Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-02-19
Tricks of a VeltrilOquist.
A PROFESSOR OF THE ART RECALLS SOME
PRACTICAL JOKES.

In a variety entertainment there is one
thing that, if performed successfully, never
fails to please the audience. No matter
how dull and embarrassing may be the pre-
ceding ssact," no.sooner does the yentrlio-
ouist come forward with his paraphernaiia,
consisting of trunk, table, antomatons, ana
doll than interest reyives, and soon every
one is laughing and many wondering how
it's done. After enjoying such perform
ance, the other day, a reporter for the Desty
Meas sought out the professor OF the arr,
Mr.. j. W. Bingham. He was found III the
dressing room of the Chicago Museum, just
removing his stage toys and donning ms
talked to his visitor, who had for resting
place one Of Mrs. Gen. Tom Thumbs
travelling boxes.
"Do YOU have many chances TO practice
ventriloauism in private, where you can
have some fun out of it without being dis
covered?' was asked.
'sWhy," answered the professor, laugh
ing 81 have had some ludicrous expert
ences, but such occurrences do not happen
often, for it is necessary to have the proper
surroundings to carry out the deception.
| "Would you mind relating few of
them"
| ''No; though not having kept any record
I do not know that can be very exact, or
give you the most ludicrous. However, do
remember very funny incident which oc-
Cured while was On q midnight train 60
ing from Philadelphia to Washington, ID.
&c. On the same train were q couple OF va
riety actors, who got into the smoking car,
one of them carrying in his arms what is
known as property" dog-that is, one
made of skin stuffed with straw. In the
hurry of packing, it had been left out OF
their trunks noticed the actor stow it
carefully under seat in the Car. When
the train got well under way and most Of
the passengers were fast asleep, l com
menced initiating the whining of puppy
First one person woke, then another
'Confound that dogH said one. 'Confouno
the man that don't know enough to put 6
dog in the baggage CARP said another
while some one else cursed the railreaC
company for allowing a dog in the car
Finally the conductor was sent for. Keep
ing up my limitations, he soon located the
obnoxious cur under certain seat, ant
reached for it, [ snarled and he jerked hi
hanG back, and after several attempts tt
pull the beast out by hand he got the stove
poker and raked it out. Suffice to say
when it was held up to public view TIN
shouts of laughter drove Mr.. Conductor on
of the car.
"Another time when in Philadelphia
servant girl at the hotel came into my room
to announce dinner. stepped out of tn
door ahead of her, and just as she closed
threw my voice into the room. Let m
out, let me out, yelled an imaginary voice
in piercing tones. The girl looked startled
opened the door again, and saw no one
She looked bewildered and closed the dool
g tried it again, but she caught me thi
time. 'Musha,' she said, you have th
devil in you anyway. You kape away froi
me after this and with that gave me
- crack on the back that nearly took th
~ breath out of me.
~ ''Then remember being in q hotel
:" Rochester, N. Y. In the room next to m
= / heard lady put child to sleep aid the
:; go out of the room. Before she got man
u feet away initiated the crying of a bah
~ through the transom between the rooms
;. The mother ran back in alarm, only to fin
Ia her child peacefully sleeping. Again au
-, again I played the trick until my hea
IA smote me, and I let the mother depart
peace.
:, ''Once played trick which is qui
~ commonly practiced by good ventiloquist
nc Going to Mount Desert one day on steam
%. ae er noticed a man oiling the machinel
~ about the walking beam. | stood quiet
near and commenced initiating the creal
90. ing Of machinery. The man was pc
90 picked. He looked over it and poure
s.7 mere oil on. When he got little bit flu
= ther the mysterious cracking commence
Z 7 The more Oil lie put Gu the worse ii
CT aking got. Well, 1 played it ON him t
''' I got tired, and he was never the wiser.
10 e n
~ periences were in the South. The negro
IA are terribly superstitious, and used to CT
~ ~ me d 'hoodo man. | remember meetir
W one Of them, who had been at cur perforr
: n ancp, afterward. With scrt of awe
70 said to some open-mouthed companion
ata 'Dere's dat yere man what got dc debbil
-. his stomach. | doan' go nigh him, yer b
~ yer life. Firs' thing yer know he'l hab Il
'A' hangin' up in de sky Why, really, tn
got to look on me as able to do anvthiu
-: e and | was bothered to death with the
IA coming TO select numbers to play policy G
l.: '.Major Newell and / strayed down TO t
's ..i level at Mobile one day. a row Of dark
49,. sat with their b cfs against a pile Of cott
aats bales, basking in the monday sun. So
' al opportunity for some fun, and thrt
- my voice into one of the bales. You shou
- have seen the expression on the black fac
IA OF the gang. ihey stood II Tor TWO
va three minutes, but as the sepulchr.'l vol
-. rolled out louder and louder the whole
90 them took to their heels like scared rabi
The Major and waited around awhile
LEV see the after effects. Pretty soon out com
the Overseer to set his men to work
''S they go? Well, we hung around for half
hour, and when we left he had not 81
ar ceeded. Each aud every darkey swore t
voice sounded as if it came right from b
and ,,n tbronrb tba oottoo bofe Cb;c,
NV Nceca.
1 II I)occ oh of