Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-09-17


late in the same way, and she meets every da
in her walks those who have violated every Sc
cred obligation, and left to loneliness and power
ty those they were bound to cherish, and ye
live unrebuked. The new wife knows nothin
of her who is heart broken in the old lane
whilst her own ears are listening to vows Q
lightly esteemed, ,and may be as recklessly viols
ted. 1t is O sad picture of society in Christia
land, and seems almost incredible, proving no,
little conscience, and how much the law has
do with sin and the well-being of society.
A Chapter on Fleas.
We have lately heard of an individual who
for the last twenty years has devoted his life t
the intellectual training OF deas. de carries o.
his operations in little room in Marylebon
street, London. We enter-there are feas here
feas there, feas everywhere; no less than sixt
feas are here imprisoned and sentenced to har
labor for life. All of them are luckily chaine
or fastened in some way or other, so that es
cape and subsequent feasting upon the visiter
is impossible A little black speck jumps u
suddenly whereon the performance takes place
We walk ND to the insect and find that it is
monster flea attired ia laconvict;" he is free. b
move about, but wherever he goes, long gil
chain, tightly fastened round his neck, accompa
nies him. sass
Occasionally he tries to jump; the chain sool
brings him down again, strong as he is. w
are told that if flea be fastened to the end
an unbroken wheat straw, he will be strong e
nough to lift it right off the table on which !
is placed This discovery was first made by tn
flea proprietor, and made him turn his attention
towards utilizing the race. One would thinl
it were easy enough to procure troops OF feas
and to train them to perform, but it appears tina
neitheris an easy matter. 1t is not easy to pro
cure a lot of able bodied feas, and it is not ey
cry sort OF flea that will do They must b.
human feas dog feas, cat heas, and bird hea
are of no use-they are not lively enough no
strong enough, and soon break down IN thei
training.
Human fleas, therefore, must be obtained, ant
our friend has created market tor them. ln'
dealers are principally elderly females, wht
supply the raw material; the trade price OF meas
moreover Qike the trade price Of almost every
thing ese) varies, but the average price Is three
pence per dozen. In the winter time it is sn
pence; and, on the occasion, the trainer was O.
bliged to give the large sum of six pence for one
single flea. He had arranged to give q perfor'
nance, the time arrived, and he unpacked tne
feas one, whose presence could not be dispens
ed with. was gone. What was to be done T.
The vacancy must be filled: AT last an ostler
pitying the managers distress, supplied the
needfnl animal; but he required six pence for it
and six pence he got
We observed one fact, which gave us grea
pleasure: namely, that feas are at enmity with
bugs. There was one bug in bottle surround
ed by many heas; the poor bug rushed continu
ally from one end of the bottle to the other, run
ming the gauntlet of the assembled teas; every
flea he came near attacked him, and then re-
treated Immediately, as though half afraid o
him: the bug, overwhelmed by numbers, had the
worst of it, and beat an ignoble retreat into
bit of flannel.
Fleas are not always brought to market II
vial bottles. A flea proprietor told US that he
got all his best feas from Russia, and that they
came over in pill-boxes packed in the finest cot
ton wool. These feas were big, powerful, ant
good workers. We wonder whether the Gus
tomhouse authorities thought it worth while Il
examine the contents of these pill-boxes
A flea cannot be taken up from its wild stat'
and be made to work at once like colt or
puppy, it must undergo course OF training ant
discipline. The training is brought about a
follows The flea is taken up gently in pair Of
forceps, and moose of the finest glass silk il
passed round his body, and there tied with ape
culiar knot. The flea, unfortunately for him
self, has groove or depression between hi
neck and his body, which serves as capita
hold-fast for the bit of silk it can slip neithe
up or down, and he cannot push it off with hi
ers he is a prisoner, and is thus tied to work
This delicate operation is generally performed
under magnifying glass but, after time, thu
eve gets so accustomed to the work that the
glass is not always used. In no way is the per
forming flea mutilated; his kangaroo-like spring
ing legs are not cut off, nor are his lobster-lik'
walking legs interfered with. flea must be II
perfect health to perform well.
The first lesson given to the novice is tn
same as that given to child. namely, to walk
To effect this he is fastened to the end OF Sill
of card board, which works on a pin as on
pivot the moment he feels himself free iron
the hands, or rather forceps, of the harnesser, nj
gives tremendous spring forward. What j
the consequence He advances in circle, ant
the weight of the card board keeps him down
the same time. He tries it again, with tn
same result. Finally, he finds the progress HI
makes in no way equal to his exertlons ne there
fore. like wise flea, gives it up,and walks rount
and round with his card board as quietly as an olt
blind horse does in o mill. 10 arrive at thl
state of training requires about fortnight
Some heas have more genius than others, but
fortnight is the average time.
Among the trained feas already at work W
noticed the following: There was coach VIII
four Heas attached to it, who drew 1t along at
pretty good pace, and we should be inclined F"
back the coach in o race with common gardel
snail. 1t is very heavy for the little creature
to drag along, for one pane OF glass IN the coacl
is equal to the weight of one hundred neas.-
There was large flea, whose daily task Is .
drag along a little model of man-ot-war. 1t
amusing to see him push and struggle to get
long, but get along he does, although IT Is wv
hundred and forty times his own weight. A
gain, there are two feas secured, one at eac
end of little bit Of gold-colored paper: The
are placed in q reversed petition to each othe
One looking one way, the other another way
Thus tied, they are placed in sort of arena o
the top of musical box. AT one end OF th
box sits an orchestra composed OF meas, eac
tied to its seat, and having the resemblance
some musical instrument tied on the foremost
their legs The box is made to play the exhlt
itor touches each of the musicians with bit
stick, and they all begin waving their hands
bout as if performing an elaborate piece OF mt
sic. The tleas tied to the gold paper feel tn
jarring of the box below them, and begin to ru
round and round as fast as their little legs wi
carry them. This is called the ''Fleas' Waltz. u
Tightly secured in a tiny chair sits flea fi
} cling tiny cannon. Several times day th
unfortunate insect fires this cannon, and in thi
wise: One of the little slips which forms th
feather of quill pen, is fastened on to one {
his legs, and a little decorating powder place
, on its tin the exhibitor then presses the wan
down on to the cannon, and scratches the dett
mating powder it goes off with sharp rspor
making the looker-on jump, but it astonishes NJ
BODY more than the flea himself He aou
ishes the burnt remains of his firing wand mao
ly in the air; his numerous legs kick about viz
I..l. b;s little head bobs M and down nm