Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-03-06
III O. p r X % G -.
1CONCLUDED.l

At once, and with spirit, into the plans of the
masquerade.
idea " observed he, very TRANQUILITY, and as if
he had never tasted wine in his life, but lust
after YOUR majesty had struck the girl and
thrown the wine in her face-just after your
majesty had done this and while the parrot
was making that od3 noise outside the window
there come into n mind capital diversion
one of my own country frolics-Often enacted
among US, at our masquerades; but here it will
be new altogether. Unfortunately, however,
il requires company of eight persons, and"
Here We are ~ cried the king, laughing at
his acute discovery of the coincidence; 1" Ell ght
TO sfrsctiOn-I and my seven ministers. Come.
what is the diversion 2"
We call it" replied the cripple, the Eight
Chained Ourang- -Outangs, and it really is ex
csIlent sport if we'll enacted
I'VE will enact it," remarked the king,
drawing himself up, and lowering his eye lids
The beauty of the game" continued Hop
Frog, Lies in the fright it occasions among
the women"
Capital" roared in chorus the monarch
and his ministry.
Il will equip you as ourang outangs," pro-
ceeded the dwarf; leave all that to me. The
resemblance shall be so striking that the CON-
psny Of masqueradors will take you for real
bessts-and of course will be as much terrified
as astonished'
20, this is exquisite ~ exclaimed the king
. HOp-PrOg / will make man Of you"
- The chains are for the purpose of increasing
the confusion by their jangling. You are sup
posed to have escaped, en- uasSe, from your
keepers. Your majesty cannot conceive the
effect produced, at a masquerade, by eight
chained Ourang-Outangs, imagined to be real
ones by most OF the company, and rushing in
with savage cries, among the crowd Of delicate
and gOrgeously habited men and women.
The contrast is inimitable."
1t must be, :" said the king; and the coun-
ell arose hurrledly, as 1t was growing late. to
put in execution the scheme of HOp-Froo.
H1 mode of equipping the party as ourang-
Outangs was very simple, but effective enough
for bis purpose. The animals in question had,
at the epoch OF my story very rarely been seen
in any part Of the civilized world; and as the
limitations made by the dwarf were sufficiently
hideOus, their truthfulness to nature was thus
thought to be secure.
The king and his ministers were first en-
eased in tight-itting stockinet shirt and draw
ers. They were then saturated with tar. At
this stage OF the process, some one of the party
suggested feathers; but the suggestion was ut
once Oyerruled by the dwarf. who soon con-
Einced the eight by ocular demonstration, that
the hair OF such brute as the ourang-outany
was much more efficiently represented by flax.
A thick coating Of the latter was now procured.
passed about the waist of the king, and tied:
then about another Of the party and also tied;
then about all successiveIy, in the same man.
ner When this claiming arrangement was
complete, and the party stood as far apart from
each other as possible, they formed a circle;
and to make ali things appear natural, Hop
Frog passed the residue of the chain i'm two di
ameters, at rlght angles, across the CIRCLE after
the fashion adopted at the present day, by those
who capture ChImbanzees, or other large apes,
in Borneo.
The grand saloon in which the masquerade
was to take place, was q circular room very
lofty, and receiving the light of the sun only
through single windoE at the top. At night,
tie season for which the apartment was espe-
elslly designed, it was illuminated principally
BY large chandelier, depending by chain
from the centre of the sky-light, and lowered
or elevated, by means of a counter balance as
usual; but In order not to look unsightly this
latter passed outside the cupola and over the
roof
The arrangements Of the room had been left
Irippetta s superintsndence; but in some
PARTICULARS, 1t seems, she had been guided by
he calmer judgment Of her friend the dwarf
Al his suggestion it was that, on this occasion,
'ne neehandelier was removed. Its waxen drip
pings, winch, 10 weather so warm, it was quite
impossible 10 prevent, would have been serious
detrimental to the rich dresses of the guests,
N10 on account OF the crowded state of the
saloon, could not all be expected to keep from
wv is eentre-that is to say, from under the
Chandelier. Additional sconces were set i'm
syus parts OF the hall, out of the way; and a
sanoeau, emitting sweet odor, was placed in
.ae ,ignt hand Of each Of the Caryaides that
s s.UEa against the wall-sOme fifty or sixty alto
,neeight ourang-outangs, taking Hop Frogs
tSa waited patiently until midnight, when
So.. iOTm was thoroughly filed with masquera-
TelVre making their appearance. No
g.. Iad the clock Ceased striking, however,
- 'uey rushed, or rather rolled in alto
sl-ior ssnI the impediment of their chains
Die as they entered "
efcitemen. among the masqueradors
,;,hP lsious, and filed the heart of the king
~ gree As had been anticipated, there
t.,..;n not lew OF the guests who supposed the
I;nS looking creatures TO be beasts of some
realty, II not precisely rang-Outangs
bsS VI Ine women swooned with alright; and
rIn5u u, tee King taken the precaution to ex-
~. weapons from the saloon, his party
NJ son nave expiated their frolic in their
ths as as II was, general rush was made for
orksS OUT the king had ordered them to be
rbs Iu immediately upon his entrance; and at
Poslted with him
.,., Dne the tumult was at its height. and
ST. wSsqlerader attentive only to his own
ss, -ior IN fact, there was much real dan
eb.in I'm Tue pressure of the excited crowd-the
s1J 10 y which the chandelier ordinarily hung,
m;-h, hith rs had been drawn up on its removal,
s.,os nave been seen very gradually to de-
tbr.s, untli Its hooked extremity came within
'e Ieet Of the floor
bsv;n1 a'er his, the king and his seven friends
foun5 Ieeied about the hall in all directions,
CON- thenselves at length in its centre, and of
WEI ~ N immediate contact with the chain
hal sHy 'HLey were thus situated, the dwarf, who
then 'S"ed closely at their heels, melting
tbs;r ~ ~ Keep up the commotion; took hold Of
tiops nam at the intersection of the two Dor
and IN, "nlen crossed the circle diametrically
tboaaSi Yht angles. Here with the rapidity of
eb,nSiI. ne inserted the hook from which the
instsa. had been won't 10 depend; and in an
Ier sI., oy some unseen agency, the chande-
the ~ was drawn so far upwards as to take
seononr out Of reach, and as an inevitable con-
in sIo." 10 drag the ourang -outangs together
Tba CONNECTION, and face to face
cred !, mas 4ueraders, by this time, had recev-
bernniaDl Dlne measure, from their alarm; and
cOs,@;Y to regard the whole matter as a we'll