The Portland daily press., 1873-07-11

Oh kkOn. VVIIIlam htdIuICars ILaSt
representation before their depRr-
ca. a#e ~
LONG NOSE, LONG NOSE.
Under the direct invocation OF
God SingOw. a.
GREAT ATTRACTION
"The United States of America" cried he,
"that is just my businessw
He followed the clown and soon re-entered
the japanese city. A quarter of an hour
later he stopped before large tent covered
with numerous flags and banners, the out
side walls of which represented without per-
spective. but in flaming colors, band of Jug
glers. 1t was the establishment of the Hon,
Batulcar, a kind of American Barnum, di-
rector OF troupe of mountebanks, jugglers,
clowns, acrobats and gymn asts, who gave
their last representation before leaving the
Empire of the Sun, for the United States
PassepartouL entered the portico, and asked
for Mr.. Batulcar. Mr.. Batulcar appeared in
person.
"What do you want ?" said he to Passepar-
tout, thinking him at first native.
EDO you wish for a servant?"
ga servant ?" asked the Barnum stroking
his heavy grey whiskers-'I have two, obedi-
serve ME for nothing on condition that l feed
them. Look at them-showing two robust
arms furrowed by great veins.
$50 cannot be of any service to you."
"None."
''Diablel 1t would have suited me to have
joined your troup."
"Ahaw said the Hon Batulcar, "you are
japanese, as l am monkey. Why are
you dressed in this fashion?"
"One must dress as one camp
'sTrue all that! You are Frenchman p,
eyes, a Partisan of Paris.''
"Then you ought TO make grlmaces ?''
"Faith," replied Passepartout, vexed that
his nationality should provoke such a cues
ton. "We Frenchmen know how to make
grimaces it is true, but no better than Amer
icansr'
Exactly. Well, if 1 do not take you as
servant, l might take you as clown. You
understand, my man; in France they ex-
hibit foreign comic actors and in foreign
country French comic actoIsr'
"Ahp
''You are vigorous?''
"Above all, when get up from the table"
"And you can sing?"
eyes! Yesp'
"But can you sing with the head down, a
top spinning upon the sole of your left foot
and sword balanced upon the sole of the
right?"
s.Zoundsr' answered Passepartout, who
recalled the first exercises of his youth.
'You see what want?''
The engagement was concluded. He had
engaged to make part OF this celebrated
Japanese troup. 1t was not dattering-but
before eight days he would leave for San
Francisco.
Inc performance announced by the Hon.
batuicar would commence at three O'Clock,
and soon the formidable Instruments of q
Japanese orchestra Numbered at tho door
Passepartout had not had time to studu his
role, but he could lend the support ~ h;S
solid shoulders in the human pyram;d 90
cuted by the long nose of the God Sinon,,,
This great attraction would close the exSih;.
ton. Before three o'clock, the spectators
had filled the house-Europeans, natives.
Chinese and Japanese-men, women and
children. The musicians entered and the
full orchestra-gongs, tom toms, flutes, drums,
bones-began their prelude. 1t was an aero
batic exhibition, and it must be confessed
that the japanese are the most adroit slight
ofhand performers in the world.
One Carried fan, Transforming bits of pa
per into flowers and butterflies. Another
with the perfumed smoke of his pipe traced
rapidly in the air blueish words, which form
ed a compliment to the skill of the assem-
blage. This one juggled with lighted candles
which he extinguished successfully as thew
passed by his lips-and relighted them one
by one without interrupting for a moment
his legerdemain. That one reproduced by
the means of spinning tops, the strangest
combinations-under his hand these buzzing
toys seemed instinct with a life OF their own
III their innumerable gyrations,-they ran
upon pipe stems, on the edge of sabres, on
iron wlres-thread really-extended from one
side of the stage to the otber:-tbev ran
around great crystal vases, up bamboo lad
ders, hiding away in all the corners. rrodnc-
ing effects very strange but harmonious.
1t is useless to describe here the marvellous
teats of the acrobats and gymnasts of the