Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1868-02-06
Shenandoah Herald.
!. w GODS Took. VA.
II | hSDAY. FEIkUAKY6, 1868

Ab Ine PRESIDENT or the grand mena-
RE now ooeu III Richmond, according to
the last reports Of its performances, has
beenarecently much annoyed by applica-
lions on the part of the outside barbara
ans to be admitted to the floor. No event
creates SO much excitement ia a commit
nifty of intelligent people as the advent of
coed animal shov. Let it be announced
that the three-horaed "Valpus," the ring
tailed t'Hoode DOODLE" the ante,liluyiaa
'Mastodon," or some other fabulous or
imaginary monster, has been captured by
Messrs. Humbug and Co, and that it
will be certainly exhibited on certain
day, and every man, wslnan and child,
who can raise the money, will be there.
Such is human nature. Now, we would
suggest that the hundreds of gaping. won
derlng people who are seeking admission
to- the Kichmond menagerie, are moved bv
the same passion: they want to see the
slow. The President, or, more properly
speaking. the ring -master, whose duty it
Is to see that the animals perecrm their
allotted parts according to the programme,
ought to remember that this is indeed the
'rarest collection of animals ever present.
ed in this country and that it is to be
expected that everybody viii! want to see
them, and particularly as ''free tickets
can be had at all the hotels" The ex-
.pense OF keeping up the exhibition" is
paid out of the State Treasury-a about
two thousand dollars per day being re-
qulred to feed the animals and keep their
stalls in proper condition
Perhaps the manager is fearful that a
too frequent stirring up of the bcasties"
may render them interchangeable, and thus
endanger the lives Of the visitors. Per-
haps his fears are not altogether unfound-
ed; for, only few days ago, a scene oc-
Cured which we are assured was not son
the show-hil!s."
A comedy, concerning .'lunatcs and
idiots, was being performed, which seem
ed to excite the ire of an old Chimpanzce,
known by the name of Hine, who sought
to avenge himself by making ugly faces
and uttering belicose growls at ..Roval
Bengal Tiger" surnamed Gibson who
was confined in cage on the oppositc side
OF the showroom The tiger perhaps
thought 1T was rather too much to be in
suited by such an animal, and determined
to chastise him f"r his impertincnt con-
duct. The tiger dashed the frail bars of
MS cage to pieces with his tail and came
out, to the utter CONSERVATION of all the
monkey tribe, who flocked together to see
what was going to happen The old CHM
panzee got out of his cage and MADE his
escape from the room, old Begal follow
ing HIM out. The whole menagerie WAS
In an uproar inside. The door was shpt
10 prevent the escape of other animals
hs gorrlllas, the rib-nosed balloons and
the ring tailed monkeys set up terrible
howl, and chartered with an earnestness
that frightened the smaller beasts almost
to death. In the mean time, the CHM
panzee had successfully eluded the scent Of
the Tiger outside, and had returned to the
aoor and was trying to force an entrance
when Old Bengal overlook him and was
about to claw him, when Hine burst tbro'
the door, breaking glass panel and flew
ito the embrace of his frightened compan-
IONS ions. lie was safe. The Tiger had only
toached,hinl with one Of his sharp claws.
The Tiger, in the mean time. had been
captured and Gagged, and quiet was again
restored. <i@ H5ti 80 4
we would respectfully suggest to the
managersof the Richmond meuagerie the
proprlety of charging an adnrttance fee
say. for adults. SO cents; children under
~ years, half price. Do this, and then
aet the exhibition 60 on until everybody
has seen the whole list of animals adver-
'leed' and particularly the huge black ele-
p''"'@ from Congo, one of the largest of
has species, and the first ever exhibited in
virginia. 1t is wrong to tax the people
OF the whole state to keep up such show
/. "nen It can SO easily be made self-sus-
tanning institution |!