Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-02-03
An Italian CharIatan.

An Italian Charlatan.
From the Milan Qtaly) Cor. of Chicago Journal.
But the most unique, comic, and
altogether funny sight is the "char-
latan" Bracchi, who comes every
year to the fair in a gorgeous
equipage, followed by train OF
liveried footmen, etc, all for the
''healing Of the nations" His turn
out is a four-in-hand, dazzlingly
caparisoned, his footmen are gotten
up regardless Of expense (from the
stock of some theater,) and the band
of trombones and trumpets arranged
in state on the top OF his coach is
really something indescribablc.
The charlatan h mself is in gala
dress, with a river Of gold chains
around his neck and regular pro-
cession Of medals and decorations
OH his brest. Bracchi is a genius
in his way-a Napoleon-a Bis
marck-and his discourses are really
worth the trouble Of pushing and
being pushed, treading on other
peoples toes and having your own
trod or by the crowd of peasants
assembled in wondering awe around
the renowned dentist" Bracchi
treats the crowd with a kingly
arbitrariness, as if, like King
William, he were dentist "by right
divine" "Of' with your hats" he
commands, and if some poor devil
finds his elbows SO wedged in that
he can't raise finger to obey,
"Off with your hats" he orders
again, Ignorant and obstinate rus
ties that you are! | am greater
than you. III have made my money
humbugging clod-hoppers, l have
made it with my talent, and l am
rich! Hats off, then, and silence!!.."
After this TRADE, where is the rash
man who would dare to keep the
article in question on his head? |
think that if Bracchi commanded
them to knccl he would be obcyed!
Now commences the pulling Of
teeth, ctthout I,oin, of course, and
all gratis e: omoae Del. The patient
mounts the coach box, and the
char!atan, with dexterity certainly
marvellous, jerks out the ailing tooth,
and holds it up to the admiration of
the gaping crowd. The groans of
The sufferer, if he dare to groan with
Bracelets magnetic eye on him, are
drowned by the trombones, which
serve also as tlourishes to the
rhetoric of the operator. The fourth
case proved an obstinate molar,
which ballicd for some minutes
Bracelets muscular eXertions. With
out hearing any sound, YOU could
see from the writhiny Of the patient
that lie suffered horribly. Finally,
however, out it came, and the den
tist turning triumphantly from the
crowd to his patient, and fixing him
magnetically with his eye, said: at
didn't hurt you Il bit, my son, did it
now" The poor fellow sat there a
moment, pondering it over, and
then gulping down something like
a sob, replied in the purest dialect:
"CaSi.ifo.! You couldn't have done
anything more unless you'd pulled
out the jawbone!" The trumpets
and tromboncs covered the last ac
cents OF the victim, and Bracchi cX-
claimed, rolling up his eyes, "un-
grateful wretch, see what one gets
for benciiting humanity"
But Of all Bracchi's theatrical
tricks, the most successful is the
.t,yic"I of lie FoAiilio". This has
been repeated several times and
takes place on Mondays when the
fair is crowded, when there are per-
haps a thousand tustain jackets
around Bracchi's sumptuous ear
riagc.
In the midst ofan operation, when
the silence is profound, you hear in
the distance the gallo ing of a horse
and the gay flourish of a bugle. In
a moment more postillion in gor
geous livery appears, mounted on 4
fine horse recking with foam. He
bears an immense dispatch. The
astonished peasants respectfully
make way, and the rider, bowing
low in the saddle, delivers to the
celebrated dentist the dispatch duly
sealed with official WAX Rracchi
opens it with sublime Indifference,
and while he reads gently shakes
his head with an air ot-oEt-ol-the-
observation-disclosures. Finished
the perusal, he turns to the crowd
and announces: "My friends. it is
the Prince of Piedmont heir APP
parent to the Italian throne, ,)who is
suffering terribly with the toothache,
and demands my aid, summoning
me to the Court. Bat between the
people and a Prince do not hesl-
tate. Let the Prince wait, because,
first Of all must care for my dear
peasants.'
This speech is always welcomed
with an enthusiastic hurrah-those
who believe applauding out of
wonder and gratitude, while those
who see the joke find it so comical
and successful that they can't help
following suit. The scene is all the
more characteristic and interesting,
because, with us, il would be an i'm
possible one.