The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-09-23
AfiEA THEATRE.
Dramatic Entertainment Given by .
Company OF Pleas at Dsntsig.

a correspondent OF the PaR.MaH Ga.
rSiic sends the following from Dantzig
There was fair going on outside the gates
OF this most picturesque old city. Wan
dering among the booths, our curiosity
was excited hy one which bore the follow
ing Inscription: "Pariscr Floh-Theater."
The theatre was about the size OF an ordi-
nary tambourine, which instrument il
greatly rcsCmbled. We looked with inter-
est at certain cardboard boxes which
stood beside the theatre. One OF these
was open. and showed q number Of
tiny vehicles. carriages. bicycles, engines,
Roman chariots. all as minute az possible.
The other boxes. with lids. contained the
actors themselves. The enterprising man.
agrees, stout lady in cotton dressing
gown, placed herself opposite at the table,
and prciacod the entertainment with u short
but Interesting address. "The ordinary
domestic flCa," she began, "is creature OF
considerable intelligence, and capable OF n
high degree Of intellectual cultivation. We
have no less than three hundred in this
Establishment. They ere moi hungry" she
added hastily, in answer 10 some slight ox-
preston OF anxiety that doubtless por-
irayed .tsoli on our countenances. - en-
gage man TO come etery day and feed
them"
HOW THEY FEED.
He bareS his arm. the three hundred are
placed thereon, and they suck until they
are satisfied. our immediate apprchensions
thus sllaycd. the ladyprocceded TO explain
that the iiF>t process in the great work OF
tanning anu educating flea was to iasten
an invisible gold thread around its neck.
~ means az which il could he lifted nj
pleasure or harneSscd to any Of the vehicles
DISPLAYED in the box before Us. A we'll
nuriurcd specimen will often live 10 the age
OF eight years. and with evident pride she
remarked, I've have several among our
troupe who are already six years DID,"
and so saving she handed us a power
full microscope and gratihed Us by the
sight OF one OF these venerable fleas
(magnihcd 10 the size Of wasp kicking
and plunSing violently. in nOwise impeded
by the weight 81 it, golden collar. The en-
tertainmcnt began with a chariot race by
fless OF various nations. The Russian was
attached 10 is native drosky. the Siberian
10 sledgc; England. France. and Ger
many had each their representatives, the
former harneSSed, think, TO a common
London omnibus. Each competitor was
supposed 20 be able to draw body Of six
times its Cwn weight. The stage was
slightly tilted. however, in order TO assist
the runners.
FLEA BALLET.
Next we were treated to n ballet, rs
danced by some really superior artistes.
The lady opened one Of the cardboard
boxes and extracted thence with deli
cate pair Of pinccrs a dozen OF dancing
flels, each elegantly attired in-or rather,
should perhaps say. covered by-a petit
coat Of tissue paper-red, blue, green, yell
lOw-all the colOrS OF the rainbow. Each
dancer was announced by name as she en-
tered upon the scene. Meess Elizabet.
Franlein. Anna, MamZelle Barrie, and
others. and each and all. encouraged
by the voice of their directress, performed
the most astonishing eyoluuOnS, whrling
and hopping. skipping. leaping wildly into
the air in a way that was cOmica 10 be-
hold. II was a. II the minuteSt OF ballet
girls had been cut in two at the waist, the
lower half performing minus the head and
shoulders. or like SIbbatical dance OF
fairy lamp-shades bewitched. Now and
again, after some unusually prodigious
leap, an artist would be upset. Then, be-
meath the gay. vOluminOus skirt, the strug-
Cling insect was for a moment visible
quickly replaced on its legs, however, by
the watchiul care OF its mistress. Now came
act the third. when the interest was sup
posed TO eliminate. and with much verbal
flourish OF trumpeis female rope-dancer
was produced second only in renown TO
the famous Blondin himself. This young
lady's name was Eliza. She lived in nest
OF cottonwood with one other companion,
who was probably in delicate health, as she
was not called upon to perform. Eliza not
only danced on a rope, but twice traversed
an imaginary uniathomable abyss on a
nearly invisible wire suspended between
two pins.