The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-10-04
A FLEA THEATER.
Dramatic Entertainment Given by Com
pany of Fleas at Dantzig

Dramatic Entertainment Given by q Com
pany of Fleas at Dantzig.
A correspondent of the Pail Mall Ga
zette sends the following from Dantzig
There was fair going on outside the gates
of the most picturesque old city. Wander
ing. among the booths, our curiosity wa,
excitcdlby one which byre the following in.
scription:4"Pariser Fldh-Theater." The
theater was about the size Of an ordinary
tamborine, which instrumet it greatly re-
sembled. We looked with 1pterest at GER
tain cardboard boxes which stood beside
the theater. One of these was open. and
showed number OF tiny vehicles, carriages,
bicy cles, engines, Roman chariots, all as
minute as possible. The other boxes, with
lids, contained the actors themselves. The
enterprisiog manageress, stout lady in
cotton dressing gown, placed herself oppo-
site at the table and preiaced the enter
tainment with short but interesting adj
dress: The ordinary domestic fiea," she
began, sis q creature of considerable in
telliccpce, and capable OF a high degree OF
intellectual cultivation. We have no less
than three hundred in this establishment.
They are not hungry" she added hastily,
in answer to some slight expression Of
anxiety that doubtless portrayed itself on
our countenances. II engage q man to
come every day and feed them "
He bares his arm. the three hundred are
placed thereon, and they suck until they
are satisfied. Our immediate apprehensions
thus al'ayed. the lady proceeded to explain
that the first process In the great work OF
tanning and educating a flea was to fasien
an invisible gold thread around its neck, by
means OF which IL could be lifted at pleas
ure or harnessed to any OF the vehicles dis
played in the box before us. A ,well-nur..
cured specimen will often live to the age Of
s,ell years, and Ei.s evident pride che che
troupe who are already six years DID," and
90 tsying she handed rs powerful r'r o..
tcope and graiifed MS by the sight o. on Il
-tf1eIe venerable feas (magnifiied 10 the size
of wasp) kicking and plunging violently,
in no wise impeded by the weight OF Its
golden collar. The entertainment began
with q chariot race by ieas OF various ma
native drosky, the Siberian TO sledee.
England, France aud Germany had each
their representatives. the former harnessed,
1 think, to q common London omnibus.
Each competitor was supposed TO be able
TO draw Q body Of six times it's own weight.
The stage was slightly tilted, however, In
order 10 assist the runners.
Next we were treated 10 ballet. as dane
ed by some really superior artistes. The
ledv opened one ofthe cardboard boxes and
ertrscted thence with a delicate pair Of
pipcers Q dozen OF dancing fieas, each ele-
oantly attired in-or rather, should per-
haps say, covered by-a petticost OF tissue
paper, red, blue, green, yellow all the
-colors Of the rainbow. Each dancer was
announced BY name as sbe entered upon
the scene. Mees Elizabeth. Frsulein Anna,
Mamzelle Bsrbe, and others, and each and
al encouraged by the voice OF their direc-
tresr. performed the most astonishing evo-
buttons. whirling and hopping, skipping,
leaping wildly into the air In q wsy hat
was comical 20 beh1ld. IL was ne NJ the
miuutesf OF ballet girls bad been cut In two
Al the waist the lower half performing
minus the bead and shoulders, or like a
Ssbstical dance Of fairy lsmpshsoes be.
vitched. Nov and again. eftsr some pro
dirious leap, an srtist would upset. Then.
beneath the gay voluminous tkirt. the
rtrurrlinr insect wss fnr q moment visl bic;
ouicflr replaced on iis legs, however, by
fre verrhful care of ne mistress Nov came
nrf tie third. when the interest vas sup
1,o-e5 10 culminsts and with muca verbal
flourish Of trumpsts q female rope-dsncsr
urs produced, second only In rsnorn 10
the great Blondin himself The young
Ississ name vas Eliza. She lived IN nest
<f cotton wool. with one oibsr cgmpalion,
~ho wrs probably IN delicsse hssith, ss
ehs Vas lot called upon 20 perform \ izs
not only dsDced mon srope. Dut trice
f-rr<-.ed en- ImsfInsrT unf.tnomebit
sbrs- on . nearly invisible wire suspended
I<fre<n two WINS