The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-09-09

= an
ivory by Prof. Ktchingman himself, and are
evidence Of DO mean skill. in themselves be-
ing OF course quite small and must of neces.
sity wor K easy. ] found Mr.. Kitchingman
very clever, young Englishman of pleasing
a'e ress, and from him gained considerable
AnDrmatlon CONCERNING his pets and of the
class to which they belong. There are
about twelve different varieties of feas: the
cat flea dog flea, pigeon flea, etc and the
'lieas OF GiHerent nations are found to differ
quite as much as the people themselves do
The Professor, in his exhibition. makes use use
OF RusSian, Belgium. Turkish and English
fieas. and finds different nationalities sflited
t" different kinds of 7wcrk the Russian flea
beng the best for hard work, anything when
muscle is Of nement and brains below par,
the EuSlish fieas however being considered,
by hlm. the most intelligent and best fitted
Tor performances requiring a clear eve and
cool head. / lelieve Mr.. Kitchingman has
not yet attempted to use the American flea
but think he weuid find them combining
all the qualities Possessed by those of other
nations, my own experiences teaching me
that they are partiealaly active. and dare
say quite as intelligent as active The Pro-
! fesor's first step is to secure stock of heas,
and Ike other stock, the improved varieties
! orlng good nlices,.a thorough- bred Russian
hea generally standing him about six pence
sterilng or about seventeen cents currency
at p.eseut rates Of exchange. The stock Sc
cured, they are carefully kept in glass bot
tie until ready for training. Having
/ decided upon one for use in the performance
OF any trick, 1t is taken out of the bottle and
placed inside small circular box made of
ivory with glazedyends, which is called the
training Wheel Once in this, Mr. Flea finds
his Violent efforts to;move about in his usual
manner attended with considerable revolv-
! ing motion, caused by the turning of the
| box, and after two or three days in this. he
is found quite ydocile and ready for the next
step-that Of being put in harness. This is
no easy undertaking, for pinch or squeeze
may break limb or cause serious internal
injury, while If the struggling insect is not
securely held, escape Is quite probab e.
Held between the thumb aud finger of the
lett band, the harness. made of horse hair, is
with the right hand carefully slipped over
the head OF the struggling animal and the
hlrnesslng is completed. This operation
| necessarily requires skill, for two much
| Tightening of the moose may result in stran-
gulation. Nhen harnessed, the flea is fast
eued at one eud Of a fine gold chain. and al
lowed to struggle until he is exhausted
NJ food Is given him until he becomes tract
able, when he is allowed a liberal supply of
raw beef from which he greedily extracts
such nourishment as he finds therein suitable
| to bis taste. After being broken to harness.
the instruction required is commenced and
continued until the Grtiste is sufficiently
skiIfnl TO make his debut. The Professors
troupe Is now quite large and comprises
some strictly hrst-clasS stars'' as the show
bills say. Blondin" performs on the tight
| rope, drawing backwards and forwards a
miniature car suspended from the rope
'Hereu.es," at a good rate of speed, draws
| along line ofbattle ship weighing over Eve
| hundred times his own weight; a see-saw is
| indulged in by two youngsters, who seemed
/ to enl " the fun ''Lcotard" performs with
! the greatest of ease on the flying trapeze,
| and an ''old boy" INDUCES in the evidently
| agreeable exercise Of drawing" "p miniature
| bucket from dry we'll, and letting it go
! again with a run. One more stronger oil
| nerve than the others, fires eff gun that
| quite startles the rest of the troupe. There
] are many others whose per formances are
| more or less interesting, and as general
/ thing the performers are quite willing to 60
! through their exercises again and again, in
| this particular being much more accommo-
| dating than many public performers of great
er growth. who, as is well known, generally
dislike eneores. When flea bed time comes,
|
/ day are taken out of harness aud fed upon
the back Of itteir masters hand, as many as
| eight or ten feeding at one timo. Mr.. Kitch-
ingman is evidently hea-bite proof, and tho
| his hand bears marks where the probosces
| of hls pets have been SO frequently inserted
| he AYERS that no unpleasant feelings are oc-
| casioned. What an excellent Continental
| traveller Kitehipgman would make About
| twenty minutes are allowed each flea, when
| he is taken Off and put to bed between two
/ squares Of blanket, (inch squares } being
/ carefully slowed away in small box. a
/ layer of blanket, then a flea, another blan-
/ ket and another flea, and so on until all are
/ disposed of. The process of embarrassing
] and putting to bed the whole family takes
/ some two hours, and the same length of time
! is required in getting them up in the morn
! lng.i The average duration of life among
fleas is about eight months, though the flea
/ which Inotioea drawing a bucket from a
well has been going through that operation
] for eleven months. and Prof. Kitchingman
beheyes he was not young when he com
/ menced. Some of an excitable and nervous
! disposition break down under the training
/ or breaking. and live only few days. while
/ others are stubborn and won't be trained
/ one thatscaEne under my observation had
/ been one month in training and had not yet
given up hopping. Altogether the show
was Interesting. and l trust you readers viii
| lind my account of it SO. too, though few
are likely to come over here to sec it. B.
SEALING CAUSE.-THE following methed
of closing tin cans is highly recommended
as 1T completely obyiates the usual difficult
ties of unseaiing: Take one pound of rosin
and tablespoonful OF lard and melt then
together.e the lardsrendering the rosin. less
brittle when cold. After filling the can with
/ fruit place the tin cap in position, then takc
piece of strong muslin larger than The
opening1ip thecan, smear one surface with
the melted resin. and fit smoothly and ac
curately over the tia cap when cool smeal
the upper surface of the muslin with thu
rosin. The can is readily opened with th,