Hannibal journal. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1852-1853, 1852-09-16
iron rHg JouRNAL.1

as fact, and if it should turn out to be doubl,
joke, Chat is that he imagined the story to foo
me WITH on his own head be the blame:
1t seems that the news had been pretty ex.
tensivey circulated, that Mr.. Curtis, of the en-.
terprising finn Of Curtis s. Lockwood, was ex.
hibiting at their store, for the benefit of the ma
tives, show of some kind, bearing the attract.
i've title of " Bonaparte crossing ;he Rhine, u
upon which he was to deliver lecture, explain
ing its points, and giving the history of the
piece, the price being " one dime per head
children half price," Well, the other day about
dusk, young man went in, paid his dime,
"saw the elephant" and departed, apparently
"with flea in his ear" but the uninitiated
could get nothing out of him on the subject; he
was mum--had seen the varmint, and that was
the full extent of the information which could
be pumped out of him by his enquirng friends.
Well, everybody who saw the sight seemed
seized with sudden fit of melancholy mmedi-
ately afterwards, and dimes began TO grow
scarce. But pretty soon Jim c., with a
crowd of eager boys at his heels, was seen COM
ing down the street like half dozen telegraphs.
They arrived at the store, gasping and out Of
breath, and Jim broke out with:
"Mr. Curtis - want TO see that - show!
Whats-price!
ooh, we let boys see it at half price-hand
out your five cents"
jim had got done blowing by tlis time, and
threw down his money in as great hurry as if
life and death depended upon the speed of his
movements, saying:
"Quck! Mr.. Curtis, l want to see it the
worst kind"
eyes, Oh yes; you want to see 'Bonaporte
crossing the Rhine oyou," said Abram, very
deliberately.
''Yes, that's it-that's what l want to see,
seid Jim, who was so anxious TO see the show
that he could scarcely stand still.
"Well, you shall see it," said the worthy ex-
hibitor, with wise look, at the same time drop
ping the five cents into the money drawer, "and
l hope by this show to impress upon your
young minds, this valuable piece OF history, and
illustrate the same in so plain manner that the
silIiest lad amongst you will readily comprehend
it."
The juvenile audience was now breathless
with expectation, and crowded around with ca
ger looks, and not the slightest movement on the
part of the learned lecturer was overlooked by
them, as he drew from drawer piece Of bone
about three inches long, and holding it up before
the wondering boys, he slowly and deliberately
commenced his lecture, or explanation:
my young friends, you now perceive"
eyes SIR" interrupted Jim with mouth, eyes
and ears wide open.
GAS was saying" contipued Mr.. Curtis,
'you now see before you the 'Bonaparte' the
'Bony-pdrt, you understand, the 'bony part of
a hogs leg (house shakes with laughter from
the crowd which had now assembled, but Jim
did not join in the general merrimcnt, but look
ed very sober, seeming to think there was very
little about it to laugh at, at least on his sido)
yes, boys" said Abram, as grave and solemn as
ajudge about TO pass sentence, " this is the boz
ny-part of a hogs leg"
'Is-is a-a-that all!'' gasped poor Jim, begin
ming to look blue about the gills.
ooh no." said the lecturer, "this is merely
part of the exhibition" and he took from
shelf piece of meat skin about as large as a
piece of paper l. e. the size of a dollar bill, and
presenting it to view he proceeded with the lee
ture.
"Now, my young hearers, this you see is the
Rhine'-yes." he continued, as solemnly as be-
fore, "this is the Rhine, properly speaking,
the hogs rind-a piece of hogs rnd
When the laugh had subsidized, Mr.. c. again
went on with the explanation:
"Now, young gentlemen, draw near and give
me your attention moment, for this is the most
part of the exhibition" and old |
Abram looked and spoke, if possible, still more
wise and solemn than before; then slowly
passing the piece of bone back and forth across
the skin, he said, 'you see boys this is the 'bony
part crossing the rind,' very lucidly explained
yes, drawing his bone across again with the
most imperurablc gravity imaginable, amid the
oars of laughter) this sir, is, may be allowed
o say, ve,y apt illustration of that noted event
n history, Napoleon crossing the Rhine You
ave now learned valuable lesson"
"Yes" broke in Jim Al have that, but it's i
re last one you'll ever learn me-(laughter) /
pure nothing but an old swndler, anyhow a
-enewed laughter, which somewhat rled our II
'ro) yes, this is a swindling shop and a swind. \