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

n0 iooi-huntef mas from time lmmemO-
RAJ been one of the most successful Of
spOrtsmen. No matter what game he fires
at, be never fails To bring it down Chance
mas thrown in the way of the New York
DtSpdtch the record of some of his mos.
amusing, yet least known, tIiumphs. and
we place them before our readers without
further comment.
THE GREAT CAT HOAX.
In August, 1915, just before Napoleon I.
started on his exile to St Helena a ouanti-
ty of handbills were distributed through
the city of Chester, England, ut the direc
ton OF a very respectable looking, Quaker
IKE sort OF a parsonage, informing the
public that great number Of genteeI fam
lilies had embarked at Plymouth to proceed
to st. Helena with the troops appointed to
guard the ex-Emperor. Now, ST. Helena,
the olils stated, was cursed with n plague
OF rats, and the British Ministry had pledg-
ed itself to clear the island of these noxions
ANIMALS for the benefit of the resident citi-
zens. Accordingly, all good Britous were
called upon to furnish their quantum of
grown cats or thriving kittens for the car
rying out Of this purpose. The Govern
ment was willing to pay the piper" and.
ln addition to free transportation in a yes
sci TO 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 swill milk
The result can be imagined. Within three
DAYS over three thousand cats were col
lected in Chester. The city was pande-
monlum, and one street in which the cat
merchants had been directed by bill to as
semOle was the scene of positive and bloody
riots. Meantime some miSchievous BOYS
let the cats out of their bags, aud colos
sal huHt 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 swINDLF.
The most glaring yet successful Of the
Old-tme hoaxes was peIpetrated in 1749
The Duke of Montague wagered that LET n
man advertise the most impossible thing in
the world he would find fools enough in
London TO tlll playhouse to see it, and pay
Tor the privilege. Surely" said Lurd
Chesterfield, 'if a man should say he
would jump into a quart bottle, nobody
would believe that" a wager was made
on this basis, and the following advertise
ment was inserted in the papers ;:
"At the Now Theatre in tho Havmarlzet.
on Monday next, the 18th inst, i TO be seen
person who performs the several II ost sur
prising things fullowing-viz: J. He takes
common walEiuE-Caue from any of the
spectators, and thereon plavs the music of
every instrument now in use, and likewise
sings TO surprising perfection. . He pre-
Sents yOu " lth common wine bottle " hirh
any OF the spectators NAV first examine
This bottle is placed on a table i'm the middle
of tae stage, and he (without any e0uivoca-
t.on) goes into il in the sight OF all the spec
tators, and sings in it. During his sray in
the bottle any person may handle it, and see
plainly that IL does not exceed "A common
tavern-bOtJle. Those on the stage or i'm the
boxes may come in masked habits, if agree
able 20 them. and the performer if desired
will inform them who they are. Stage, 7s
Cd"
INTERESTING To THE SPIRITUALIsTs.
Another section of the advertisement
cannot fail - interest the believer in Spir-
itualism. Ii says:
"NOTE.-If any gentlemen OF ladies. Caf-
ter the above performances), either single or
in company, in or out of mask. axe desirous
OF seeing a representation of any deceased
person, such as husband or wife, sister or
brother, or any intimate friend, of either sex
upon making a gratuiiy to the performer,
shall be gratiiied by seeing and cOnversiug
with them for some minutes, as If alive
likewise. if desired, lie will tell Won your
most secret thoughts in your past life, aud
give you a full view of persons who have
injured you, whether dead OF 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 uprpar arose. -
One person in The audience proposed, If
:he lockers on would pay double price, to
crawl into pint bottle. Finally some one
threw a lighted candle on the stage
Within ten minutes more the theatre was
guUted, the benches we're converted into a
large bonfire in front of the building. and
the drop curtain was hung on a pole pre-
sumably as a banner to the triumph of
GulliSility. 4 number of people were
blamed fOI this hOax-notably Foote. the
actor, who was one Of the theatre, but the
real author was the Duke of Montague.
Another genius advertise to .urn him
self into a rattle. (which he hoped would
please young and old - and still others
followed on his heels. Some of the notices
were printed in a spirit of fundamentally
the following.
A SPECIMEN OF DARK WIT.
Lately arrived from Ethiopia. the won
derful and surprising DR. Benimbe Zam-
maapoango, OculIst and body surgeon to
the Emperor of MonOemungi, who will per
form on Sunday next, at the little r,
in the liaymarket, the following surpiis-
ing operations, viz.
First. He desires any one Of the spec
Jators only 10 pun out ms own eyes, which,
as soon as he has done, the Doctor will
show them to any lady "r gentleman pres
ent, to convince them there Is no cheat,
and will then reP:ace them in the sockets
as pei feet and entire as ever.
"Secoud. He desires any officer to rip
up his own belly, which xhen lie has done
he-without any eguivocat ion-takes out
his bowels, washes them, and returns them
to their place without the person receiving
the least huIt.
Third. He opens the head Of j Of
P, takes ont his brains, and exchanges
them for those of calf: the brains of
beau for those Of an an ass and the heart
of bull for that of a sheep (which oper-
ati0ns viii render the persons more sOcia-
bic and rational creatures than they ever
were in their lives
Boxes for this extraordinary performance
were to cost five Ruineas pit, three Euiu
cas-; gallery, two guineas Incredible as
/ it may seem. people wrote tn the papers in
! which the advertisement was published, To
| ask If it was a hoax or not, ''as there had
been several public diSappointments of