The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1878-10-25
HISTORIC HOMES.


amusing, yet least known, triumphs. and
we place them before our readers without
further comment.
THE GREAT CAT HOAX
In August, 1915, Just before Napoleon 7.
started on his exile to st. Helena a uuanti-
ty OF handbills were distributed through
the city OF Chester, England, at the direc
ton of very respectable looking, Quaker
ike sort of a parsonage, informing the
puohc shat great number Of genteel fam
mes had embarked at Plymouth to proceed
10 ot; Helena with the troops appointed to
guard the ex-EmperOr. Now, 81. Helena.
the bills stated, was cursed with plague
OF rats, and the British Ministry had pledg-
ed itself to clear the island of these noxious
animals for the benefit of the resident citi-
zens- Accordingly, all good Britons were
called upon to furnish their Qnantum of
grown cats or thriving kittens for the car
fylng out OF this purpose. The Govern
ment was willing to pay the piper" and,
IN addition to free transportation in YES.
sci 10 be specially chartered for the purpose
offered for each athletic full grown tom
cat, sixteen shillings, for each adult female
puss, ten shlllings and half that sum for
every vigorous kitten that could sw i'll milk -
Ihe result can be imagined. Within three
days over three thousand cats were col
lected in Chester. The city was a pande-
mohlum, and one street in which the cat
merchants had been directed by bill to as
semoIe was the scene of positive and bloody
riots. Meantime some miSchievOus BOYS
let the cats ont of their bags, aud a colos
sal hunt had to be organized among the
hoaXed spectators. In one day five hun
dred of the obnoxious felines had been
thrown into the river Dee, and Chester for
months was afflicted with swarms Of stray
cats as result of the freak
THE GREAT BOTTLE TRICK swINDLE.
The most glaring yet successful Of the
old-tlme hoaxeS was peIpetrated in 1749
The Duke of Montague wagered that let a
man advertise the most impossible thing in
the world he would find fools enough in
London TO ill a playhouse to see it. and nav
Tor the privilege. Surely said Lord
Chesterfield, 'if a man should say he
would jump into quart bottle, nobody
would believe that A wager was made
on tins basis, and the following advertise
ment was inserted in the papers:
At the Now Theatre. in tho Havmarlet.
on Monday next, the 18th inst, is to be seen
n person who performs the several It osf sur
prislng things fOllowing-viz: J. He takes
a common walkiug-care from auv of III.
spectators, and thereon PLAYS the music of
every instrument now in use and likewise
sings TO surprising perfection >. He pre-
sents You with a common wine bottle which
any of the spectators may first examine
This bottle is placed on a table in the middle
of tae stage, and he (withuut any e0uivuca-
t.On) goes into il in the sight of all the sprC-
tators, and sings in il. During his s'av in
the bottle any person may handle it. and see,
plainly that il does not excecd "A common
tavern-bOtJle. Those on the stage or in the
boxes may come in masked habits if agree
able 70 them. and the performer, if desired,
will iuform them who they are. Stage, Is
6d.
INTERESTING To THE sy,rprTr-,r,srs
Another section of the advertisement
cannot fail to interest the believer i'm Spir-
itualism. 1t says:
"NOTE.-If any gentlemen or ladies. Caf-
ter the above perfUrmanCes) either single or
in company, III OF out of mask. a-9 desirous
of seeing representation of any deceased
person, such as husband or wife. sister or
brother, any intimate friend of either sex
upon making a gTatuity to the performer
shall be gratified by seeing and conversing
with them tor some minutes, rs if alive /.
likewise, if desired, lie will tell You your
most secret thoughts in your past life aud
give you a full view of persons who have
injured you, whether dead or alive For
those gentlemen aud ladies' who are desirous
of seeing this last part, there is a private
room provided
At the designated time the theatre was
cramned from pit to dome. When the
appointed hour passed and the coniuror
did not appear, q terrible upruar arose. -
One person in The audience proposed, If
.he lookers- on would pay double-price, to
crawl into a pint bottle. Fina lly some one
threw a lighted candle on the stage
Within ten minutes more the theatre was
gutted, the benches were converted into a
large bonfire in front Of the building and
the drop curtain was hung on pole, pre-
sumably as a banner, to the triumph of
GulliSiity. a number of people were
blamed fOI this hOax-notaJly Foote. the
actor, " ho was one of the theatre, but the
real author was the Duke Of Montague
Another genius advertis, d TO turn him
self into a rattle, (Which he hoped would
please young aud old - and still others
followed on his heels. Some of the notices
were printed in spirit of ridiCule-uotably
the following.
a SPECIMEN OF DARK WIT
'Laiely arrived from Ethiopia. the won-
derful and surprising DIR. Benimbe Zam-
maapoango, oculist and body surgeon to
the Emperor of MonOemungi, who xill per
form on Sunday next, at the little r
in the HaymaIket, the following surpfis-
ing operations, viz.
First. He desires any one Of the spec
tators only to pull out his own eyes, which,
as soon as he has done, the Doctor will
show them to any lady or gentleman pres
ent, to convince them there Is no cheat,
Abh VIII AbGH &c pave AiiGiil III lAt siGkEAe
as perfect and entire as ever.
"Secoud. He desires any officer To rip
up his own belly, which when he has done
he-wiihOut any equivOcation-takes out
his bowels, washes them, and returns them
to their place without the person receiving
the least huIt
"Thrd. He opens tho head Of j Of
P, takes ont his brains, and exchanges
them for those of calf; the brains Of a
beau for those Of az an ass aud the heart
of bull for that of sheep which Oper-
ations will render the persons more socia-
BILE and rational creatures than they ever
we're in their lives"
Boxes fOr this extraordinary performance
were to cost five guineas pit, thee cuiu =
cas-; gallery, two guineds. Incredible as
| it may seem. people wrote tn the papers in
| which the advertisement was published, "a
/ ask f it was hoax or noT, ''As there had
| been several public disappointments Ol
| late"
| SOME FRENCH HOANEs.
! Busy as the French were With their ua