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

else by darling their right arms up
and down, produced spasmodic
kind of music.
The proprietor of this rambling
theatre was armed at all times with
a long waggoncr's whip, and kept
pacing up and down the long plat :
form, in company with "NIr. Merry
man. who now and then stopped
and entered into conversation with
him, at the extreme edge of the scat
folding; in the course of which he
would prove, for the edifcation of
his grining audience, that his master
was a most complete and irrcclaim-
able fool. These colloquies invaria.
bly, ended by the master violently
whipping Mr.. Mcrrymm, to- avoid
which castigation he made comical
leaps and summcrscts.
The actors were walking back
ward and forward in pairs, in spang-
led dress, and very black eye brows
and mustachios. The knights in
full armour who had no ladies lean
ing on their arms, walked together
crossing their arms on their breasts,
and frowning magnificently. The
members of the pantomimc would
occasionally come to the front, and
join in comic song, at the conclu-
sion of which, they would commence
a mock fight, or two of them would
pull, by means of thick roap, an
immense pastboard tooth, apparent
ly from the jaws of a third; at all of
which tricks the people laughed
prodigiously.
The whole strength of the compa-
ny would then join in merry
dance, and the gaping mechanics
thought that the ladies were the fin
est in the world, and their sweet
hearts entertained the same opinion
of the gentlemen. When the dance
was concluded, the whole company
advanced; some assured the audi
encc they were "going in to bet
GIN" and the knights in full armor
uplifted their glittering right arms,
in the same attitude they assume
when summoning their armies OF
fifty thousand men, who lie conceal
ed in that terra iacQgnHa-behind
the sccne-and said in a sublime
anu erII1'iiHS manner, "Wall- ~r
walk up! only th-r-r-ce pence to
the gallcryr' after which they dis
appeared, and the people, thinking
they should see no more outside, did
walk up and pay their thrccpcnccs.
In the midst Of the noise and con-
fusion would appear the bull of yes
tcrday, tora, bleeding and broken
hearted; with the same brutal fell
low mounted upon his back, and his
gang surrounding him; the poor ami
NAL walked quietly enough, without
leading now. The fellow would
stop Ill the centre OF the crowd, and
call for three cheers, which were
given "with WILL" all the gongs
ANA .'"mpets and drums accompa-
nying them.
Presently were heard the rat tot
of military drums and the shriIl
voices Of the ambitious flies, ali
cleared the way as they approached,
and Il recruiting sergeant and his
party, with drawn swords and
streaming ribbons, walked through
the lane made for them; a few
drunken recruits Gallowcd with rib
bons in their caps, joking in dcspcr-
ate bravado, to hide the rcmorse they
felt at having sold their liberty in a
drunken fit, for shilling.
Next came forward man mount
ed on an ass, with a COOS strapped
tightly to his back. The individual
rang a large bell, and called on the
people to follow him. lie haultcd
at short distance and demanded
a ring to be made, this was done :;
when he asked for volunteers for
"a game of blind goose" Six or
eight men stepped forward, who
were imme diotcly blindlolded, and
placed at equal distances from each
other, round the ring when all was
ready the man with the goose began
ringing his bell, and all rushed TO-
wards the sound; then he ceased
ringing his bell, and lodged the adj
vancmg men, who rushed in COLI.
sion and fell over on the ground.
While they were in confusion, he
would ring the bell in another part
OF. the ring, and dodge them again,
and so the game continued until the
goose was secured by one of them.
There had been heavy rain, and the
goose Hunters were covered with
mud, which gave great joy to the
beholders.
Several other games cnsucd,
.gghich have not space TO cnumcr-
nl,nHl9id, in concluding this paper.
If w.. I've leave to say that if any
tr,n NY i''''>"s deem the scenes un.
'nem that Except N'c. bull 'l bo ufi"f'
which | believe has cen D"., a '",:'''S'