The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-02-23
CRUELTY TO FLEAS.
Torturins tho Insects that Hop In the Slums
..-A SiEnor that Puts the Frisky Blood.
suckers to Hard Labor.

Mr.. Henry Bergh and his associatesi1 il
the society for the prevention of cruelt.
to animals have a somewhat knotty case
to attend to, and one which has no pre-
cedent in the annals of the society. A
citizen called at Mr.. Bergh's Office an6
complained that q man was guilty o.
cruel conduct towards insects. The in
sects were feas, and the manner ir
which they were treated was described
as being atrocious in the extreme. Mr.
Bergh's assistant said that it was hard tx
determine whether the society had juris
diction in this singular case or net. Tht
charter granted by the Legislature was
not explicit on the subject-but be
thought that the law of kindness an6
compassion as exempifed in the Scrip
lures was meant as much for the benefit
of the little flea as of the biggest ele
phant.
The reporter visited the exhibitors
place, where feas are, according to Mr.
Bergh's assistant, subjected to painful
treatment. The signor claims to be ar
educator of heas and says that his heas
perform tricks and feats which he has
taught them; but in reality there SCENT
to be no "education in the matter as
all, the so-caned intelligent and volun'
tary movements of the insects were
owing to compulsion and torture. The
signor makes money by exhibiting the
Aeas. He is venerable, philosophical
looking man, with q high, wide forehead
and sllvery locks. "Here is little fea
which draws miniature car twelve
hundred times the weight of the insect, u
said he, as he placed little vehicle on
the table. Attached to the vehicle was
o flea. A delicate pincers made of fine
wire was fastened to. the insects body.
The insect, in its agony, struggled, and
it's efforts to escape dragged after it the
car. There was o miniature ballroom, in
which lady and gentleman flea were
supposed to dance polka. The insects
were fastened together with fine wire
passed through their bodies, and in
their agonized struggles to escape, made
movements which, by great stretch OF
the imagination, might be thought to
resemble waltzing. Twelve feas, sup.
posed to be musicians, had miniature
musical instruments fastened to their
bodies, and were tied to seats.
"Do you see that lady flea flirting
with gentleman insect3" said the OK
hibitor. The spectators looked closely
and saw two fieas descend in miniature
costumes made of tissue paper, pinned
to little chairs. The little insects were
kicking frantically with all their legs.
This kicking the exhibitor was pleased
to call flirting" l. was evidently
painful flirting, and more amusing to
the spectators than to the insects. Next
there was shown q miniature carriage,
drawn by two feas, the occupants and
coachman being heas, dressed with para
soils, whip, etc. The coachman was
wired to bis seat, the wire being passed
through his body. A miniature whip
was fastened to one of his fore legs, and
his struggles waved the whip about in
the most natural manner. The horses
were treated in the same cruel manner
as the insect that drew the street car.
Two "merry-go-rounds" and : Dutch
windmill were each set in motion by a
fea. The insect in each case was fas-
tened to stationary post in such q
manner that bis legs could reach the
circumference of little wheel. Tue
fea's endeavors to crawl up the wheel
caused it to revolve. A flea was tied on
the back of another flea with a little
piece of silken thread. Theinsect, which
represented horse with rider, crawl
ed painfully with its burden. and thus
was called Sancho Panza riding well
caprisoned steed.
"Ah here is O wise old fea who will
tell your fo1tun4," exclaimed the e1-
hibitor, as he pinned flea to a revolv-
ing wheel, on which were painted mystic
letters and figures. The agonized strug-
giles of the flea turned the wheel.
Whenever the flea ceased to struggle
from sheer exhaustion, little index
pointed to some letter or figure, and
thus fortunes of the spectators were
told. "Do you want your fortune
told2" inquired the signor of the re-
porter. "You may 60 ahead" said tho
reporter, The signor spurred the little
insect with a pin and the flea began to
struggle, turning the wheel. "Shall I
be long ived2' inquired the reporter.
The wheel stopped at a figure or letter
which meant eyes"
"Now," said the exhibitor, "two in
sects will decide matter of honor-in
fact, fight a duel with steel swords. "
Two insects were tied near each other,
and to a leg of each flea was fhstened a
miniature sword, which the flea fourished
about in frantic manner. An insect
was fastened to miniature rope and
drew bucket from O well. There were
other features to the programme, all OF
which were accomplished on the single
principle of pinning or tying flea fast,
and utilizing its struggles to escape.
Under the treatment the insects live
but a short time. The signor claims
that they survive eight months, but it is
the opinion that the feas seldom survive
many days i'll treatment. Said Mr..
Bergh's assistant /: "The most singular
thing is that fashionable ladies who
would faint at the sight of disabled
Or suffering horse, or who would weep al
the woes of an imaginary hero i'll 8
novel, will look on and complacently
witness the cruel torture of flea. Still
elegantly dressed ladies 20 to see this
disgusting show" Mr.. Bergh's assist
ant, warming up with the subject, con
tinued: "We will put stop to this
SOFT of thing if it is in our power to dc
so. OF course oil tho newspapers and
the whole community will ridicule us,
but what do we care We mean to dc
our duty. The God, without whose
notice a sparrow does not fall, cares
equally rs much for a flea, and why
should not our society be an instrument
to protect from suffering feas ?" The
charter of Mr.. Bergh's society does moi
mention insects, but the law constituting
its authority says the "obiect shall be tc
punish all persons who are guilty ol
cruelty to animate beings" A flea il
certainly very animate being, and what
it lacks in size it makes up in activity
-Nes0 York Mercury.