Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-08-20
OUR BIG SHOW

previous IN N4sttluST tue COuut y'seaIs OIDetko-
ley and Jefferson. We propose in this issue
to entertain all whom it may interest in re-
counting. some, of the incidents which came
up in our extended tour, and to relate graph
ically, if not handsomely, atleast few of the.
scenes that passed panOramically under our
observation. Leaving our own historic town.
with one Of Spots best teams, we took the old
familiartrack, which thousands have travelled
before US, and by 10 o'clock we reached, what
might be the seat Of justice Of Jefferson coun-
u, but which is rather the seat of oppression,
corruption and misrule. In our route We
halted ut Dufield s-a station for which We
have always entertained de.ided Partially,
because Of the unsurpassed liberality of its
people in their support of our paper. Their
appreciation of our efforts to publish fear
less and Independent journal, has eudeared
the neighborhOOd to US, aud We reckon it as
chief among our favorits localities.
But, as already stated, we arrived at Shop
herdstoWn at a comparatively early hour, and
were there to witness the grand entry of Jack
RObinsOn's great circus and menagerie, with all
their Paraphernalia of spotted horses, painted
cages, and footing horns. This grand show
has evidently involved heavy outlay of
''stamps," aud We question whether the pro-
prietor realizes a remunerative interest on his
investment. Be that as it may, Shepherds
town was feverish on the subject, aud hun
dreds were gathered on the sidewalks, and in
the doors and windows of the houses, to gaze
upon the imposing pageant as it passed up the
main thOrOughfare of the town, preceded by
an elegant brass band. But it is not of Jack
Robinson's show that We mean to write, for
however choice may have been his collection
from the wide domain of the animal king
dom, he had nothing that could rival our grand
GyGSticUtiS-either as a natural curiosity, or
in the performance of intelligent rascality.-
dogs and spsckled cocatoos, and a vast many
other wonderful and curious specimens, but
the gyasticutis was more than equal to the
whole combination. The research of natu.
Talists from the present time to the dawn of
millennium, will fail to discover another aui-
NAL with so many of the requisites of success,
with so little capital of brain or courage. In
his animalistic formation he seems to be cross
between the fox and the monkey-possessing
as if by Inheritance the knavery and cunning
of the one, and the easy familiarity of the
other, but so developed as to surpass both his
supposed Progeuitors. This unique speci-
men rich in all the essentials of first class
animal was not Gagged, but passed harmlessly
back and forth with the multitude, apparently
amused at the extravaganza and absurdity of
adventures in traversing the sands of Asia
and searching the wilds of Africa for the saw
age denizens of the forest, to haul round the
civilized world in gorgeous cages for the en-
tertainment of humanity in its advanced
stages, while at home could be found animals
of a rarer breed, taking the starch out of the
sails of the grand trick horses and trained
guinea pigs, and surprising in sliminess the
PIesiOsaurus, or great sea serpent.
Next to the gyAsticutis in the geological de-
partment of the ''local show" of trained ami
mails Of radicalism, was his man Friday, or
Massachusetts, LdGyrinthodOm, who by sim
gular freak of outraged fortune, carries the
keys of the county>prison. This animal finds
his counterpart in a roach-backed COW exhibit
ted by Mr.. Robinson, and which that ex-
perienced zoologist has given the very "a
miliar name of the &" TdLpWs." The follow
ing minute description of this latter animal
we find in Southall's Geological Dictionary,
to which we are also indebted for some of
the names which we this week apply to our
collection. Southall says of this animal that
it has the claws Of dragon in the place of
hOOfs; has short, stout horn in the middle
of the forehead, and second superb horn,
springing from between the ears, Of the shape
OF circumfex accent, and sweeping back in
the most dramatic style, as if nature had
wound up the animal with some grand four
ish of its creative pen.
The third specimen in the local collection
was the =OUDI -ucKeUitteWnl, a rare animal,
and which, according to Southall has the
head Of buzzard, the body of a rat, aud the
wings of a leather-wing bat, and is about the
size of a well-grown gallinipper, with pro-
bOscis we'll adapted to blOOd.letting. This
animal has dyspeptic PbysiOguOmy with
scrOfuletic expression.
Next in order comes the grand Swan-Pond
bison, or ByersbuiIeun', an animal that is rep
resented to be exceedingly vicious in its pro-
pensities, and decidedly cdnine-ical in its af-
fections, setting greater store to the ear Of a
pup than to the eye of bull. 1t is said that
this animal is capable of forcing the strongest
church-lOck By single switch of his caudel
aPpendage.
The last snecimen to which Wa can refer