Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-23

" Hannah Battersbys husband runs black
smiths shop at Frankfort Pa, said the show
man 20 New York Tunes reporter. ''He used
to be living skeleton, but he grew too fat for
the business Good. living skeletons are hardto
get-almOst a. hard as twO-headed girls They
Can't be made to order like other euriosities.'
A real Circassian lady never was shown in
this country, the Snowman said. Circassian
ladies' are the cheapest kind of euriosities. The
cOmmOnest female can be turned into one in q
few DAYS. and it is wholly unnecessary accord
ing to the shOwman's idea, to go to far-off
land after an object that domestic resources will
supply Barnum brought out the first Circas-
Elan lady % years ago. She was a rather pretty
creature of French extraction, and before COM
In to this country she displayed herself i'm side
shows in France and GERMANY. John Green
wood. since dead. engaged her for Barnum She
was dressed in Circassian costume In less
than month every side show and museum in
The country was drawing crowds to see its
Circassian lady. Circassian ladies muItiDlied
until many homes in the land were blessed
with them, and this day show is incomplete
without one. She is almost invariably the wife
OF magician, giant, living skeleton. or some
other mOnstrOsity or curiosity who can put her
Sell 10 no better use than to turn herself into
beautiful CircaSSian. no matter how ugly she
Is, and sell her pictures on platform. Every
NsInan in the country who is not bald headed
bTIlding the hat over long pins, and saturating
II with stale beer before retiring at night. In
the morning il will stand straight up on the
head like pOrcupine's quilts The beer imparts
q WHY consistency. without destroying the gloss
or leaving IL sticky. The American Girl who
became the wife of the Dahomey giant after
ward the Abyssinian prince. exhibits her graces
As a CfrcaSsian lady. Bearded women. unfOr-
tunately for the shOwmen, cannot be brought
forth like CircaSSian ladies.
THE ALBINOS.
The white MoOrs of Madagascar were four
albinos. The husband was an italian by birth
and the wife an Austrian. The children were
boy and a girl. They We're known as the
LucOsie family. The girl died when 3 years Old
and the mother died in this city last winter.
The father and son are still CurOsites. The
boy is a splendid specimen of physical manhood
and resembles the late Charles Fechter very
much. He Is a fine violin player, and made his
nrSt appearance "a a musician in Newark. y. j..
three years ago. His solos are we'll executed.
AlbinOS have married before, but, except In this
case. the unions are not known to have been
fruitful. The eyes of albinOs make them more
objects Of sympathy than anything else. They
ar. a. a rule, illiteTate and ignorant. seldom
learn 10 read, and are usually put on exhibition
when very Young. AlbinOs exist in many
wealthy families. but such are rarely exhibited.
Seven hundred and twenty pounds is the
show weight of Hannah Battersby, the biggest
woman in the business. On the scales she
easy thing to make fat women look goo or 500
pounds heavier than they are They can con-
ceal an immense amount of padding beneath
their dress about the waist. and a hustle still
further adds Ia their apparent yaStneSs of pro-
portion. Mrs. Battersby. 1t will be remem-
beTed carried her husband. the living skeleton,
out of the old Broadway museum at the time
OF the fire and saved his life. She has beauti-
fUl daughter, who * living with her father in
PeunSy lVania. The next largest woman is Jes-
L. tive lin, of aSh
who was born and reared III GreenpOint Long
Island. She is Is feet inches high, and weighs
about 40 pounds On the bills she is put down
a weighing go pounds. Emile Hill is the
highest Ofthe fat W omen weighing only about go
pounds. She only feet high. and it is her
Immense circumference that makes her a great
curiosity. Fat women are easy to pick up.
shVwmen find women all over the country that
Will do. and by adding 200 or 800 pounds to
the!r weight on the gorgeous canvas they awe
the public with their immensity
Living skeletons are the result of disease and
cannot be manufactured. While, doubtless
Consumption and dyspepsia have made few re-
Specialize skeletons the cause of their thnness
Is. for tile most part. ineXplicable. No skeleton
of consequence is shown who has not been ex-
Rmined by more doctors than all the other curl
osities put together. Calvin Edison. who died
1oyears ago. and who. nHlary enough, was
a viOliniSt. came into prominence 20 years ago.
ami was the first living skeleton of account to
BE- exhibited. Isaac W. Sprague is still alive
ami enjoying the comforts of hOme-life in Mas
sachuSetts- He married and became too stout
for business He has three big, strapping
sons. Col. Martin p. Avery, who died
last winter, in this city, was the adiutant
Of eX-President Hayes regiment. He
was afteTward made colonel and was brevetted
bri2ader general for bravery At the last charge
al Petersburg a SHE'LL killed his horse under him
and tore his thigh. The wound never healed
and was what reduced him to living skeleton
Skeletons are generally rayenOus eaters but
Col avery lived on ice-cream and milk a
skeleton i made to look thinner by dressing him
In black. the same as a fat woman is made TO look
fat;er by covering her frame with light or bright
material. The trunk is kept well covered. but
the arms and legs. which are the thinnest parts
are freely exposed. Another trick is to place
the skeleton alongside the fat woman. in which
position he looks much more attenuated than he
really is.
DEARFS AND GIANTS.
Dwarfs are simply natural curiosities which
must be put in contrast with larger people but
six inches OF more can be added 10 giants with
OUT difficulty. High boots with high heels high
hats. and long coats really contribute three
inches or so to the actual height and foot IN
locNs Giants nearly always wear uniforms to
maze them appear imposing. and they raise
thrir arms slowly to give them a massive air
Capt Bates. however, always insisted on ap-
pe3rng IN a dress suit. Chinese giants show to
fhc best advantage. Their long gowns give
Them the appearance of being taller and heavier
THAN they really are. The contrast presented
by woman in male and female attire will
serve as an Illustration of this principle.
In dresses she looks much larger than
She does In trousers. 10 is amazing TO
note how giants Increase in weight after being
placed on exhibition Their life of comparative
ea-e and the freedom from care has the effect of
al ling p pounds year to their weight A
giant. to secure an engagement must be at
least seven feet in height. There are too MANY
men over six feet six inches who come to the
Show To contrast them with. There are seven
giants. Including pair of twins. in family In
Texas. three of whom are on exhibition. Bun
neil has engaged Marina. the beautiful giantess
WHO i leading the ballet in the AmaZon's march
In London, and she viii come over next year
Her height Is over eight feet and she is Young
a we'll as handsome. Mrs. Bates is the only
W man who Is taller.
But two creatures that would bear the name
OF AZtecs have been exhibited in this country
ami they are now in Europe These were
D&S0S. or cross between Mexican and an
earth-eating Indian. Their heads are no larger
than ones fists. and pale into insignihcanee
when compared with their noses which are en-
OrnOuS- The Australian children. wild girls.
and Wild men are simply specimens of the lower
or,icr of the African race. ''Niggers without
1r..-F flaC III