Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1847-07-07
FUN IN EMBRYO AND A JOKE FULLY DE.


fELOPED,
Barnum, the prince OF Snowman, was conducting
a select party of visitors around the American Mu-
scum, showing them the club that killed Captain
Cook, an article about which there is so much GU
roslty, that one may be found in every museum in
England, and all the principal ones in America
enough ID all, to make several cords, running mea
sure; the rope that hung Gibbs the pirate, ofwhich
we have seen some hundreds of yards, of different
sizes. and heard of some pretty long yarns beside
the scabbard of the sword that Baaam wanted to
Stay his ass with; a tooth from the jaw bone with
which Samson slew the PhiIistines one of Phara-
obs lynch pins, found imbedded in the shell of an
oyster in the Red Sea; piece of pair of ancient
stays supposed to be stifened with the bone OF the
whale that swallowed Jonah the tap of cider bar
rel found on the battle field of Tppecanoe, in won
deru state OF preservation; piece OF the Tet Slip
per, worn by Fanny Essler when she danced for the
benefit of the Bunker Hill Monument and many
other very curious things, for particulars of which
O. see small bills"
In passing around, visiter joined the party, who
looked at every thing, if determined TO get his
moneys worth
=" These very curious things" said Barnum-
. but they nothing to what / have got in EN-
bryo."
The ladies' Uttered, the gentleman started-the
verdant querisA stammered out" Perhaps don't
exactly understand the use of the term. l.thought
ou.meant you had it in the custom-house, and
hadn't paid the duties =
Increased laughter-without the applause
+" Dang i'll know we'll enough what the word
means. You've GIT it in pawn
But Barnum does not always have the laugh in
his favor, and yrry pretily done by One OF en-
A few days since a grave looking gentleman in spec
tacles called and inquired he could see the propr
etor of the Museum. On being introduced, he took
him confdentially aside and with face Of earnest
and solemn import began:
"'Alr Barnum have heard that you were anx-
ious to procure all great and rare curosities"
"Always-I secure them if money will do it."
"Weil, sir, have lately returned from Egypt, and
have in my possession one of the most curious liv
ing specimens of Natural History in the whole ami
NAL kingdom most extraordinary creature which
beiei is not to be found in any Museum in the
world
Describe it. what is it like 2" said Barnum, in a
tremor OF anxiety.
Il know not whether to call the monster fish or
reptile. 1t is found IN the warm regions of the
Upper Nile, and is probably common in the tropical
ATTITUDES OF the interior of Africa. AT first it is
wholly aquatic, has neither legs nor fins, but tail
like fish, and may be seen sporting at the bottom
OF the water Alter certain time, ii undergoessa re-
markable change in its whole appearance. Like the
rattle snake it sheds its skin, and assumes shape
long like Kangaroo-or more resembling the GU
rang-outang, or the human species, of which it is
supposed by some supposed to be the progenitor,
ii entirely loses its TAIL and from this time il is like
the crocodile, amphibious, and possesses other
markable peculiarlties. ! succeeded in catching
previous TO this transformation, which will take
place in few weeks
'is it possible Well, that is a curiosity really,
much the Mermaid said the proprietor of
the Museum, IN fdget, lest the prize should slip
through his fingers
More, my dear sir, said the traveller, " for in
the Mermaid the transformation is but half compile
ted. The arms are developed but the tail remains
"True-yery true-what are your terms -
Well sr-l care very little for the profit of it
but fyou will prepare aproper tank filled with Gro
ton water and kept sufficiently warm you shall have
this curious animal for fifty dollars week until the
transformation takes place, and one hundred after
wards
d" Done| cried Barnum,-.its bargain. Ill get
out some bills directly and dsve he sat, and wrote
TREMENDOUS ATTRACTIONS FROM UPPER EGYPT.
The Greatest Curiosity ii TIE knorcn World! the
u ondaJui-
" What is the name of this animal?'
Well before it changes its shape, it is called the
Pollawog or Tadpole afterwards it is called Frog,
replied the stranger looking mildly over his specta
ces
Banum dropped his pen and stood upright, look.
ing at the learned tray eller i'll absolute astonishmen
an entirely new specimen of perilachon.