The Weekly Arizonian., 1869-08-21
A Flea Entertainment.
From the N. '. Day,BOOk.l

In London young Englishman is conduct ing an exhibition of @ very curious character. He is the proprietor of a stud of performing feas; or, to use the words ofhis announcements, of trained Aptertus Insects, the only speci- men of the A rticulata in the world ever taught to perform" The London Daily NesCs says = ''We went to the sight fearing that our sense of refinement would be shocked, but found, on en. terjng the room, ladies with their children ad- miring the household foes which wholesome sense of duty generally teaches them to crush. Mr. Kitchingman. the exhibitor has toiled hard and long to bring his exhibition to it's present successful condition Like the lasting cookery book hare. the feas had first to be caught, then shipped hither from Russia, Bel. gium and France, or elsewhere, and afterwards subjected to training in which severity and tenderness are pretty equally prOportioned. We must confess our astonishment at the novel figure they are made to cut, although in an age like this one ought not to be amazed as such a triae as the spread of education among feas.
 Mir Kichingman, after years of labor, has perfected set of Liliputiaa articles, designed and made by his own hands, that are of them- selves of the rarest kind, and the visitor will . soon perceive that they are most ingeniously made for heas, and not ihe feas for them. Taking the raw, untutored flea between his finger and thumb, with touch that few could command, the proprietor tastens by peculiar moose, fine hair around the insects trunk, leaving the two ends standing an inch or so above the back, like a couple of overgrown feelers. These hair ends are fastened to the apparatus, generally by insertion in the slit of tiny straw, and this difficult operation hav- ing been done without injury to the wind or limb, the harnessed captive is attached to the particular service for which it's talents fit it.
 The Russian and Belgian heas are favorite pupils, but the English breed after much starving and training, become the toughest and best We observed one on Saturday. however, fretting in the collar very painfully, and draw ing his iron car with hop, skip and jump, in- stead of the steady, easy trot which the Russian and Belgian affected. Perhaps is was to much to expect righ. minded flea to be dccile un- der the circumstances in the presence of ruddy children and blonde ladies. One or two of the performers were pointed out as the interiors of green old age; they had lived nine months, and were now, in the course of nature, nearing the day of their death. Three or four months nay, Weeks-hOwever, are consideaed hard age for flea to live.
 Mir. Citchingman, with touching affection, allows his feas to live out of himself which is nothing but fair, seeing that he lives out of sLen-. Every day, when something attempted and something done has earned them nights repose, he feeds his flock on the back of his hand, puts each individual between two blank cts and the whole layer into box, where they slamber secure, out of harms way and ought to be able to rise in the morning with clear consciences toward all mankind. The untrain-- ed reserved stock (two or three hnndred) are kept in stopped up bottle full of flannel wool The exhibitor gives his visitors much infroma- tion upon this special branch of natural his- Ory.