Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-04-04
1oNsTRosITIEs TO ORDER.
Points on the Spring Trade in NJ ermaids,
Alligator Boys and Double Babies.


Ne1o York Sun
"What is wanted" said the artisan.
adding daub of glue to the dorset fin ofthe
mermaid, sis something thew can put
on the canvas that will draw folks in. The
side shows are getting ready TO start
out. They have their fat women. albinos.
Brazilian apes, big snakes, and that sort
of thing, but they won't draw. Folks
will stop and look at the canvas, say that
they have seen snakes, monkeys and fat
women enough, and will pass on. But if
the side show can hang out a mermaid or
a sea serpent or any alligator boy, folks
will pay their dimes and step right in.
Usually they find that the MONKEYS alone
are worth the price of admission. and
they are not disposed to find fault because
the mermaid is not alive. But if some one
does lind fault the side-shOw man saws to
him:
"Look a here, young Teller. Dye
s'pose that if I'd got hold Of that mermaid
before she died I'd been showin' her up
country here for ten cent ahead? No. sir:
you'd have to come to the city to see her.
and pay yer dollar.'''
Cutting a three-cornered piece out of
the Goldfish skin and neatly drawing it
down around the papier-mache body of the
mermaid, the artisan went on:
II used to be in the magic line taking
up Ills Su6dIss SWALLOWING them. and
picking them from beneath his kneepan
but magic doesn't pay any longer. 1t
pleases the intelligent public, but the pub
lie is SMALL"
Chow came you to go into the manufac-
ture of mOnstrOsities and curiOsities ?"
he was asked.
"Well, over in Brooklyn, one day, 1 saw
in a show window one of these Japanese
mermaids. The price was 5000. Up country,
little while after that, l saw a mermaid
advertised at a side show. 1t was one of
japanese make. / thought if the Japs
could get 5000 for mermaids l could get
S5OOr $50 for them, and l knew / could
manufacture them prOtitably at those
figures"
Here the artisan gave the mermaid's tail
an upward and sidewise twist, put on
some glue, and set it up to harden.
''rhis mermaid,' he said, sis made to
fit some expensive canvas that aWestern
man has got hold of cheap. Here is a
sketch Of it,"
1t was rough pencil sketch of mer-
maid sporting in the ocean, and a lasso de-
scending over her head from a boat. In
the distance was the ship from which the
boat came. The scene repr esented the cap
ture of the mermaid in the Pacific ocean,
400 miles off San Francisco.
''lt isn't bad way" said the artisan,
''t0 make the curiosities to fit the canvas
that is to be displayed outside. In that
way the sights fill the bill, and the public
is not deceived"
''For what are the chief demands this
spring."
''Mermaids, alligator boys, sea serpents,
and double babies.''
''What does an alligator boy cost?'
''Here is one," leading the way to an
inner room and pointing to a creation
which he had recently finished, ''that costs
$50. You see it is about four feet long
and covered with leather. The mOnstrosi-
ty is supposed to have been born by
negro parents in Louisiana, to have made
its escape into lagoon when about 7-year-
old, and to have been found dying on the
bank after fight with bull alligator. |
got the idea from the scrOfula patient that
was on eXhibtiOntn q BOwerv museum as
an alligator boy"
''And the double babies?"
"They are modelled after the one that
was born of italian parents here last
year. went to see it, as l go to see all
mOnstrOsities that l hear of. Double
babies have two heads, four arms, four
legs, and only one body. 1t is a Job to get
them up as they should be, and they are
rather eXpensive.'
'AbOut how large do the sea serpents
rum"
FEThe biggest 1 ever made was about 20
feet long, with sort of dragons head and
tail. There is good deal Oflatitude in the
matter of sea serpents, descriptions of
them differ so much. l get my best
ideas from the stories Of sailors on the
Dutch trading vessels from Holland ports
A pretty fair sea serpent can be got up
for $780,"
"A while ago." the artisan continued.
II advertised, Send your orders for a
first-class mermaid, alligator boy, sea
serpent, Egyptian mummy, or double
baby Here are some Of the letters Ihave
got"
One of the letters came from an Illinois
town. 1t said:
SIS your sea serpent in good condition?
How large will he grow, and what does
he eat? IL he is o. K, and not too eX-
pensive to keep, l think we can strike
up bargain. Please name lowest price,
delivered healthy, and warranted sound"
81 will give the alligator boy a home,"
wrote a woman from Iowa, ''if you think
he would appreciate kindness and a
chance to get away from evil surround
ings. 1t is shame to make his misfor-
tune a source of profit"
Il couldn't help answering this letter."
the artisan said, "thOugh most of the let
tiers of this kind | leave unanswered. /
told the woman that the alligator boy,
though but seven years old, drank
whiskey, chewed tobacco, and had twice
been arrested for stabbing his widowed
mother; that if there was anybody who
needed reforming it was the alligator boy,
and that if she was willing to take him in
hand she could let me know by return
mail. | haven't got her reply"
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