The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-03-26
THE FALL OF THE CURTAIN
BY WATTS PHILLIPS.

.it THE FALL OF THE CURTAIN.
BY WATTS PHILLIPS.
The fun of the fair was at its height On
every side arose the hoarse shouts, oaths
and loud laughter of the men, mingled with
the shrill nlirth of the women, the crying
of babies, and the screaming of children,
while above this choking, tearing, sitting
mass of life, the music from the shows rolled
III biliows of sound from every point, and
meeting above the heads of the struggling
mob, ending in q tempest of clamor. In
every lull of this storm was heard the shout
ing of the rival showmen. ''Mermaid!"
cries one exhibition, with derisive laugh,
as he keeps up running commentary upon
his rivals announcements. "Well she
amt worth much, though you buy her by
the pound, and weigh her in her own scales.
Why don't you let the young lady come out
and take a walk on the platform? She'll be
eaten up with the rheumatic sittin' so long
in her wet small clothes. Let's see what's
next. Oh! q Sandwidge Islander as will
eat raw meatl And who would t?"-this
query he addressed to the crowd-"and be
glad to get it, these hard times?" This
speech is rewarded by shout of approba-
tion from the crowd, with the majority of
whom ..meat at any price" would form an II,
roars another Snowman. ''Ladies fust!'
from the crowd. ''Ladies and gentlemen!
Walk up! and see the bootiful Maid of Cir
Kashes, orig 'nally the favorite Sultaney of
the great Sham O'Tartary. She was rescued
from her captivation by a noble English
gentleman, who brought her over to this
country, and afterwards -." ''Sold
her to pay expenses" puts in the first show
man, amid shout of laughter. What
ave you got to show agin herP" asks show
man number two, with increased anger.
"What! Everything in the world that's
coorious and strange" Then, addressing
the mob, who. with great impartiality,
applauds both speakers alternately. "La-
dies and gentlemen, I will now introduce to
your notice the celebrated Jim Panzee, or
Wild Man O. the Woods. He will be
brought afore you for few seconds, loaded
with chains, becos' of his untameable fee
rocity, and then taken back to his cage,
where all who would witness his amusing
tricks, and subject him to nearer inspec-
tion, can do so by mountin' the ladder, and
payin' their money" There is a lull of ex-
pectation, speedily followed by u burst of
applause. as an individual, hermeticali7
sealed in hairy envelop presents himself
upon the platform. Round his waist is a
broad belt, with enormous chains attached,
the ends of which are firmly grasped by two
herculean strollers, who show such unmis-
taxable signs of an extreme trepidation,
that the effect upon the spectators is tre-
mendous. 'There" says the triumphant
Snowman, ''look at thai! It's sight you
don't see every day" AS there is u deny
ing this assertion, it is rewarded with a
shout of applause. "This remarkable
creetur," he continues, pointing to the gen
tleman in the hairy envelop, sis the famous
Jim Panzee, or Man Monkey, us lives in
forest of hoax, one of which he pulls ND
every morning for n walkin stick. He has
the strength of twenty men, builds hisself
a house of branches, and sits on the roof,
day and night, to keep it from blowing
away, which shows his uncommon sagacity.
He leads grimgarious life in the most dis
solute places, an dies solitary death in
the buzzum Of his family. The creature is
supposed to be man in his wild state, but
this is rejected by the public OF large, as
uncomplimentary to humanity" "Can he
tark?' asks gentle shepherd from the
crowd. 'No," replies the Snowman, she
expresses hisself by signs, and is intractable
to all but his keepers" "Take his head
off, some of ye!'' shouts one of the rival
showmen. They've sewed the poor man
up SO tight, that he can't breathe' 'That's
lie!' cries, with q startling suddenness,
the irascible and indignant Chimpanzee, at
the same time springihg to the end of the
platform, he stretches over the rail, and