The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1879-07-17

bestow upon the press. A few of us
performed a labor of love in bringing
his exhibition before the public, but in
such a city as New York, with a thOus-
and strange sights pressing for patronage,
II requires capital to obtain audience and
command attention.
The puppet-shOW opened to a poor
house. The artist COnsOled himself with
the hope Of better fortune the next
night. A few people dropped in. A
Wednesdays exhibition attracted some
school children, but the figures were so
small, they were seen to so little advant-
age, the lights were so inadequate, that
the troupe did not make that impression
on the mass they " ere calculated to pro.
duee on an Individual. As an exhibition,
it was a failure.
saw the artist daily. Sometimes he
spoke eheertully Of his prospects. One
night he had taken five dollars; the
next SIX; and he Hattered himself his
receipts would keep on increasing; but,
alas, they dWindled away to nothing. A
few OF US forced loans Of tTihing sums
upon poor ZaiOnCzek-he never asked
assistance; but all hope of the exhibi-
ton supporting him was entirely out of
the question.
Once I suggested to him the Ided Of
selling lrs figures TO jewellers, to be used
as an attraction to shOW-WindOWs. I
shall never forget his indignant and
eloquent refusal:
"What" he exclaimed, "sell them
my children, the creatures Of my brain,
my fancy and my toll Sir, they are a
part of my life I love them better
than myself How do you think I could
bear to see Miss C1lina pass into other
hands and wear ont her beautiful limbs
at the bidding Of a hard task-master,
who would keep her in the saddle till
she was utterly exhausted? And the
merry little clown how could I endure
to hear his 'ha! ha p that cost me so much
pains to cOntrive, dwindle down into an
inarticulate Wheeze? Who would take
the pains 1 do to dust and oil his lungs?
And my little horses, too! To have them
driven into skeletons No, sir-I could
not endure it p
One day he called on me with q woe
begOne COuntenanCe.
s"My friend" said he, "yOU saw my
first eXhibitiOn-Will you come and see
my last"
With a sense Of some impending evil
pressing on my heart, I accompanied the
iOrlOTn Snowman to his eXEibitiOn-TOOm.
Everything was in the same condition
as when I first introduced it to the
reader. The anthracite was burning in
the glowing stove the green curtain
was down. The artist disappeared before
the curtain went up, and the perform
anCe went off to the applause of one
spectator. The curtain fell. Some time
afterWard ZaiOnCzek appeared, gloomy,
but resOlute, with a large basket on his
arm. He then lifted the cover from his
stove.
"Fere," said he, taking from the
I liked contents Of the basket a musi-
cal box, ''is my orchestra. 1t will never
more play the overture to Norma" He
dropped it into the stove.
Hold madmanp I exclaimed, "what
are you abOUtP
Cheating the sheriff. he exclaimed,
sternly.
'Good-by, Celinap' he added, pressing
the little puppet to his lips; you were
the dearest Of them all-the prettiest
image ever man conceived. Farewell,
light of my eyes~ And the little gauze-
attiTed thing fell into the cracking
Gehenna. One after another, horses,
men, ladies, rOpe-danCers, disappeared.
"ADd nOW," cried the Wretched man, 81
have done for them, and I'll do for my
self"
He was a raving maniac. As the last
words left his lips he snatched q knife
and, in a moment more, would have
ended his existence. 1 caught his arm
and a desperate struggle followed; but
1 OyerpOWered him at last, and he sank
on the floor, exhausted. That night he
was conveyed to a lunatiC asylum.
Some months afterward I was passing
up Broadway, when my eyes were
arrested by a sign over the door Of a
small shop. 1 paused and read the
words: 'ZaiOnczek, Matchmaker" 1
fastened in. There sat my friend with
a glass to his eye, busily engaged in dis
secting a Lepine. He recognized me at
once, and shook my hand across the
counter. He was sadly changed, his
hair was quite gray, but his manner was
quiet and subdued.
Il am very glad to see you" said he.
Il have been very Unwell; but L was
kindly cared for, and have quite re-
covered. I had such strange dreams Of
a lifetime spent in making puppets.
What an idea-making puppets for a
great people, engaged, as they should be,
in the useful arts The useful is the
order of the day-by-and-by ornament
and art. Perhaps / shall live long
enough to witness the new order Of
things, and then what apuppet show
you'll seep p
POOrZaiOnCZek ! He was never wholly
rational in the worlds opinion; and