Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-10-16
NO. 246.
miscellaneous.
CHARLIE ROSS IN WAX.

Said Charlie Ross father to Times
reporter yesterday: When l was up in
Canada for the first time, six or seven
months ago, working out clue, one Of
nv friends there told me that Coles Cir
Gus had been along with wax figure OF
Charlie Ross. Almost the first thing we
saw in the town was fence posted over
with circus bills. On one of the bills was
huge cut Of boy, labelled Charlie Ross,
and The small bills advertised wax figures
of Charlie Ross and the whole Ross fami-
II When we got to the circus the first
thing We saw in the menagerie tent was
big cage divided into two parts. In the
first part, nearest the entrance, was
oe-begone looking family, labelled 'The
Incorporate Family The other part
was labelled The Ross Family" A
beautiful little boy in wax, stood on the
top of a small round table. He was about
the size of Charlie. but didn't look any
thing at all like him. Mrs. Ross who sat
in the background, was gorgeously dressed
in the very latest fashion but she wore u
bright green dress, and the real Mrs.
Ross hasn't worn anything but black for a
long time. They had me standing there
Just behind Charley, finely dressed, but
nothing like me at all. Besides these they
had number of children seated on stools,
and the only figure that looked anything
like any Of us was little girl that really
looked very much like my little girl.
While we were talking happened to hear
the proprietors name mentioned behind
me, so l turned around and asked him
whether his figure was an exact reprcsen-
tation of Charlie Ross.
.Oh yes," he answered, Il had that
made under my own supervision. and
know that it's perfect
"Where did you get the picture of the
boy ?' asked him.
'.Oh, got it from his father myself, he
replied, without any hesitation. I'm very
intimate with the Ross family-go to their
house every time | visit Philadelphia.
Those are exact likenesses of the whole
family And he gave me an excellent
reason for having been at my house,
which was very plausible, but then knew
he had never been here.
IL know the family SO well" he con-
"that I've offered $4,000 reward
for the return of the boy on my own ac-
count; and I'll pay it, too, every cent OF
it,"
I asked him whether he thought |
looked anything like the figure Of Mr..
Ross.
"Oh, no." he said .'you don't look any
thing like him at all. Why, have you ever
been mistaken for him p
Yes told him II have been taken
for him very often. am Charley Ross
father"
Well. sir, Mr. Ross continued, laughing
quietly. he was the worst taken-down man
/ ever saw in my life. He stood there for
two or three minutes and couldn't say
word After awhile he put his hands on
his hips and said
"Gcod Lord, Mr.. Ross you don t say sol"
Then after while, he took hold OF both
of my hands, and held on to them warmly,
You don't mean to tell me you're the
father of that boy Well, well, well. I'm
glad to see you, and mean it. every word
of ii, about that 80 900 reward. and moth
ing would please me better than to have
chance to pay it But l really did meet
you once Mr.. Ross. l was introduced to
YOU in the Mayors Office in Philadelphia"
and rather think he was, Mr.. Ross add.
ed parenthetically.
Well for some time he was so confused
he didn't know what to say. But, to re-
lieve him, | asked him to tell me candid
lv where he got that wax figure of Char
ley.
why, I sent my son down to Your
store in Philadelphia he said, land he
got it of YOU"
told him guessed not. Then asked
him where he got the rest of the family.
WELL" said he, "as you're Mr.. Ross,
wont mind telling you; but wouldn't tell
anybody else. You see we used to have
an Incorporate family and temperate
family. So we let the Incorporate family
stand. and just changed the label of the
other from The Temperate Family to the
Ross Family and put the figure ofIChar-
ley in front. That's the way we fixed it,"
Il was little taken back myself at this,
but the man evidently sympathized deep
ly with me. and at the same time had an
eye open to business, for as was leaving
he said "Now, Mr.. Ross, when that boy
is found want you to let me have him TO
exhibit. He'll draw better than anything
else that l can get, and I'll give you 81
600 a week for him for thirty weeks"
told him, said Mr.. Ross. that would
rather see the boy before made any bar
gains, and that even then, guessed ne