"the people" were determined to
''wakc."
Large paintings were hung on the
outside of the caravans, indicating
the contents of the interior. Now
you were invited to "wall, up and
:. ,'ihn wonderful giant, seven feet
Ill his StockIuSs." ,raip n man
strous dwarf solicited your patron
age. Farther on 'sliving lion stuff
ed with straw" and "rale Bengal
tiger, brought from the coast of NAL
aybar, in the West Indies" rcqucs-
ted you to ''roll up and examine
them for 'only the small sum of one
penny" Farther on was mermaid.
Another possessed a small specimen
OF the ''ralc say sarpint, caught on
the coast o'NIcrrihy." -There were
children with two heads, and sheen
ai'T calves with eight feet and flax
en- named Circassians, born in Stat
One had representation of the
great battle OF Waterloo, where the
A i"nG was s cutting off Bony's head"
Ano'hef noisiIy implorcd the public
patronage on account of the services
Nv had rendered to his countrv IN
importing, at an immense cyncnsn
IA rate live cannibal, WHO wouIj
eat raw beef before the company.
ana address them in his own lingo y
AS"n, asset of fellows, stripped to
'he waist, and wearing tight Gucrn-
sey. shirts, with boxing gloves on
t u hands, and their eyes and lips
on33ilcn, cntrcatcd you to "walk up
,n 49," sc, great Set-to between Mol
IT, n't tHo We black and Slashing Lane"
whr,ua' NC ,, sn,ll sum of three pence,
, lesson would entitlc you to take a
with any Ir y["d r. YOU we're inclined,
the "noJlc' 9 a. of tn, fancy men, in
There were. also coiine e.: i,
ressnto3ins, and ping shoWs, rcO ol
petratod by miniature 'uroctS' per-
PEELED to the dreadful a tcSrS s. u.s. I'M
siSt'ess force of spring-wirr,t. a' re-
!He deeds Of celebrated house anu
J'i breakers were enacted bcGora.
l you" r. cyas by wax figures. And all
49, vac small sum of one penny"
was n' TT, the most popular of the shows
Gre, o''c erected in the manner Of n
tarpaulinhn.d covered with an imnens" y"
ing five or s;was capable Of hold
| az 10 L..