The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1883-11-16
AT A FLEA THEATRE.
The Performance of Trained Fleas
Behind the Footlights,
which toes to show that The DO
nestle Flea LIS n Creature OF
Considerable Intelii-
gcnee."

There was a fair going on outside the gates
of this most picturesque old city. Wander
ing among the booths, our curiosity was ex
cited by one which bore the following in
scription: "Pariser Floh- Theatre" Tempted
by a man who told us the performance was
Just about to begin we accepted the tick
cts he almost thrust into our hands,
and crossed the threshold Of the
tent. There was certainly no reason
for delay, as we found some
what to our embarrassment, hat WI constr
tuted the whole of the audience. But, as the
famous flea theatre was about the size OF an
ordinary tambourine (which instrument it
greatly resembledD, we should scarcely have
had SO good a view Of the performance IL the
spectators had been more numerous. Taking
our seats as directed about n small round
table, we looked with interest at certain card
board boxes which stood beside the theatre.
One of these was open, and showed a number
Of tiny vehicles, carriages, bicycles, engines,
Roman chariots, all as minute as possible.
The other boxes, with lids, contained the ac-
tors themselves.
The enterprising manageress, a stout lady
in a cotton dressing gown, placed herself OPP
posite Mt the table, and prefaced the enter
ainment with a short but interesting adj
dress. ''Thc ordinary domestic flea, a" she be-
gan, 'Hs a creature of considerable tntelli-
gence, and capable of a high degree Of intel
lectunl cultivation. We ave no less than
three hundred in this establishment They
are not hungry she added hastily, in an
swer to some slight expression of anxiety that
doubtless portrayed itself on our counte-
nances. al engage a man to come every day
aud feed them. He bares his arm, the three
hundred are placed thereon, and they suck
until they are satisfied Our immediate APP
prehensions thus allayed, the lady pro-
ceeded to explain that the first pro-
cess in thesreat work Of tanning and educat-
ing a flea was TO fasten an invisible gold
thread around its neck, by means of which it
could be lifted at pleasure or harnessed to any
Of the vehicles displayed in the box before us.
A we'll nurtured specimen will often live to
tho age of & years; and with evident
| pride she remarked, ave several among
our troup who are already @ years old"
and so saying, sho handed us n powerful
microscope, and gratihed us by the sight Of
one of these venerable aeas tmagnihed TO the
size OF n wasp, kicking and plunging VIC
lently, in no wise impeded by the weight of
its golden collar.
Tho entertainment began witt a chariot
rnce by hcas OF various nations. The Rus
sian was attached TO its native drosky, the
Siberian TO a sledge. England, France and
Germany had each their representatives, the
former harnessed, | think, to a common Lon
don omnibus. Each competitor was supposed
10 n. oblo 10 draw n holy of six times ia
own weight. The stage was slightly tilted.
aot I am unable 10 oIvo Won tba exact resnlt
or tbe ,nce which vynnId doubtlase he Of I'm.
,anso intor,st 40 vour snortiny friends hut
no s,art could not aItogather he
considered satisfactory. The English steed
wont of AZ n staadv trot without waiting
for any one else. The German Law down 10
hive a nan nv the yyay and most of the
others boited off the couTse This being over
the lady resumed her lecture.
al, - vorv a., - ,va mt i,for,,oJ
i.bat Il ajs,aJ ,,i,b ,ha n,,,or ~ s~altotion
O. "a 100 h.d .oar dnIy ms n ,y.ra tho
Loos,s y, b,,ntan- docii. inSacts indooJ INF
yyith no other snocinI ACKNOWLEDGMENT NV
,.a y.aro 10 Ia ,roota1 30 a ILL, ne dorcad
~, sona LII, snnorior ortista- " c. sayino
anan.s - ID ~, oarIhoor5 oxa~aa
oyt,ncta.I tbsnoe With n deIicota nair ~
ninoars dn,sn ~ danc;ng goas oach ala.
fnntIv at,ir.J in~or rotbor T shon,d norbons
Saw covored bv-, notticn,t of tissue no,nr
rcd Nina oreen vcIIow-aI the coIors nf I'M
r,inhoXy Focb dancer yyas annonncad Inv
namo no she entered ,ron fine scano. No.
E+-ahat E,nrlain anna MomzoIla parha
atc ond each ana all anconrarsd NV ~
voica Of their dirac,rass rerfo,nc9 the mos,
as,ontshinr .yoI,,ions ,yhirling and honnjna
~ 80 1aarInr ,.1aiy - A. III T., ,
ynY thst ,yos comic,I 10 bahold 4, uas n,
4, ,ha ,ni,,,os, ~ III, airis haJ - n,, H.
two a, ths yoist Ina loyyer half nerformiro
n,,n,s tha Mead ard shoulders mr. a. sab
hat,Icol DANCE az fairy Iamnshndss ha
yItcbod