The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1864-12-23
A World of Wonders,

Barnum's Museum is world within
itself. 1t is plopled by giants, pigmies,
monkeys, Circassans, and fat women.-
\ visitor passes from the busy whirl If
broadway into this labyrinth of amusc.
ments and curiosiiies, aud feels almost rs
If transported to another sphere OF eXis-
tence. He becomes u dwellcr among the
tribes of the sea, representatives from
which swim about in the clear crysal
acqnaria, and along with the living whale
from Labrador, in his great tank; or while
contemplating the happy family of birds
and animals, II dcnizen Of field and forest.
What you say about it is not 81 wonder
what there is there" but II wonder what
there is not there" Minerals, plants, beasts
and human beings are there; and ii there
is not d real celestial angel, there is an
angel fish, and earthly angels in crinoine
looking at it. What would ?ou like to sec!
tircassians, m AlmaiItln, Il Schistopltu-
rum Typus, Oters, a Fat Woman, a whale,
an Auloniaton, II "widern' SIS of Monkeys
moving wax figures, an intelligent Seal, IA
Spothsayer, IA Porcupinr, an Aihino, five
hundred curious kinds of shoes, Snakes,
a Burmese idol, Kan.asoo, Cosmoramlic
paintings Pictures, Riff, shooting, an
lLlrctrica! Eel Sometimes you NEE,
band Of lndans-"hiet-, squawS, pap
poos,s, dances, whoops aud all; some,
zines One Tom Of 'Iaugh and-gr"w.f,:-
ness" in only three corn-ted gooi.lookins
girls; sometimes three giants, collectively
twenty four feet hi Oh; sometimes three
dwaris averaging two feet high, and who
ought by il like rule t" be together only
eight inches high Sometimes sou find
what may be called live pictures, where
ships rock on the waves, cars and wagons
glide and drag past, mlIlwheels turn, bal
Icons float by, blacksmiihs bang, aud dan
GERS circle and bound in gay saloons; some.
times you find an ape conIically playing the
violin; funny little miliner aud her GUS
toner howing and negotiating; conjurer
or clown gyrat,ng Or juggling; "a tinck Of
bright birds, who hop aud drink aud fut-
ter and twitter and sing.
A group Of wax statuary enact their ira
gic parts with slow and sad gestures. In
the LtCtuTe-TC OIL tue ''ulTrOr Is nGlu up
to nature" in pure dramatic representa-.
tions Which inspire good thoughts and
good actions.
a snug little Office in a corner is the
magic cave where the chief sorcerer and
master of all these wonders exerts his pow
ers. Barnsm himself, busy, smiling,
prompt, never at loss, sits there pulling
strings that move at once, hunters and sea-
men in Africa, the Asiatic Islands, the
Arctic seas, and at the same time the tiny
dwarf that trots in for joke with Mr..
Barnum, the singers and performers in
the crowded lecture room close by, and
the millions OF patrons who for thirty cents
apiece receive the Open Sesame to uucoun-
ted sights of entertainment and instruction.
The holidays are coming; and 10 and be-
hold, the tlreless wizard is preparing for
the people Of the great city, and for their
country cousins too, still other unknown
wonders. Chief among them, little bird
whispers, is to be Grand Spectacle which
shall sparkle, glow and dazzle with spen.
doris and establishment far beyond aught
that the Continent has ever seen. Its one
eff the miracles of epubic, that even this
King of Showmen eau render 50 much in
return for so little; u miracle that only
Barnum himself can explain You can 20
and ask HIM all about it if you like, at
Christmas time.--New York Tribune.