Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1869-07-10

not reached the end of the song when the
leather gave way, and brought the perfor.
nance 70 a sudden close. the cats alone con.
tinuing the song or noise till one otter an.
other they became silent and stood wink.
ing and blinking at the spectators, in mute
fear OF a recommencement Of the torture.
Curtis now approached, and after exam.
ining the extent Of the catastrophe, ad.
dressed the audience:
Gentlemen" said he "thc biler-l
mean the bellows--is busted, and the con.
cert can't go ahead tonight. Tomorrow
III have the bellows mended and give an.
other concert, introducing choice classical
songs, melodies, etc. Anybody that wants
his money returned to-night'-here he
was interrupted with "No, mop "Hur.
rah for Curtis p "Never mind the organ p
" Go ahead on tho cats p "Give US 'Old
Hundred with the variations W and storm
of similar EXPLANATIONS, accompanied with
shouting, stamping, whistling and cat-call.
ing-Curtis all the time standing, twirline
his hat and trying to be heard. A stem.
torian voice shouted "Threc cheers fol
Curtis" which were given in earnest, aud
literally brought down the house, or rath.
cr the staging on which the audience sat
and stood. 1t fell with a crash, luckily
doing no further harm than the barking Of
a few skins. A moments silence followed
and then another outburst of laughter
mingled with swearing and blows, which
soon became of those free fights such as
ended at most public gatherings, stump
speaking, camp meetings, etc., in those
primitive and happy times. The boys now
began to pelt the cats with pieces of bro.
ken benches, and Curtis, fearing for the
safety of his pets, and unable to remove
them bodily from the scene of danger lift.
ed of the upper planks which confined
their nccks in their place and set them at
liberty. The terror-strickcn creatures now
darted in every direction mostly among
the feet Of the spectators, adding to the
confusion. Whoops, yells, hurrahs and
shouts were followed BY general smash
up Of benches and windows. The boys
running down the stairs raised the cry Of
" fire." Citizens and watchmcn crowded
the street to learn the cause Of the uproar,
and the engines found difficulty in getting
near enough to perform their part Of the
work. There was no sight Of ere, not even
of smoke, but the old Liberty No. 9"
could not afford to como all the way down
there FOR nothing, so she poured deugc
Of fresh water through the front window,
drcnching the crowd iasidc to the skin in
half minute. Peace was restored instant.
ly, and the late bclligerments came rush.
ing and tumbling pcllmell down the stairs.
The watchman, finding that there was more
laughing than cursing. and that no one
had received any worse hurt than q black
eye or bloody nose, let them all so without
making any arrests.
Thus ended Curtis grand cat concert,
an event that was talked Of and laughed
over for many years by the jolly boatmcn
of the Ohio. Its protector was ordered to
appear before the Mayor next morning
and explain the cause Of the riot, and it is
said his honor bursted off some of his but
tons laughing at Curtis description Of the
same. He was let off with the admoni.
ton to do so no more. and he didn't. He
went back to his workshop next day q
wiser man, and soon forgot his disappoint.
ment in some scheme which his active
brain had hatched out--a flying machine
or something of the sort. But to his dy.
ing day he avowed that, but for the burst
ing of his bellows, his catharmonicon would
have made him the richest man in Cinciu
natl.