The Magnolia gazette., 1883-11-08
A Curions Dinner.

Five of the most interesting of the liv-
ing curiosities Of the new Dime Museum
ate dinner together yesterday afternoon
at a lodging house on Arch street, afew
doors above Ninth There We're present
Che Nah, the Chinese dwarf, Isaac
Sprague, the skeleton; the giant fat
man, the cannibal child, and the
Egyptian iuggler. The latter can not
be properly classed among the curiosi-
ties, but he made himself decidedly in
teresting in various ways. The Aztec
children take their meals in their room.
Che Nah, the dwarf, was the first to APP
near al the table. He was placed in
high chair commonly used by the babies,
and the maid in waiting tenderly tucked
big white napkin under his chin.
Thus attired, and having the appear
ance of well-fed charity orphan, his
stub nose peaked inquiringly in the di-
rection of the oleomargarine, and his
chubby arms folded before him on the
table, he meditated, and surveyed the
ordinary boarders as they filed into the
dining-room one after another. The
cannibal child came in shortly after
grace had been said, and took seat
next to the dwarf. His first act was to
smack his lips and look suggestively at
Che Nah. The latter winked at him
unconcernedly, as if to say, keep on
| looking; YOU can't eat me while there's
any ham on the table. The cannibal
was the center of much curiosity, and
one of the young lady boarders told the
drv-goods clerk who sat next to her
that he, that is, the cannibal, resembled
| a beau she used to have, whereat the
young man turned pale and dropped his
fork on the floor
The fat man was a little late in reach.
ING the dining-room. He managed to
get through the door by squeezing in
edgewise. He planted himself with a
grunt that almost shook the dwarf out
of his seat in big chair next to the
cannibal. Next came the Egyptian
iuggler. He had mild aspect and
took prominent position at the head
of the table, near the castor The skel-
cton w@ the last to arrive. A chair
had been left vacant for his accommo-
dation to the left of Che Wah. The
skeleton said: Hello, Fatty, | see
you re around"
The fat man smiled and replied that
he was not as round as he looked TO be.
Several of the boarders had not noticed
the thin mans entrance, naturally
enough, and when he reached over his
plate for the succotash there was u de-
cided commotion as the plate appeared
suspended in mid-air. Then the thin
man laughed, and woman who sat OPP
posite the cannibal looked over at him,
smiled aflably and said; "Sir?n The
cannibal sa d. "Ta-ran. .tan-high-cuth
wah, y and grinned. The fat man ex-
cited amusement by cutting his
meat into small pieces and eat
ing the pieces slowly. Altogether, he
did not consume rs much rs the dry
goods clerk, and he exercised the
utmost discretion, He refused to touch
the butter, and likewise the peas. He
put lots ef vinegar on his cabbage, and
ate scantily of bread. He got outside
of one slice of beef, one slice of ham,
two potatoes, three slices OF bread, ono
plate OF custard, one plate of ice-cram
and saucer of sugared peaches with
out cream. The Chinese dwarf mani
tested no eccentricities Of taste, but ate
little of everything.
The skeleton was perpetual source
Of wonderment to all assembled. The
44SN JAiun JuS8lCl duiuHNN HllhsNll ulIb
the rest of the boarders by putting rib
bons, watch-keys and corks on the
dwarf's fork as the latter would start il
toward his mouth. The cannibal, like
Che Wah, ate what was on the table ol
was brought by the servant, and asked
no questions. The funniest sight of al
was when the collection arose from thC
table.
Tho thin man approached the dwarf
lifted him from the chair and bore hin
from the room. The dwarf looked fol
all the world as though he were swim
ming through space The Gambia
and the fat man walked out together
so'that when the fat man started up
stairs the dwarf tumbled off his chubb,
little legs, bowling, and bumped hi'
head on the floor. The fat man pickel
him up and carried him upstairs,
PhiiadelDbia Press.