The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1850-05-23
Ventriloquism.
A FACT.

that large crowd, composed of men,
women, and children, were seen ad-
vancing through the principal street Of
Hopfield, retired village in England
In the midst of them was black bear,
which walked unconcernedly along,
conducted by his keeper. The latter,
wore a drab surtout, large enough to
admit two persons of his dimensions
within its folds: a waistcoat much too
short, divorced from his pantaloons,
which gave evidence of great devotion
as the knees were worn threadbare !:
boots, which only lacked the soles, and
hat grown grey with time, widowed
of its brim. A young boy with famish-
ed look marched in front, blowing on a
fageolet and thumbing a tamborine.
Arriving in front of ..The Red Lion,n
the only tavern of the village, the bear
leader stopped, and forming a circle
around him, ordered bruin to stand up.
After brandishing a stick above the
head Of the animal, he commenced
dancing with him, chasse-ing right and
left, and throwing himself 0to the most
ludicIous attitudes, which bruin imita-
ted in style truly picturesque Itmay
be conceived that the inhabitants of
Hopfeld were delighted, and the crowd
laughed with good will and loudly
A ventriloquist of joyous mood, who
happened to be at "The Red Lion" be-
held from window the ludicrous scene.
Arrived that morning at Hoptield, he
had already formed just estimate of
the ignorance and creduliiy of its in
habitants, and the idea occurred to him
to amuse himself a little at their ex-
pense. He left the window, and Joined
the crowd of spectators, and availing
himself of momentary sessation of the
shrill fageolet and noisy tamborine, he
approached the Snowman.
"Your bear can doubtless speak %
said he with a serious air
The Snowman looked at him cum
ningly, shrugged his shoulders, and
answered roughly:
"Speak TO him yourself, and you'll
soon find out"
This was just the reply the ventrilo-
quist expected. He approached bruin,
and assuming most comical express
sion. he said TO the bear in a droll tone
of voice
"Allow me to compliment you, Mr..
Bruin-you are as graceful as an opera
dancer. What country claims the honor
of your birth 20
THE Alpe, in Switzcrland-'
We will not attempt to describe the
amazement Of the crowd: every one
was struck mute with fear and astonish-
ment; but the amaZement of the show
man would have offered an admirable
subject for the pencil Of Hogarth. sur
rounded by all those faces, in which
CONSERVATION was so strongly depicted.
His lack-lustrous eyes seemed starting
from their sockets; he stretched wide
his toothless mouth, and remained
aghast and motionlcss, as if his feet
had taken root where he stood.
The ventriloquist turned towards him
and said
"Your bear speaks very good Eng
lish, and has little remains of the Hell
veiic accent"
Then turning again to Bruin, he OBJ
served in kind tone
9You look sad; are you not well !'
aThe fogs Of England have given
me the spleen,n replied the animal.
Here the affrighted crcwd began to
move off.
ais it long time since you belonged
to this masterW
"Qnite long enough for me to be tired
Of him.
.Is he not kind to you, Bruin z"
"Oh! yes-as kind as the hammer to
the anvil
"Will you not seek revenge some
day w
aAssuredly. One of these mornings
| will eat him like a radish for my
breakfast ~
AT these words, the crowd, whose
curiosity had urged them, in spite of
their fearl gradually once more to ap-
proach, nov suddenly fell back on each
other, and great was the confusion that
ensued. The Snowman heard enough,
and forcibly drew the chain Of the ami
NAL, to enforce his control, but the wea-
ried bear growled fearfully.
The yentriloquist, perfectly satisfied
by this experiment, turned suddenly
about and hurried towards the tavern.
This augmented still more the fears Of
the spectators, and each one took to
their heels as If the bear was in pursuit
Of him. The ventriloquist having ar
rived At the inn, laughed heartily to see
the simple villagers flying in every
direction, whilst the imperturable bruin
remained quietly seated on his hind
legs, and seemed to contemplate with
philosophic unconcern the terrors he
had excited.
During the evening the ventriloquist
stosd 1t the door Of the tavern. around
which many of the inhabitants had
gathered. The theme of conversation
was naturally the adventure of bruin;
which was commented upon and ex-
aggerated according to the various
degrees Of fear Of the beholders. The
ventriloquist thinking that the joke had
been carried quite far enough, ex-
planned how he had played upon their
credulity. They listened to him first
nth c..y;ns;fx.. hnY vrhon ha had fluish-