The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1884-01-26
PERFORMING FLEAS.


side the gates of this most picturesque
old city. Wandering among the booths,
our curiosity was excited by one which
bore the following inscription: "Pariser
Floh- Thoater." Tempted by man
who told us the performance was ''just
about to begin" we accepted the tickets
he almost thrust into our hands, and
crossed the threshold of the tent. There
was certainly no reason for delay, as we
found, somewhat to our embarrassment,
that we constituted the whole of the
audience. But as the famous flea thea
tire was about the size of an ordinary
(Which instrument it greatly
we should scarcely have had
SO good view of the performance if the
spectators had been more numerous
Taking our seats, as directed, about a
small round table, we looked with i'll
terest 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 actors themselves.
The enterprising manageress. stout
lady in a cotton dressing gown, placed
herself opposite, at the table, and pre-
faced the entertainment with short but
interesting address. The ordinary DO
nestle tlea," she began, lis creature
of considerable Intelligence, and capable
of a high degree of intellectual cultiva-
ton. We have no less than three hun
bred in this establishment. They are
not hungry she added, hastily, in anx-
swer to some slight expression of an
iety that doubtless portrayed itself on our
countenauces. Il engage a man to come
every day and feed them He bares his
arm, the three hundred are placed there
on, and they suck until they are salts
fed Our immediate apprehensions
thus allayed, the lady proceeded to ex-
plain that the first process in the great
work of tanning and educating 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 well nurtured specimen will often
live to the age of eight years; and with
evident pride she remarked, I'VE have
several among our troupe who are already
six years old" and SO saying she handed
us powerful microscope. and gratified
us by the sight of one of these venerable
tleas (magnified to the size Of a wasp,
kicking and plunging violently, in no
wise impeded by the weight of it's golden
collar. The entertainment began with a
chariot race by fleas of various nations.
The Russian was attached to its native
drosky, the Siberian to a sledge. Eng
land, France and Germany had each its
the former harnessed.
Each competitor was supposed to be able
to draw a body of six times its own
weight. The stage was slightly tilted
however, in order to assist the runners.
| regret am unable to give you the ex
act result of the race, which would doubt
less be of intense interest to your sport
gether be considered satisfactory. The
German lay down to have a nap by the
way, and most of the others bo,ted off
the course. This being over the lady re-
sumed her lecture. 1T is not every tlea,"
We were informed, that is gifted with
the power of saltation. So far we had
seen only, as it were, the beasts of bur-
insects, indeed, but with no
other special accomplishment.
Now we were to be treated to ballet
as danced by some really superior artists
So saying she opened one Of the card
board boxes. and extracted thence with
a delicate pair of pinchers Il dozen of
dancing tieas, each elegantly attired in
or rather, should perhaps say, ccv-
cred by-a petticoat of tissue-paper, led,
blue, green, yellow-all the colors of the
rainbow. Each dancer was announced
by name as entered upon the scene
Mees Elizabet, Franlein Anna, Mamzelle
Barbe, etc.-and each and all, ercour-
aged by the voice of their directress, pc.
formed the most astonishing evolutions,
and hopping, skipping, leaping
wildly into the air in way that was
comical to behold. It. was as if the
minuteSt of ballet girls had been cut in
two at the waist, the lower half per-
forming minus the head and shoulders,
Or like a Sabbatical dance of fairy lamp
shades, bewitched. Now and again, after
some unusually prodlgious leap an artist
voluminous skirt the struggling insect
was for moment visible, quickly re-
placed on it's legs, however, by the
watchful care of its mistress. Now came
act the third, when the interest was sup
posed to eliminate, and with much YER
bal flourish OF trumpets a female rope
lancer was PRODUCED. second only in re-
lown 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 |
lpon to perform. Eliza not only danced |
IN a rope, but twice traversed an imagi-
lary unfathomabie abyss on a nearly in
visible wire suspended betw cen two pins.
Finally, to conclude the exhibition, the |
)ox of cottonwood was held upside
Town at distance of nearly two inches
,bove her head, and at the word of COM
nand, "Jetzt, Eliza springs (Now,
Eliza, .jumpD the intelligent insect |
;prang with one bound into its warm
md cozy nest. We were charged for
his entertainment the not immGderate
sum of five pence apiece, and as we
walked away, remembering the man who
ed and the lady who Taught the neas,
We could not but marvel at the variety |
If ways in which it is possible to earn
mes livelihood in this our work a day
world.
The publisher of the Beaver Falls, |
Pa. Courier, Mr.. John f. Porter, some
T.,